dave_mccoll

<p>I'm a Nikon shooter and the D200 is one of the worst bodies for poorly lit arena's. It simply cannot handle low light. I went to a D300 and eventually D3. Get fast glass, minimum 70 -200 f2.8 and a better body. If you can't afford to buy, rent.</p>

<p>Hey everyone, I have been shooting a lot of high school sports since 2004 and today I noticed that I am now suddenly shooting 2 of each shot on my D3. I can't for the life of me figure out which button I inadvertently pressed to make this happen but it's driving me bonkers. Any advice would be appreciated (its probably something really simple). Thanks. Dave.</p>

<p>You're 18, if it doesn't work out you can do something else. You're young, have fun and chase your dreams! Get what I call a money job (one that pays the bills) and be a serious semi-pro hobby shooter on the side. Just have fun!</p>

<p>I use SmugMug and they offer no support other than directing you to the online help section related to your problem. I often have issues that the online support can't solve (I can't figure out) and I would pay extra to be able to speak to someone on a phone to get help, they don't offer this service.<br>

I have given up on SmuMug for help and live with my problem (mostly related to watermarking). I suppose I'm not technical enough to get through the manual. Anyway, I get a lot of interest from players and family on buying photos and have sold very few, even though a lot of my shots have been published in local newspapers over 200 times. I'm probably missing something or people are simply pirating through "print screen". Apparently SmugMug can stop this but I'm not sure. I know people are buying a few shots but SM waits until you generate $500 before paying. Not very impressed and will be dropping them in the next few months. Sorry to be negative but support is very important to me. Dave</p>

<p>Hey Ryan, I agree with David Haas. I shoot a lot of football, rugby, indoor soccer and basketball. I started (and got published) using a Nikon Coolpix 2100 in 2004, yes, a 2 megapixel point and shoot (not action just players posing on the sidelines). Went to a D70s, D200 (yuk!), D300, and now a D3. I often shoot outdoors with my D3 and a Nikkor 70-300 plain old $162 cheap consumer lens and get pretty good results. The 70 - 200, f2.8 VR I or II are for serious sports shooting and are a must for any indoor sport. Find a camera store that will rent everything you need and get a ton of lenses and bodies and go nuts. Decide on the gear you want to buy after that. I ran out of money after buying my D3 body but when necessary, like photographing Obama or the like, I rent fast glass ($40 from Friday afternoon until Monday morning). I usually stay on the sidelines about 10 - 20 yards ahead of the line of scrimmage or at the back of the end zone, mix it up.<br>

Oh yes, don't expect to get rich shooting sports. Dave www.mccollphoto.com</p>

<p>I call myself a "very serious amateur photographer", I make money taking pictures but I have a job not related to photography that pays the bills. I say serious because I shoot for 2 local tabloids in my city. They send me on assignment and I work as hard as possible to get good shots. Its an honor to stand next to, what I call the big guns, the Reuters and Getty Images folks (I learn a lot from them as well). They are really friendly people with some fascinating stories. If I were 30 years younger, I would consider some more... exciting shoots but.. could of, should of, would of. Anyway, all that to say each of us has unique talent and expectations. Most of us (I imagine) think that the type of pictures we take makes us unique, I know I do. How many of us are <strong>NOT</strong> trying to take a photograph that is different than any they've seen before?<br>

On assignment, with a gang of pros in the same light with the same (or very similar) angle and 30 seconds to get "the" shot, its difficult to get a truly unique photograph. Same goes for a high school football game with every dad in town on the sidelines with some pretty serious gear, shooting Johnny making an interception.<br>

Which brings me to another point on Pro vs. Amateur. The latter is making it tough for pros with all the new gear that can make up for a lot of (compared to the days of film) really bad shooters.<br>

Hey folks, give photos to your relatives and family, everyone else should pay, and it doesn't have to be a ridiculous amount.<br>

Enjoy.</p>

<p>Thank you everyone. Cheers, Dave.</p>

<p>No offense but number 54 is in better focus than the guy getting hit. Happens to me a lot.</p>

