Sports team photos in a gym

Hey there,

I've never done any sort of potrait photography before. But I'm in yearbook,

and on the day that we where taking the team photos with the photographer, one

of the basketball teams had a large number of players sick.

 

So I've taken up the roll of taking there team photo. The background is the

stage door, which is mostly red. The gym is a bit dim.

 

When I'm doing sports photography in the same gym, I use 1/200 shutter speed,

largest aperture I can (around 4.5 usually) and ISO 1600. However, with such a

high ISO, the red of the stage door is often very grainy.

 

So since I will be using my (sturdy) tripod, and won't have to use that high

of a shutter speed since they won't be darting about, what ISO can I get away

with? What shutter speed should I try? Keeping in mind I'll be taking quite a

few shots anyway.

 

They will basically be in 2 rows in front of this big mostly red gym door.

 

I've heard that it is more flattering to shoot from farther away with a

telephoto, so I will probably go considerably far away and use my 75-300 zoom.

Or would it be better to stay at a normal distance and use my 18-55?

 

I've only started out in the world of SLRs, so is it extremely necessary that

I get an external flash for this, or would the built in pop-up flash be enough?

I'd think you'd get better results had you posted this thread in our Sports Forum.

 

I'd shoot 400 speed or slower. Make sure everyone understands that they need to hold still.

 

Is this film or digital? If film, you may want to shoot even slower, with a time exposure and a rating slower than the film's box speed, as you're probably not in a daylight environment.

 

Digital, I'd shoot RAW, and do some tests to see how well your camera does with time exposures. Some DSLRs are very poor with time exposures. This IS an SLR, right?

 

And I'm surprised, doesn't the studio your yearbook is working with have a retake day? Maybe not for smaller clubs, but I'd think the basketball team would warrant a retake. Or at least you may be able to get them to lend you some umbrellas.

 

This really would work much better if you had some sort of studio flash. I guaranted the results from a flash-less picture will NOT match up with the professional's picture. Frankly I don't know if htey'd even match up were you to use identical lighting, as I doubt you have the same camera the studio's photographer was using.

With an 18-55, this has to be a crop sensor digital camera. 35-45mm focal length is good. Figure that people can stand still enough for 1/4 sec exposure and f5.6 for enough DOF and then pick the ISO that gives the right exposure.

What Bruce said or wait for a nice cloudy day and take something out doors. Don't use the pop up flash and shoot raw.

 

Regards

Mark

Yes, I'm shooting with a digital SLR.

 

Unfortunately this team missed both the retake day and the original day.

 

I was there when the photographers where. They used a camera only 1 or 2 steps above

mine, and they used a standard flash on an extender thing. They didn't even bounce it. I'll

probably go buy a speedlite, because I'll need it for other things also.

 

I figure that I will use 1/8 shutter speed, try for 400 ISO, and lowest aperture I can get.

 

I'll probably go buy a speedlite flash, and get an extension cable, and bounce it off... the

gym floor? There aren't any walls or anything around.

Also: I don't think moving about will be too much of a problem, as the team is mostly grade

12. I'm still wondering whether to use the zoom or the 18-55. I am thinking the 18-55, so I

can be within optimum range of the flash.

 

The photographer did not use any umbrellas.

Try to get in the gym for a practice session before you drag them all in (if you aren't ready, they will eventually lose patience and movement will set in). Coaches and advisors can help extend the "patience" factor. Pre-check/practice even if it means setting out four chairs on the corners spread to fit the space the team will take up and using a friend or two.

 

You need to get the flash away from the camera - the bracket the other shooter used raised it up some, holding it up will help as well. Too close to the camera risks red-eye. You probably won't have bounce available (don't bounce off the floor - you'll get color casts and strange lighting on the face - we are used to seeing people lit from above, not from below). How much diffusion you might get from a diffuser or bounce card depends on the flash you choose. Or, you might try "bouncing" off a large sheet of white posterboard, a foamboard, etc. Again, experiment if you can.

 

Read up on "dragging the shutter" which will help with longer exposures picking up the ambient light and the look of the gym, then the flash covers the team/subject. Take several, gym lights may "cycle" on you (google that too).

Ok. I've ordered a Speedlite 430EX from B&H, and a Siegelite SIM660 M2RT Z-O-O-M Flash

Bracket, which will get the flash 12-21 inches above the camera (its adjustable). I'll pick up

an extension camera at Leo's here in town, and I'll defiantly have a few practice sessions. I

think I'm set? Anything I should know, or tips from seasoned vets?