What’s Your Preference?

dpinion · #1 (**permalink**) 01-31-2011, 08:20 PM

Well this was a lot of fun (and work). I have several that I think came out pretty well for my undeveloped eye, but I would like you good people to share your thoughts. The gym was a REALLY tough place to get a good exposure. The image you see what shot (I believe, will get the exif data in a bit) shot on nikon D40, 35mm (prime), 1/500s, f1.8, ISO 1600. Still I had to bump up the exposure quite a bit in lightroom and brought with it more graininess than I cared for.

Anyway, please let me know your thoughts and how I can improve!

Jim Bryant · #2 (**permalink**) 01-31-2011, 08:45 PM

First, you need to crop the image to put more emphasis on the action. (see my version)
Also you need to get closer to the action, like the lower bleacher or on the floor. The player to the right that's just standing there looking, he doesn't add to the photo. I actually did crop and attach the photo, but it's not showing up.
vision this. Crop down from the top and up from the bottom, as well as both sides. Just have the middle of the photograph, the action part, everything else is just wasted space that distracts from the players.

dpinion · #3 (**permalink**) 01-31-2011, 08:56 PM

Hey Jim,
Thank you for your input! The image you cropped is showing up for me, and I can see what you mean. Do you have any other suggestions as far as camera settings? I will get closer down on the floor (I do have some shots from the floor I will try to post another time). I have noticed a couple of other threads mentioning using flash, but I have a hard time believing this wouldn't distract players? Anywhere I stand on the floor in this room I am going to be right at a sideline and I don't want anyone mad at me..

Jim Bryant · #4 (**permalink**) 01-31-2011, 09:11 PM

Put you camera on manuel and set to lowest f-stop and take some test shots during practice. Normally in my gym, it's ISO 1600, 320 at f2.8. Good luck! As for flash, maybe at full flash, but it you set it to multi-flash at 1/32 it should bother them at all. Again, take some practice shots to get your settings down. Stand in a corner.

kmontano · #5 (**permalink**) 02-01-2011, 05:04 AM

My shooting position for basketball is almost always to one side of the basket near the baseline and I always shoot with a flash dialed down to 1/6 power with a bounce card. I have talked to many players from the team and they have said they didn't even notice it. On the other hand a flash at full directly in the face is probably not a good idea, at least if you don't want to be chased out of the gym by angry parents