<p>Hello, I have been shooting high school sports for almost 10 years and post shots on my site (a lot of them get pirated and end up on Facebook). Up to now when someone wants to buy shots, they have to come to my office, review the shots and choose the ones they like. I then burn them on CD and collect my fee. Any suggestions on a web template provider that I can use. I would like to avoid the appointments and use an online shopping cart and something like Paypal. The people would pick the shots they want while looking at my site (prints or electronic files) and I would then send them to the customer once payment is cleared.</p>

<p>I have been looking at Photobiz and would like some advice. Thanks,</p>

<p>Dave McColl</p>

<p>Hi guys, thanks. I'm set on Lossless compressed 12 bit RAW using 2 Sandisk Extreme III 16GB cards. I shot on JPEG yesterday and the bursts were much better. Thanks for the advice. Dave.</p>

<p>Hello, I have been shooting high school football for a few years now and have a question/issue.<br>

I shoot using my D3 on aperture Priority at f4.5ish usually, ISO 200-1000 depending on the weather using a 70-300 4.5, low end lens.<br>

I always shoot in RAW and my concern is that on Continuous-Hi, the camera stops and thinks after about 8-10 shots. I hold down the shutter button but nothing.... and the play continues. I will try shooting on JPG today and see if this changes things.<br>

Am I missing something? Any advise is apreciated. Thanks, Dave.</p>

<p>www.cbc.ca</p>

<p>scroll down and click on the World Cup link.</p>

<p>Thanks for the great comments everyone. Neil, that is great work and exactly what I would like to do. Cheers everyone. Dave.</p>

<p>Hello, I am an avid, semi professional photojournalist. I shoot a lot of assignment stuff for a few local weekly papers and constantly get asked if I shoot weddings. My usual answer is "no", I'm not interested in all of the setting up of the cheesy, faded, sparkly, shots I see (or Bride-zilla for that matter).<br>

Someone mentioned to me that one new and popular technique is to shoot documentary style. Very little, if any setting up, candid shots of everyone from getting ready right through to late in the evening. I could really get into that! Anyone done this? Is it popular? Thanks, Dave.</p>

<p>Great shots guys! I don't know about you but my mono pod has saved my legs a number of times at football games. I can always get more money for mono pods, not knees. Cheers.</p>

<p>It really helps to know the game. I have been shooting high school football since 2003. What I do is follow the quarterback and I know who he is throwing to (left or right) by the direction he's facing as he winds up to throw the ball. The majority of my 500Gigs of photos are football.<br>

One thing that may help you is to stand at the end of the field behind the end zone. When the team is in scoring position, coming towards you, its much easier to detect where the QB is going to pass, and the same applies for a running play. The photo shown is from the back of the end zone.<br>

Having said that, I normally stand about 10 to 20 yards down field (toward the end zone that is being pursued).<br>

My advise is to keep shooting more and more games.</p><div></div>

<p>When I shoot baseball I try to only shoot if the sun is low in the sky. My ideal shots are of the pitcher, shot from behind the back stop just off to the side of the Umpire through a hole in the chain link fence. Its a lot to hope for light wise but at least the pitcher's face is in good sun with little to no shadow. I shoot with a Nikon D3, Nikor 70 - 200 f2.8, on Aperture priority, focus point on the face and ISO 400 (adjusted if necessary). Try to experiment with various settings. With the sun high in the air its a pain. Cheers.</p>

<p>Hello again to Dave Harwig, my publisher does get me the accreditation when he assigns me to shoot an event. If I see an event that requires accreditation that my publisher is not interested in, I simply get the required paper work from the event web site, forward it to my publisher who completes it, signs it and I submit it to the event media contact. It's a win win situation.<br>

As for accreditation for high school sports, I have never required any sort of pass to shoot any of the sports I have covered. The level of security at most Canadian high schools is minimal at best. having said that, I always introduce yself to the coaches and the referees (you get a lot of cooperation when you do that).<br>

Hey Caleb, scanning them with the related info is great. I pay more attention to the ones that will impress a larger publication, and tend to forget the Girl Guide bake sale type shots.<br>

The papers I submit to give me a free subscription, perhaps something you may want to negotiate with your local publisher.<br>

