ctbruce

Jane,

 

If your confined to the bleachers than the 70-200mm F2.8 might be the lens you need. However even at F2.8 it will depend on the lighting in the gym if you are going to get the shutter speed you need to stop the action. I would also add a off camera flash to help freeze the action. Adding a diffuser to the flash would also help soften and harsh shadows you might get from the flash as well.

 

Hope this helps

 

Bruce

Hi Kent,

 

As Gabe and Scott have said there is just no way you will be able to use those shutter speeds with the XSi. The results of shooting at 1600 ISO with that camera also produces a lot of noise in the photos. You will definitely need to use an off camera flash to get any usable shots. Other than that not much more you can do with the setup you are currently using.

 

Bruce

My response is mainly directed toward the etiquette of shooting on the visitors side of the field. I have been

shooting for two local high schools and a NCAA III college for the last 4 years. I cover all the sports for all

three seasons and I have never run into these types of problems. During football games I use both sides of the

field but I do stay out of the players and coaches boxes so I end up shooting between the 30 yard line to the end

zones. I as a photographer have just as much right to photograph the field of play as do the players using the

field. Still I was taught not to draw attention to yourself so I try to keep a low profile at all times and this

practice has served me well to date. There really should be no difference between you shooting for a newsletter,

yearbook etc...or that of newspaper photographer as long as you act like a professional should. As always this IMHO.

That's hard to answer without knowing what type of camera your shooting with and the lens your working with as well. I would suggest that you just experiment with your equipment to see what works best for you. I have shot through all types of screening with mixed results but in most cases I can get the shot I am looking for.

Lake George area in New York is a lovely area to visit and photograph.

No I have to agree with you Mick. That being said most of the time the full time pros I meet at sporting events are very polite and usually are will to talk. I am a part pro and am always willing to offer advice to the mom and dads at the fields if asked. I always try to treat other photographers the way that I would like to be treated. However there is always some jerk that thinks he has the right to shot just because he a D3 around his neck.

 

Than again this is all from my point of view as well.

I shot yearbook photos for 2 high schools and a NCAA III college. I provide team photos as well as action candid photos of the athletes. I than provide a cd of the images to the school for use in the yearbooks. I normally charge $75 an hour plus mileage @ $.30 a mile. That is for each sport or event I cover so depending on the number of sports and the coverage they want it works out very well for both the school and myself. Hope this helps.

If your shooting outdoors both football and baseball you will definitely need a telephoto lens. Starting with a

200mm f2.8 at the very least should work well. The setup Ken and William wrote is a great start for indoors if

you can get under the basket for shots. For most of my indoor basket ball shots I use a 105mm f2.8 which allows

me a little more reach on the court.

Glenn if you want to freeze the action you definitely need a fast shutter speed. Depending on the light increasing the ISO will allow you to increase your shutter speed. However you should still bracket your exposure to get the shot you want.

You are letting the light meter make all the decisions on your exposure when you should be making them. The light meter is looking for exposure based on 18% gray. If you are shooting a scene that is mostly light in nature and you do not compensate for that you photo will turn out mostly dull and gray. The same applies if the scene is mostly dark as well. Your equipment will work well for what you want to shoot. Adjust you exposure compensation on your camera up or down to get the shoot your looking for to bracket you shot. Or you could take a meter reading on your main subject up close than lock that reading in to take the shot. That will mainly apply if the lighting you are in is constant such as a sunny day. Hope this points you in the right direction and good luck!

I am currently enroll with NYIP and I have been very pleased with my instructor and lessons plans so far. The great part about NYIP is that you learn by doing. You have photo projects to complete and every aspect of photography is covered. I had been shooting for 25 years before I started the course and with each module I have picked up something new that has helped me become a better photographer. The other nice thing I like is that you can completed it on your own pace and schedule. I have been working on it now for about 9 months and I hope to be completed by this October. Hope this helps and good luck.

Steve and Robert have said it all...follow your gut feeling. Don't become part of the crowd and make your work stand out from the rest. Just from what you have written I think your ideas are great and a bit abstract. Even if your instructor doesn't like your ideas it is only one person's point of view. Good luck!

You need to read some of the articles on Dan Heller's web site concerning a career in photography. He discusses if you need a degree in photography or not and what you can expect to gain from it. His web site is www.danheller.com and read the topic "Read Me (Pros)" under his Photography business section. It is well worth your time to read this and hopefully it will provide some insight to the questions you are asking. That being said a business degree is more what you should be looking at with a minor in art. Most good photographers fail at a career in photography because they don't know how to run a successful business.

"Ride the Wave" is the best shot you have there. Not sure what type of camera system you are using but the closer you can get for a nice tight shot the better. "Ride the Wave" really shows what a good picture should look like. Nice work!

I have been shooting high school and college sports for the last 4 years. I have to say that nighttime outdoor sports, football and soccer, really pose a challenge to cover. I think you will find that using a flash is the only real option you will have to get good stop action photos with the camera you are using. I started out with a Rebel XT and I agree with you about the noise at 1600 ISO. I shot most of my nighttime games at 800 ISO with a flash and was pleased with most results. I would also recommend using a monopod if you have one because it will help with the long shots you will be making. Good Luck!

It seems if you already have agreed to a price than that should be the price. Have you asked why they need a price breakdown for your photos. It seems that the pricing you have supplied is a fair value for the 12 hours of work you supplied for the shoot.

Anytime you travel in the interior you will have a chance to see wildlife. I have traveled from Anchorage to Tok several times and each time I have seen wolfs, caribou, foxes and deer. Not to mention the landscapes along the way are breath taking. I would also recommend that if you stop in Ketchikan on your cruise you should visit the two totem pole parks on the island. They are a wonderful collection of the native artwork. Have fun and take it all in because there isn't another place on earth like Alaska.

Consider renting an RV out of Anchorage. I lived in Ketchikan for 5 years and the Inside Passage is beautiful but Alaska is so much more. Driving an RV opens up the so many areas to you. The only problem with renting an RV is they are very seasonal. Another way to travel is on the Alaskan Marine Highway system. The ferries travel to almost every small town in southern Alaska and you can bring your own car with you which is a big plus. You can catch the ferry in Washington or any port in Alaska. Have fun and fill those memory cards up!!!

All those are good tips to solve the problem. I mainly have them tilt the hats back alittle to see the eyes and I over exposed the shot by 2/3s to a full fstop to bring out the details in the face.