Photography help (sports)

Good afternoon,

First time poster and first time reader looking for a little advice.

Let me start by saying I am a very very rookie photographer/ college student. I work for The Star-Ledger covering High School Sports throughout Morris County.

On most of the games I cover we send a photographer but a decent amount of the time we do not. As a result I bought a Nikon d60 from my uncle and a decent lens (can get the exact type of lens when I get home) to snap some photos on the sideline so when I post my articles it's not just words and an eye sore.

My issue that I am having is that the lens I was initially using (smaller less zoom) was awesome in the sense that it would get everything in focus when I'd snap a photo. But my new lens for some odd reason only can focus a small area. Talked to someone who seems to know what they're talking about and they informed me to adjust the depth of field? Was wondering if I'm missing a setting that should be turned on or anything of that nature.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

To get a little idea of what I'm talking about you can see with the link attached:
Parsippany Hills vs West Morris | NJ.com

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Thanks

There is no button to adjust the Depth of Field. That is achieved by using a smaller (larger number) aperture when shooting. Remember that you still have to shoot a faster shutter speed at the same time to stop action. Google Depth of Field and read all about it.

...never mind...

OK, sorry for the photo above. Self censoring.

Photojournalism and news photography is a subject that's incredibly close to my heart, and I know quite a few people in the field whose jobs (and family incomes) hang precariously from threads as newspapers contemplate when precisely to fire the photo department. So please keep that in mind as I tell you that posting substandard photos to a newspaper website that also contains the work of men and women who have made news photography their life's craft reflects just as badly on them as it does on you, and maybe even more poorly. Because you must realize that anyone visiting NJ.com won't think long and hard enough to realize that the substandard snapshot next to that story isn't the work of a photojournalist. It's not you they'll be thinking about as they shake their heads at the photo, with or without a "Photo by" accompanying it.

My biggest bitch is that an editorial staff would never even consider asking one of their photographers to write 300 words on the game they just saw, let alone accept an article submitted by one of them unsolicited. And yet they seem to have no problem when a writer, who obviously has no idea how to properly capture live action sports, chooses to post his unedited shots along with his story on their site. It shows the contempt with which most of them hold the photo staff.

Look, I know you're only wanting to do your best, and you didn't come here looking to stir something up, so please understand my anger is not directed at you. I know you're only doing this because the assignment editor didn't send a photog out with you and you want to be read. Yes, that photo to go with the story draws the eye and makes them want to read it, as you've already implied. But you do every one of those people in the photo department a huge disservice when you post your crap online next to theirs, and you know that some of those photos are crap or you wouldn't be asking us for help.

They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so make your words count without the picture (and God, don't call it a "snap"). Go get yourself a book on basic photography, do some internet research on what everything means, and study up on sports photography and how to shoot whatever sports you'll be covering. Practice at your games, practice at games you're not covering, practice on your friends, but don't post anything just because you have it. Don't post anything that can't stand up next to the shots you get the days someone is there shooting with you. Because when you do you're essentially giving them all the one-fingered salute, and I suspect the level of effort and cooperation you'll get those days a photographer does show will be sorely lacking because they see you're willing to debase their craft. Show them some respect and maybe they'll even help you learn to shoot if you ask - but give that some serious time before you do, for bridges are already smoldering.

That's as nice as I can write it, and I'd be willing to put this online without any accompanying photos. Sometimes words alone are enough.

Download a manual for your camera and do a bit of studying...It's not something that can be picked up in 5minutes....

Too many people look for the easy way these days....I'm sure you wouldn't have picked up your writing skills off a forum...

Don Kuykendall said:

There is no button to adjust the Depth of Field. That is achieved by using a smaller (larger number) aperture when shooting. Remember that you still have to shoot a faster shutter speed at the same time to stop action. Google Depth of Field and read all about it.

Click to expand...

Yes, you need to adjust the aperture which *should* be a camera setting, not a lens setting. Try for f/8 to f/11 with a reasonably fast shutter speed if you want to freeze any action. If the shutter speed is too slow to freeze the action, then you need to raise your ISO.

And if your first lens was a wide angle lens, they do tend to offer sharper focus than telephoto lenses. That's due to the actual physical diameter of the aperture which is too in depth for me to explain right now.

If you are using a telephoto lens, you need to be AT LEAST at f/8 or higher. My guess is you switched from wide angle to telephoto.

hark said:

Yes, you need to adjust the aperture which *should* be a camera setting, not a lens setting.

Click to expand...

Aperture is the opening in the lens. So it is a lens setting that with most cameras now it is done through the camera but it is a lens setting.

Don Kuykendall said:

Aperture is the opening in the lens. So it is a lens setting that with most cameras now it is done through the camera but it is a lens setting.

Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying this, Don. I meant the setting is done through the camera and not done directly on the lens.