Shooting volleyball in a dark gym

[Jim Bryant]

Well.....guess with my 40 years experience I'm not a professional sports shooter. Let's see some of your work here on the forum. And this is your first posting...hummmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Originally Posted by Jim News

I am very sorry, but I have to strongly disagree with you. I am a professional sports photographer and I spend a lot of my time shooting in dark gyms. During play, you never, EVER, use a flash unit of ANY kind. There is no need to have an official "rule", it's simply not done. As a photographer, you are not there to intrude on anyone in any way, which means when I've done my job correctly and to a high standard, no one even noticed I was there. Pitching your case the way you did to the officials and the Athletic Director, was in my opinion, very unprofessional. It is not their job to accomodate you, nor your editor.
If you cannot get the shots you need with the rig you have, get a different one. Cameras such as the Nikon D3 and D90 provide excellent performance in low light. If you must, leave your 2.8 zoom in the bag and go with a 50mm 1.4 and crop in post.
I shoot sports in gyms that are legendary for their poor lighting. Do you not realize that even a small flash can distract or obscure a player's vision. If that happens, if only for an instant, they are blinded when a ball is traveling at them at nearly 70 mph. NEVER FLASH DURING PLAY...EVER!

[Jim News]

Mr. Bryant
In reading tonight what I wrote last night, I was a complete and utter a*s. I came home from an important shoot of a district high school football game in the rain and was reviewing the shots. It was horrid. I came home with an SD card full of crap, a wet 200mm 2.8 lense and a bad attitude and I took it out on you. I implied that you were unprofessional and that was simply uncalled for and most certainly untrue. From the bottom of my heart Sir, I apologize and pray you will be willing to forgive me. I, like most who come to DPS, have learned so much from experts such as yourself as well as beginners who capture great shots with point and shoots. I hope that I have actually helped a few with what I've learned in over 20 years with a camera in my hand everyday. I had no good reason, no excuse, to attack you or your work. Honestly, after reading my angry post from last evening I confess I was tempted to crawl under the table . However, I value DPS and people such as yourself who give their time to it.
For the record, last December in a state high school quarterfinal basketball game, in a well lit gym ironically, a photographer fired a flash shot from courtside as a player was receiving a hard pass from around 15 feet away. The player, clearly caught by the flash, missed the pass and gave up a huge turnover just before halftime. As you might imagine, this resulted in a very bad situation in which the photographer was removed from the building and a head coach was ejected from the biggest game of his career. I shoot in over 20 high school gyms and fields, a junior college and a Division 2 school. None of them allow court or sideline flash. I don't know if it is written in a rule book, but it is simply not done. Yes, it makes my job difficult, but getting the "shot" in such conditions is one of the best rewards a sports shooter can have. The pros in this area have an inside joke. When someone asks us about light we first reply, "Light? Never use the stuff."
I hope I've made the point I was so poor at making last night and mostly, I hope I've saved a potential relationship with a new friend, teacher and fellow shooter. Mr. Bryant, my apology is most sincere. What I portrayed is not who, or what I am.

[Jim Bryant]

Jim,

Forget about it, I've had days such as that myself. In the WIAA ref handbooks here at Washington State, states there are only two events where one is prohibited in using a flash. One is gymnastics and the other is diving. A friend of mine, who is an official brought it up to my attention when I was bitching to him a few years back.
But, as you know, you can always see the high school photographers and parents from the stands firing off their flashes at games. I just happened to bring it up to the official and schools' AD about the possibilities of using a small bit of flash until I was able to get what I needed. Fortunately for (you know how photographers are I was able to shoot through all five matches without anyone complaining about missed shots.

There was no offense taken, I do have a habit of sometimes telling it like it is, busting bubbles and generally chapping some DPSers asses from time to time. But, at least I speak the truth from experience, which is not what some want to read from time to time.

Now, it was quite an intro towards a new friendship eh? Tell me about yourself.

Regards,
Jim

[windrider86]

Its a very rare occasion where I have to soot anything in a low light situation and especially sports and when i do, I struggle. So I truly appreciate you sharing your noggen of knowledge/

[lasallecrew2]

I was a photographer for the US Naval Academy yearbook a few years ago and we'd have a lot of home games in a gym that wasn't very light/camera/action-shot friendly. We would pre-stage 4 strobe lights in the rafters before the season began (usually a 3-hour, 2-person ordeal) and I was able to just use a remote on the camera to have them fire when I took a shot. I dont believe it is AGAINST any rule to use flash/strobes, but I'm pretty sure you need permission before you just go using either of those - which we would routinely ask for from the coaches and referees. It was the only way I could freeze the action of the girls spiking or serving. I agree, I think one of the only sports you cannot use flash is gymnastics - but not volleyball. The pictures look good that you posted, if you can get some more light, you'll be able to freeze the ball and fast swinging arms as well!