Sports photography meter settings reccos?

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hrstrat57

Senior Member
Took a lot of tennis pics today at Newport HOF tourney, got a higher percentage of keepers than I have in the past with Sony gear but would still like to do better.

Any tricks or tips you all might like to share for more keepers. Metering tricks etc? Had a few shots I thought I nailed that backfocused....just learning the gear tho and got some good ones.

Once I figure out how to post to this forum I will stick a few up.
 
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FastGlass

Senior Member
As far as metering. Depends on the scene. I mostly have mine on Matrix. Not sure what settings Sony has on their bodies but I assume there similar. As far as focus settings. I use single point and continuous mode.
 
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STM

Senior Member
I have shot (and played and have the surgery scars to prove it!) a lot of tennis in my life. You need at least a shutter speed of 1/250 sec to stop action, 1/000 sec is better. The backgrounds can get very distracting with all the spectators so try to keep the depth of field at a minimum. I shot these images of Steffi Graf, Gabriella Sabatini and Pam Shriver at the Bausch and Lomb Championships at Amelia Island a number of years ago, 1989 to be exact. I used a monopod mounted F2 w/ motor drive, 300mm f/4.5 AIS Nikkor @ f/5.6 (only 2/3 stop down) with High Speed Ektachrome, ASA 160 and manual "follow focus". Tennis is a very challenging sport to photograph, especially in the days before autofocus because the players are constantly in motion and move over a fairly large area. And when you are shooting at a large aperture to get separation from the spectators, who are always close, it only compounds the level of difficulty. Often you are dealing with only 2 feet of depth of field tops with a 300mm lens. You kind of get into a "Zen" mode where you block out everything else and just pay 100% of your attention to what is in the viewfinder. A fire could have broken out behind me and I would have been oblivious to it. It takes a lot of practice but anyone can learn to do it. I did not have my 300mm f/2.8 at the time or I would have used f/4. If you use a lens with a tripod socket, make sure you leave the friction loose so you can rotate the camera 90º quickly I believe I was using my 80-200mm f/4.5 non-AI Nikkor for the shot of Pam.







 
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pedroj

Senior Member
Haven't done tennis...Here's a surfing shot...F5...1/4000...ISO200...300mm..Shot almost directly into the sun...

D300..AF-C with spot

saltwater_24_sep_021.jpg
 
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hrstrat57

Senior Member
Good stuff here so far thanks.

Unfortunately my F2.8 Maxxum teles will need to be replaced so I am shooting with the cheapo in sig....but it is super sharp for a kit zoom. I can't get that creamy bokeh with it I don't think. I managed to freeze multiple shots of both Karlovic and Groth players who serve close to 140 (actually Groth hit a 146 in todays match vs Donald Young)

I will play with the focus metering, I did not use C very much good tip I only used it with the motor drive on a couple of times and those shots were good.....it was very sunny and clear so shutter never dropped below 1/1000 even with the 5.6, often much higher. I shot as ISO 200 and 400 all day....changing the ISO on the D300 is easy peazy with the dedicated button!

Haven't taken the time to figure out how to post images in this forum, just have the pics dumped into Picasa at the moment on my windows machine....
Anyone have a linky to the posting tutorial here? I'll attempt to post a couple pics from HOF today this week now that I know there is a fan in the house.....

Have a funny story about one of the pics, but want to post it before telling!

Off now tho to watch 24 and Longmire, ttyl Nikonites!

( and please chime in with metering suggestions, especially focus metering)
 
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pedroj

Senior Member
hrstrat57 said:
More surfing pics plz! Brilliant!

C with spot is what I used on the Karlovic shots I have....appears that is the ticket?
Click to expand...

Lens used was the old Nikon IF ED AF 300mm F4...Great old lens, It doesn't have a focusing motor in it...

Here's another...The camera used for this was the D50...F5.6...1/2000...300m...ISO200...

surfing at saltwater.jpg
 
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hrstrat57

Senior Member
Any shooters have preferences/ thoughts/suggestions regarding settings for dynamic AF area and AF point selection values?

Thanks all!

Just added a new lens to my sig too! Sweetness!
 
