Jumping Bass Photos

I shoot a Canon EOs 1V (with lithium batteries) using a 70-200 2.8L

Lense (due to the variety of distances I have to shoot - anyway from

6 - 30 feet) with Velvia 50 or now mostly Velvia 100F (definitely a

warmer film). Been trying to get good action shots of bass fishing

and am missing most focuses. Using center focus point only (with CF

set for 9 additional points if searching.

Been shooting at 1/500 in TV mode lately, getting anywhere from 2.8

to 4.0. I use the * button for Auto Focus and have been shooting in

one-shot mode,(AI Servo missed more shots) pre-focusing on area where

fish will be coming out of the water.

This shot was probably in AV mode at a 2.8 with Velvia 50 from a

distance of about 15-18 feet and cropped.

http://www.alanvanvlietphotography.com/gallery/photo.php?

photo=473&exhibition=23&pass=public&size=default&lang=eng

Would I better off manually focusing? Do I need to be shooting faster

than 1/500?

I will be shooting my 200 2.8 L lense as soon as it gets back from

Canon service, and also have access to a 200 1.8 L, which definitely

should help.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Regards, Alan Van Vliet

I would say there are a couple of things that might increase your chances.

There is some motion blur, probably a combination of movement in your boat and movement of the fish. Only a faster shutter speed can address this, since you can't set up a tripod in the boat.

The second is lack of correct focus. Looking at your shot the fish's tail is the area most in focus, this makes sense since you were probably focused on the surface of the water before it broke through.

I would probably do a couple of things. Focus manually on the water, then turn the focus ring so it is focused about 6-8 inches closer. I would also not shoot wide open, probably f/4 would give you enough additional depth of field for acceptable focus.

So, how to increase your DOF and use a faster shutter speed?....faster film.

Jason,

I will try some Provia 400F, which will give me two additional stops, and the manual focus idea as well.

Bright sunlight is not necessarily conducive to good fishing, as fish like the shadows. So the light is usually intermittent, from sunlight to shadows, and will change according to where the fish runs.

So perhaps AV mode at 4.0 which will give me a shutter speed as high as possible, maybe in the 1/1000 + range with the 400 speed slide film.

Thanks for your ideas.

Regards, Al

Wrong film for one thing. Use faster film so you can stop down more

to get more in the sharp zone and keep the shutter speed high.

Velvia is not the best for people pictures nor bright sun shooting.

I will be shooting my 200 2.8 L lense as soon as it gets back from Canon service, and also have access to a 200 1.8 L, which definitely should help.

I doubt it, since you need to stop down not shoot these lenses wide

open. I bet the IS version of the lens you have would help a lot.