rachel_aldy Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 <p>I need some help!! I was asked to take the local baseball team's group and indiviual portraits. I need to know what equipment I should have. I will be outside im pretty sure. Any advice and tips would be nice to.Im using a Nikon. Also need a good lens for action shots out on the feld, any suggestions?<br> Thanks</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Helmke Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 <p>Any of the kit bundles will do, D50, D70S, D5100 and so on with an 18-55 kit lens will do quite well. No need to rush out and spend money just for this unless you just want to. I reccomend a better flash than the pop up, SB-600 and so on. You'll need the flash to fill in shadows in the group shot. Maybe a diffuser of some kind for the flash. Action shots, an 18-200 or 55-300, it depends on your budget. What do you have already?</p> <p>Rick H.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drjoder Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 <p>Rachel, welcome to Photo.net. Other readers may ask for more info: which Nikon? Crop factor or full-frame camera? For sure outside, or inside? What lenses do you have now? How will the images be used (web, prints, size, etc.)? Are you shooting digital or film? What is your experience level with this kind of thing? So, a more complete picture might help get you better advice. Having said all that, I am imagining how I would handle the same assignment--and I am not really a portrait photographer at all. I would be challenged! Here is what I would do if I were asked to do this with my trusty, ancient (now) Nikon D90 crop-factor camera...I would choose to use the natural lighting of a slightly overcast day so I could avoid the harsh shadows typical of a clear sunny day. Another option might be very late afternoon or early morning, or under a shady tree. I would scout out a site or sites beforehand (the ball park?) at the same hour you plan to shoot and maybe even take a few practice shots there of a friend you might drag along for that purpose. I would use a longer focal length lens, say something between 50-85mm (crop factor makes these telephoto lengths) for the individual portraits. Maybe have them pose with a glove, a bat, a ball, or a mask, depending on the position they play. In fact, pose them in the position they play with their equipment--catcher, pitcher, first base, etc. You might even want to use a slightly wider lens or step back a bit and shoot them as they take a swing with a bat in the batter's box. Watch your background, avoid distracting elements, and try to use smaller f-stop numbers (larger apertures) to blur out the background...or maybe even pose them with a specific background in mind that will add to the baseball theme. For the shots of the entire team, I would consider using something wider, say 18-35 range (again, I use a crop factor camera). Maybe set them up on the bleachers. For anything you do, think it through before the day of the shoot--go online and look for examples of how others have shot such things, have specific poses in mind for the team and for the individuals, etc. Consider using a tripod and, for the individual portraits especially, some sort of fill flash to fill in the shadows a bit (don't overdo it).</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry_ Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 <p>...and try your best to have the hats tilted up a bit. If parents are your customers, not seeing Tom's (or Jane's) eyes will decrease your sales. You may have to coax the players some...</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_brown Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 <p>Rachel: One of the first things you can do is go shoot some practice shots with what you have (what Daniel said, what do you have now?) Doesn't really need to be a game ... kids outside at the same distances you would shoot at the game ... portraits outside?, might want to bone up on your fill-flash (it's easy) ... but oops! ... you don't say what camera. In any case, practice before the 'show', tune your results to your liking, and STAY WITH THEM at the event ... Also, Rachel, lots of pre-practice will get you lots of confidence, and you will be COOL, COLLECTED, and SUCCESSFUL. Good Luck.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel_aldy Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 <p>I have a d3100 with 18-55mm and 55-300mm lens. I do plan on getting a speedlight. Yall have been so helpful.They kind of sprung this on me. I will start practicing asap. Thanks again for all the help!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_brown Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 <p>Rachel: Let me throw in another non-technical one on the group shot ... the 18-55 will do it. They might want you, or you may have to, shoot the required ... 'formal line-up' ... everyone has seen thousands of 'em ... can you get them around in a group, under a tree ... whatever, but <em>informal</em>, kinda like the shots you see of rock groups. Let em hold bats, gloves, masks ... let em clown and lean and shoot lots. LET THEIR INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES COME THRU. We have a few mottos around our goof-ball shop ... one is "Go Beyond The Expected"</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliot1 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 <p>Use a tripod.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachel_aldy Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 <p>Thats a good idea Bruce! Thanks</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gej_jones Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 <p>Thanks for asking the question Rachel. I just got the same type of request two hours ago! <br> Thank you to all that gave advice. It will be used!!!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_brown Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 <p>Rachel: And another ... what Elliot said ... your 55-300 has 'tripod sensing technology' trans ... you don't have to shut off the VR when on a tripod ... I have that lens, but haven't used it much on action. I'm thinking 2-3 stops down fom wide-open, a higher iso 500 +?, a shutter speed above 320, a tripod ... anticipate the action, autofocus C ... yes ...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_brown4 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 <p>Arrange the camera, subjects, so that the back drop is a grass field. Even if you have to shoot from a fairly high position. This will produce a rather pleasing result.</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterafle Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 <p>Rachel - I'll add my welcome to the wild and wooly world of Photo.net. I had a great time shooting my son's Little League games when he was playing. I found that when his team was batting, I was able to get great action shots with my 70-300 or 18-200, standing near 1st base. When they were fielding, I would climb to the top of the bleachers on one side or the other and shoot standing up from there, or shoot from one side or the other of the backstop. Be prepared to work hard! Here's a typical game album -- with a few team shots at the end. These suffer a little bit because they were all shot in NEF, and uploaded with Picasa's default processing, which stripped out the in-camera exposure and WB tweaks, but you'll get the idea. I did use flash for the team pics, and they turned out great with a little post-processing -- I made prints for each kid, and the parents were all thrilled. <br> <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/109919031226520071352/2009_06_13_ANSLL_AAA_Championship_Game?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNWHpfGQnOOmEg&feat=directlink">https://picasaweb.google.com/109919031226520071352/2009_06_13_ANSLL_AAA_Championship_Game?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNWHpfGQnOOmEg&feat=directlink</a></p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterafle Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 <p>One more...<img src="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9tIpN4GSND5xQoN1-cUgYoOyaxLtnOQzFFk7MNcpZmU?feat=directlink" alt="" /></p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce_brown Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 <p>Dan: Just for my fyi ... your Team On Grass ... is it just stadium lighting or did you up-flash it from left and right? I am noodleing about now with flashes and such and was just wondering ...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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