Roger Federer @ Montreal Rogers Cup

[Buzzz]

Rented a 80-400mm this weekend to shoot some Tennis action at Montreal's Rogers Cup. What can I do to improve the results when shooting in direct sunlight? Can something be done about the washed colors or the player exposure?



Nikon D90
1/4000s
f5.3
200mm
ISO 450
Aperture Priority (set to minimum aperture)
Center Weighted Average Metering

Next year I'll try the 70-200mm f2.8 but I don't think it will change anything in direct sunlight.

Flickr Set

[AlphaBjerke]

Pray for a cloudy day? Seriously, since you don't dictate the conditions, I guess there is not much you can do besides trying not to shoot with the sun in the frame, using a thingy that shades the lens (does your mind ever go blank like that on words that you know like the back of your hand?) and make sure that you are exposing for the player and not something lighter behind the player. The first time I shot sports with my DSLR, it was a baseball game and the sun was low in the west; whenever I shot in that direction, the player was underexposed so I had to adjust my EV upward.

I am not sure what you mean by "exposition." You are obviously at a disadvantage if you are shooting from the stands because you can't move to a more desirable angle. If you were a press photographer you could do so much more; Joe fan, not so much.

Given your limitations, I would try to get as tight a shot as possible. I like to go for fierce facial expressions, but that can be tough when they are swinging the racket. But how about when they show emotion after a point? Keeping the background from being distracting is also a challenge. If you could have shot at a smaller aperture (and you indicated you couldn't), the background may have been blurred enough. If you cropped out the judge behind, you would not have left enough room for the player to hit into. If you really liked the shot and wanted to print it out and display it, you could use gausion (sp) blur.

That's all I got!

[ehill8794]

I have the perfect way to make your photos better. Find a different player to photograph.
Roger Federer...YUCK!
Im a big andy roddick fan.

You could trying using a circular polarizer and lens hood. They may help with the huge amount of sun intake!

[utsc2006]

Aweee his sweat forms the shape of a heart...*swoon* lol

I agree with the lens hood and trying out a filter

[Chip]

As already mentioned, shooting into the sun is difficult.

One possible way to try and improve this type of shot is with fill flash. I don't know how far away you were from the court, and don't know if you have any type of speedlight, but if you turn up the ISO, then the effective range of any flash will increase.

If you turn up the ISO, maybe it's possible to get some fill on the players and still expose the rest of the scene properly?

Your photos taken during night matches are very nice. Gotta love ISO 3200!

[Buzzz]

Thanks for the replys.

The 80-400 I rented did not came with a lens hood, I should have asked for it. Next year I'll try a 70-200 mm f2.8 and make shure I have the lens hood and a polarizer. Maybe I could pray for clouds too.

As for the flash, you cannot use flashes near the tennis court, but thanks for the tip.

[Chip]

Originally Posted by Buzzz

As for the flash, you cannot use flashes near the tennis court, but thanks for the tip.

I should've known that.

[Buzzz]

I saturated the court and the shirt, is it better or too much?

[bcummings88]

Originally Posted by ehill8794

I have the perfect way to make your photos better. Find a different player to photograph.
Roger Federer...YUCK!
Im a big andy roddick fan.

Unlike Roddick, though, Federer finishes matches and doesn't choke. I would rather photograph a winner .

[Rooby1]

Buzz, in answer to your saturation question, I think it's a little bit too much.
Just a little though. Dial it back 1, don't "go to eleven"?

I favorited a bunch of your other shots of the Rogers Cup, though, on your Flickr stream.
Some great captures there.