TAKING FOOTBALL PICTURES

[scott_southard]

Hello.

 

I have a Canon 20D with a CANON 70-300MM F/4-5.6 IS USM LENS.

 

I am trying to take High School footbal shots at day/night.

 

Can anyone help me the the set-up for the following:

 

DAY SHOTS

 

NIGHT SHOTS

 

I am in the market for a good flash. I am looking at the Canon Speedlite 580EX

Flash.

 

I am taking football action shots at dusk and night under the lights.

 

Can anyone help me setup the camera?

 

Thanks.

 

Scott Southard

[ferensen]

Start here: http://www.photo.net/learn/sports/overview

Then practice.

[whwhitejr]

Hey Scott, A speed light will help on single shots but won't recharge fast enough for bursts. I shoot high school football Friday nights and the best for me is to use stadium lights with 1600 ISO,F2.8 with a 70-200 IS F2.8 @1/200th . They still need post processing to brighten. I mostly shoot burst of the action. The stadium lighting varies from stadium to stadium. Your lens will work but the extra f stops through 200mm with the IS yields much better results. Check the other posts on todays forum with the same question for my pictures. Good shooting, Bill

[j._knight]

Bill, not to let you down, but im not sure you understand your IS lens. IS is only really useable for shutter speeds that drop below 1/30 of a second. Anything above that IS will not do a whole lot of good.

[whwhitejr]

Mr Knight, the IS helps at any speed below your focal length. That being below 1/200th at 200mm. I find that it helps at any speed below 1/500th hand held above 200mm, Bill

[yakim_peled1]

In order to stop the action you need a high shutter speeds. That can be accomplish by using a fast lens (do you have the money to buy one?) and/or bumping up the ISO (you can do that easily) and/or by adding light from a flash. I do not know what is your distance from the action but the 580EX is Canon's best tool for the job. Still not enough? Use a "Better Beamer".

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

[kassandra_keenum]

I also have a Canon 20D. I take all the pictures for our school, I do not use a flash on my football photos. When I take other shots I use the Speedlite, but not on fast action shots. Also consider the software you are using, it makes a tremedous difference.