hockey team pics

[aucoins]

I have been asked to take a team picture and individual shots

of 5 to 7 year old hockey players . I will be using a canon xti

with a tamron 17 50 f2.8 .I do not have an external flash.

All shot will be on the ice.These are not moving subjects.

I tried a few shot there and i got a shutter speed of +-150

at f3.5 iso 1600. Any advice on settings and how to position

them would be very appreciated . This forum with it's wealth

of knowledgeable photographers has been a god send for a beginer

like me. Thank you all.

[gord_hayes]

Hi Maurice,

 

You've no doubt read most of the hockey related stuff in this section.

 

Your biggest problem is the light. You need extra light. If your camera has a built in flash it well help but that's about it.

 

Beg, borrow or rent an external flash and if you can get it off the camera. That is, don't put it in the hot shoe, get a external extension cord for the flash and have someone hold it or put it on a stand above the camera and off to one side as far as the cord will go (usually a foot or two).

 

A direct straight on flash doesn't make very flattering results.

 

For individual shots I'd probably have them stand in front of the net holding their stick. Don't have the net in it's usual position and shoot straight on (more of a problem when using on camera flash). Flash will bounce off the glass and look horrible. Either pull it out a bit or make sure the flash reflects away from the camera. Once again getting the flash off camera will help.

 

It's tough covering a group with a single flash. So keep them close, ie 3 or 4 rows of 4, as opposed to 2 rows of 8

 

Should be able to get ISO down to 800 or below quite easily and aperture up so you will get a better DOF for the group shot.

[rffffffff]

I agree... you really need more light because f/ 3.5 likely won't be enough unless you zoom out a lot, which seems like a bad idea in a hockey rink because the areas surrounding the rinks are usually really ugly.

 

Use an online depth of field calculator to determine how much depth of field you will have at that aperture and zoom settings to see if you'll have all rows of kids in focus. check 17mm as well as 50mm.

 

I think you are going to want to be at least at f/5.6, maybe f/8, but I am not too sure.

 

I would, however, try to keep the kids in only two rows if you can to minimize the depth of field required.

 

hope that helps.

[gord_hayes]

Roberts right.

 

Unless you can get the appeture up to 5.6 or 8 for the group shots you will probably will have a depth of field issue (the wider the appeture the narrower the DOF).

 

But if you spread them out too wide the flash won't cover the ends. So you'll have to play a bit and see what works.

[2yellowdogs]

Maurice,

Here are a few that I shot recently. I used two off camera SB800's triggered by radio and shot

into umbrellas. See Strobist's site for more information on this. The equipment is very

portable, easy to use and produces good results.<div></div>

[2yellowdogs]

Full shot<div></div>

[2yellowdogs]

Team pic. You have to watch the placements of your lights so you don't get bad reflections

from the glass.<div></div>

[aucoins]

Thank you very much for the info and a special thanks to Dan for the sample pics .So what i understand for the group shot is i should set to manual ;set at f5.6 min and dial shutter and iso the get a good exposure

and use the on board flash ? Should i over expose a bit because of the

white ice ?

[gord_hayes]

Hi Maurice,

 

The internal flash won't get you anything like what Dan showed you. He used 2 flashes.

 

The onboard flash is severely limited by it's power and location. You have to have more light to get decent results. Rent a 580ex (or 2)or tell your wife/girlfriend/mom/dad or yourself to buy you one for an early Christmas present, especially if you are getting any sort of money or consideration for this.

 

Read http://strobist.blogspot.com/ starting with Lighting 101. A wealth of info on that site.

[aucoins]

Thanks Gord but this shoot is for free and after buying the xti, and a few lenses my budget is blown for at least a few months lol .I live in a small town and dont know of any rental place near me ,so i guess i'm stuck using what i have.Just hope i don't disappoint the kids and parents.

[gord_hayes]

Guess you're stuck then. The internal flash should cover the individual oics. Where you will have the dilemma is with the group shots.

 

If you can take a couple of trial shots before the day try to. Go to the rink or where ever they will be done. Ask whoever is skating to strike a pose for you and take a couple and see what you get.

 

Parents are never disappointed when they get a picture of their kids in hockey gear:)

 

Have fun with it then and learn from it.

 

Gord