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Krs_2007

Senior Member
Me personally, I use Spot metering, and AFC 9 points. I also use Auto ISO on cloudy days so I dont have to worry about setting the ISO, but normal bright days I select the value I want.

You can look in my gallery if you want and see my results. I also shoot RAW.

I would recommend looking up back button focus for you camera model, if possible and learn to use that. It allows me to pre-focus on a spot that I feel like the action is going to be and all I have to do is squeeze the shutter. Not familiar with your camera and if you can use back button focus.
 
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hrstrat57

Senior Member
Krs_2007 said:
Me personally, I use Spot metering, and AFC 9 points. I also use Auto ISO on cloudy days so I dont have to worry about setting the ISO, but normal bright days I select the value I want.

You can look in my gallery if you want and see my results. I also shoot RAW.

I would recommend looking up back button focus for you camera model, if possible and learn to use that. It allows me to pre-focus on a spot that I feel like the action is going to be and all I have to do is squeeze the shutter. Not familiar with your camera and if you can use back button focus.
Click to expand...

Don't see a back focus limiter on the D300, might have missed it still chomping on the tasty menu set!

Re RAW vs. JPEG etc. what it Tiff? I normally shoot a combo of JPEG and RAW in my other cams...been just snapping JPEG while I learn....and they really pop in this camera, most excellent.
 
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Krs_2007

Senior Member
I mainly shoot RAW because it gives me more control on the editing side. Sometimes I do set it to jpeg when the shots dont really count to see if I can get the image right, but 98 percent of the time I shoot RAW.

The back button focus is decoupling the focus/shutter button from the normal shutter button to using 2 buttons. The AE-L/AF-L button on the back to be the button to focus and then the shutter button is only used to take the picture. So its really a two finger or two motion to take a picture. You might try and google/yahoo "back button focus" and look at some videos and then see if your camera can go it. It really helped me get the shots I want. I know some like it and some dont.

There are times at tournaments or games that I do shoot RAW+jpeg and when I review the shots I look at the jpeg first, if they right and I dont have to edit then I use those. If the image needs more tweaking then I use the RAW. RAW just gives you more room for editing.


Here you go, a quick search of "back button focus d300", yielding this discussion/blog post

photography musings: Nikon D700/D3/D300 Autofocus settings
 
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hrstrat57

Senior Member
Krs_2007 said:
I mainly shoot RAW because it gives me more control on the editing side. Sometimes I do set it to jpeg when the shots dont really count to see if I can get the image right, but 98 percent of the time I shoot RAW.

The back button focus is decoupling the focus/shutter button from the normal shutter button to using 2 buttons. The AE-L/AF-L button on the back to be the button to focus and then the shutter button is only used to take the picture. So its really a two finger or two motion to take a picture. You might try and google/yahoo "back button focus" and look at some videos and then see if your camera can go it. It really helped me get the shots I want. I know some like it and some dont.

There are times at tournaments or games that I do shoot RAW+jpeg and when I review the shots I look at the jpeg first, if they right and I dont have to edit then I use those. If the image needs more tweaking then I use the RAW. RAW just gives you more room for editing.


Here you go, a quick search of "back button focus d300", yielding this discussion/blog post

photography musings: Nikon D700/D3/D300 Autofocus settings
Click to expand...

Agree 100% re processing, I was going to spring for Aperture and, oh well....I used Sony software with some success...have a disc with Nikon software...thoughts?

Leaning towards lightroom at the moment....

Thanks for the linky for shooting sports makes sense to eliminate back focus....will check it out great tip!
 
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Krs_2007

Senior Member
hrstrat57 said:
Agree 100% re processing, I was going to spring for Aperture and, oh well....I used Sony software with some success...have a disc with Nikon software...thoughts?

Leaning towards lightroom at the moment....

Thanks for the linky for shooting sports makes sense to eliminate back focus....will check it out great tip!
Click to expand...

I made the switch from Aperture to Lightroom, you will like Lightroom after a little bit. Its not laid out like Aperture but does that same stuff except LR has more now that Apple hasn't kept up with Aperture. Also, Apple is combining iPhoto and Aperture into the Photo's app so you might wait a bit if you like Apple stuff.
 
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