Shooting a cheerleading competition ...first one

Hi -

 

Tomorrow I am going to shoot a cheerleading competition for the first time..its mostly just for fun and for

my friends team. I have a D70S and I just got the nikon 80-200 2.8 lens and Ill also bring my 18-135mm

3.5-5.6 lens.

 

Im looking for some tips on getting some good shots and avoiding some first time mistakes.

 

Im assuming I wont be able to get close to the floor so thats why I went out and rented the 80-200mm 2.8

lens - this is also my first time shooting with this lens. Its going to be in a local high schools gym and I

have no idea what the lighting will be like so I could use some tips/thoughts on white balance settings,

ISO settings etc as well.

 

 

Any comments/thoughts would be appreciated.

Fill the frame and consider what's in the background. Try to keep the colors simple and

complementary.

I'd suggest a low angle (but as Dan says, watch the background). The pyramids look taller if you are sitting on the floor. If you know the routines, time your shots for the peak action. Have fun.

1. Crank up your ISO to have a relatively fast shutter, say 1/125sec, anything slower may blur.</br>

2. Bring a tripod and set up so that you can shoot sitting down where you are.</br>

3. Don't use any flash.</br>

4. Don't overclean noise in post-processing. Prints show far less noise than on-screen so I don't ever use noise reduction with my EOS 20D. <A HREF="http://www.photo.net/photo/5037665&size=lg"> Here's one of my ISO 1600 shots, no flash, no noise reduction. </A> </br>

5. Best to shoot RAW and adjust white balance in post processing.</p>

Doubt you will be able to use flash so get there early and see what the lighting is like. You may have to fiddle with the white balance to get it looking ok.

 

Try to keep to iso800 or less on the d70 and even then be prepared to run shots through noise ninga or neat image. Shoot wide if you need the shutter speed the 80-200 should be fine especially if its an afs version , if not it'll still be ok. Raw is good if you have the storage and time to post process.

 

If worse comes to worse and you are getting nothing usefull do some of these in the foyer and make lots of money mums just love them.

Cheer<div></div>

cheer<div></div>

I shoot competition cheerleading regularly. Check out my site at <a href="httpl://www.mncheerpix.com" target="blank">www.mncheerpix.com</a>

<br><Br>

Here are some easy tips:<br>

1) For the D70s, keep your ISO no higher than 800 (400 is better). Shoot with your 80-200 wide open and shutter at 1/60 at a minimum.<br>

2) DO use flash. Dial down your flash by 1/3 to 2/3 under. When I shoot cheer, I strobe the gym with two or three AB 1600's. Otherwise, I use an SB-800 on camera.<br>

3) If you're using the 80-200, sit or stand off center (no more than quarter way from center) and no higher than the fourth row of bleachers (I'm assuming the competition will be in a gym). <br>

4) A better lens is the 28-70 2.8. Cheer is about ensemble performance, unison movement and working together as a team. The 80-200 is suitable to show off individuals and tight shots, but good cheer shots are about getting group formations, IMHO. Low shooting is also recommended, except for when you use the 80-200.<br>

5) Watch body language. Cheerleaders have prep movements that can help you anticipate shots.

 

Hope that helps.<div></div>

I shoot a lot of gymnastics meets and the lighting is really bad from location to location in the same gym. I set white balance using at white card from the location I will do most of my shooting from. I use ISO 1600 all the time and use Noise Ninja post processing. I go for a combination of close up shots of faces showing emotion doing a routine,(Mom's like these) and wider shots showing action. I try to time the shot at the moment of least movement because I can hardly get faster than 1/160 or 1/200 if I am lucky and there seems to be always some blur. I use a Nikon D200 with 70-200VR f2.8 lens and 24-70 f2.8 lens. I will always use f2.8. Look for clean backgrounds. Sometimes I try and get the American flag in the background. Have fun. Kevin

hi Anthony ...

 

i shoot a lot of competition cheer events. i have to echo "Victor's" suggestions fully. i prefer to shoot with the 28-70 2.8 over the 70-200 2.8 - the only time i use the 70-200 is if i need the reach for getting close-ups of the individual cheerleaders. and there again, you want to frame the individual full-body to give some perspective (if you're gonna shoot only their face, then why not do portraits off-stage ... face-only shots don't reveal the event? :)

 

in the future, ALWAYS contact the promotors (or school staff) to obtain a press (photo) pass. it's great to be able to get up close or backstage to get candid individual photos.

 

there is nothing i can add to Victor's suggestions as i use all the same settings.

 

regards, michael

I also use 135 mm 2 nikon or 85 mm 1.4 nikon, but they are very slow on the focus. Best is to save and buy a fuji S5, the results at 3200 ISO are incredible<div></div>

Hi Everyone -

 

Sorry for the late reply, Ive been having internet connectivity problems.

 

Thanks for all the tips/comments/suggestions and examples.

 

Some of my thoughts/comments

 

 

1 - The 80-200 was a good bet for me because I was up in the bleachers so I was able to

get some good group shots and some not so bad close ups.

 

2 - I wasnt allowed on the floor because they had hired someone to photograph the event

...again one of the reasons I went for the 80-200. But if by chane I was allowed on the

floor all Iwould have gotten were close ups.

 

3 - The backround was terrible. There were 4 huge air conditioning ducts on the back wall

that couldnt be missed, even the guy that was there to shoot the event had trouble not

getting them in the shots he took.

 

4 - I had planned on getting there 30 mins before the event to see the lighting that was

there and play with white balance/iso and shutter speed, but as luck would have it the fire

alarm went off and everyone had to clear the gym. When we got back in the event started

right away. Again luck notbeing on my side the kids I wanted to shoot were the first to

go :)

 

Im going to rent the 28-70mm for another event this weekend to get some experience

with that.

 

Im still post processing the pic's I did take and Ill post them once done if you care to look

or comment further. Thanks again for all the comments!!!