I spoke with the publisher of the major daily in Ottawa, Canada (the capital of the country, in case you are from somewhere other than Canada) and he says between $100 and $200 per shot. BUT! You have to get the attention of the editors, which is a different story. Remember what I said about competition.<br>

The second largest Ottawa paper called me and asked for a shot of a championship high school football game. I said, how much will you pay and they said $0. I give one freebie per publication and only to say I have been published in a major daily. No more freebies for them.</p>

<p>Cheers, Dave McColl</p>

<p>I too submit photos to 3 local weekly tabloids (for 6 years now) all in exchange for free advertising, which is more valuable to me than the pittance they pay. In the current DSLR age, everyone with a camera is a "photographer" and it has become increasingly difficult to get photos published:<br>

a) because the competition has increased dramatically:<br>

b) because these "photographers" are willing to have larger publications post their shots for FREE, and;<br>

c) papers are publishing photos of lesser quality (probably to save money).<br>

I was keeping a copy of the shots published in a portfolio, but I'm going broke buying portfolios (I've have had hundreds of shots published). Try to get a scan of the page if you can and save it in a database with the original.<br>

I agree with David in that credentials is/are the pass that gets you into the event. It's fun collecting all of those passes on lanyards and hanging them in your gallery along with the shots you took at the associated gig.<br>

Build up a relationship with your publisher so he/she can rely on you to help him out with last minute assignments and then when something really cool comes along like Pres. Obama visiting your home town or an international sporting event comes, he will have no problem getting you "accreditation" (a media pass) for the event.<br>

Warning: If you start doing photojournalistic assignments, be prepared for some pretty dull photo shoots, eg. Girl Guide Bake Sales, store openings and some guy dressing up like a giant rabbit on Easter. In the end, it's all worth it and if you can get an interesting and attention getting shot of a 6ft tall bunny, now thats good photography.<br>

Photography is an addiction, sweet, relentless, gratifying and very rewarding.<br>

Enjoy. Dave McColl</p>

<p>I've had people steal my photos even with a large, ugly and dark watermark across the image. My moto is, "too bad ignorance isn't painful".</p>

<p>I'm a devoted Nikon shooter, get the D300 over the D200, low light capability is better, I've owned both. Now shooting with a D3.</p><div></div>

<p>Rent a good body and see the difference, minimum D 700</p>

<p>Just returned from Vancouver last Friday. If you are on a tight budget and want to purchase tickets when you get there, you may be surprised at the prices. They are ridiculous! As for gear, good choices. I'd stick with the 70 - 200 2.8 and try to pick up a 24 - 70 2.8 if Canon makes one. A fast body with high ISO and at least 5 fps would be good, as you suggested. Obviously the slower lenses will work better outdoors on sunny days.<br>

Good luck, its going to be a great event.<br>

Cheers, Dave.</p>

<p>Enroll in some sort of photography course, not a 6 month thing, maybe a weekend beginners course as it will be cheaper, then work your way up.<br>

The course may provide equipment, but not usually. If this is the case, consider renting entry level gear.<br>

Based on the course(s) you take, determine:<br>

A) if you have a decent eye for shooting<br>

C) what you like shooting, weddings, sports, portraits, architecture<br>

B) if you still want to be a photographer<br>

Keep renting different bodies and lenses and then decide what you like and then purchase.<br>

Remember, in the age of digital EVERYONE is a photographer, most mediocre, some good, very few great. Lots of competition.<br>

I am a semi pro/serious hobby shooter which means I make money taking pictures but don't make my living at it. I always say there is no such thing as a rich photographer.<br>

I turned semi pro with regular assignment work by shooting my son's (American) football games with a 2 megapixel point and shoot for my local, weekly newspaper. Since then I have been published regularly in three local papers and been accredited to photograph Pres. Obama and the Dalai Lama, to name a few.<br>

It ain't easy but it sure is fun and I bow to all of the serious pros out there who make their living at shooting and do great work in sometimes dreadful conditions.<br>

WARNING! Once you realize you want to be a shooter, its and addiction.. a very enjoyable and rewarding addiction, by the way.<br>

Good luck!<br>

Cheers, Dave www.mccollphoto.com</p>

<p>Thanks Tony, that helped. Dave</p>