Need help with shooting outside from sunny conditions to shadow

I was shooting a Football game (American) this weekend, and had the most difficult time trying to adjust my exposure. I had no problem in

the sun, or in the shade, but found that I missed a tremendous amount of shots while following the action from sun to shade or shade to

sun while in manual. I tried aperture priority for awhile, but the different colored jerseys were giving the meter incorrect info. I found that

changing exposures in manual on the fly usually meant missing the photo opportunity. Does anyone have suggestions on a better way to

deal with sun and shade issues? Thank you in advance for your help.

Kenneth, I often encounter the same scenario and found that shooting aperture priority in matrix/multi-pattern metering is the best solution. It's a situation that I feel the in-camera auto-exposure and modern day's intelligent metering come in very handily.

Just make sure you set a little higer ISO so that you'll have at least 1/500 sec. when action is in the shades and that your camera is capable of higher shutter speed (preferably 1/8000 sec.) to prevent too much highlight lost in the sun. Alternatively if your camera has that function, you can set auto-ISO and not have to worry about decent ISO/fast enough shutter speed issue.

I agree.

In winter I shoot Field Hockey, and the Games can begin at 0800, (about an hour and a bit after sunrise). The Grandstand Shadows can be across half of the field.

Bright sun to Shadow, is not the most difficult issue, IMO. I do not have auto ISO function, but, as Wilson mentions, with judicious choice of ISO and ensuring your camera can span the Shutter Speed RANGE required to: freeze action at one end; and not to blow highlights at the other; - Pattern Metering and an auto exposure setting has given me the best, continuous result, and I attempt to use the JPEG direct out of the camera for my particular end uses (i.e. nil PP).

One trap to watch out for, (and override manually), is when there is a NON 18% surface comprising most of the scene, thus fooling the camera`s brain.

In the top image, the camera`s auto function managed quite well, essentially the image is the JPEG file direct out of the camera.

However in the bottom image, the camera was fooled by the large white background, and even more confusion was caused because the white wall was in full sun, whereas in the top image, the white wall was in open shade.

BTW: Unfortunately even though I did override the auto function at the time I still was about 3/4 of a stop out and had to pull it up later, from the RAW file (guess that`s why I shoot RAW + JPEG L) :)

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I've only shot my son's soccer games. One game had half the field in direct sun and half in the shade. I had to shoot in manual and quickly change the shutter setting they ran into the 2 different lighting situations.

It would be nice to have a toggle between 2 (or more) different manual settings. Is this possible on some cameras?

Otherwise, I'll have to get used to flipping around the shutter settings.