Thanks for watching this video! In the comments tell me those things you sometimes struggle with in sports photography, and how you're working to make yourself better. We all have our weaknesses - I certainly have some! I think the important thing is to recognize those weaknesses and work on improving them daily.
Jack, Great list...great photos are easily recognized, but instantly knowing Why saves time and is a great reminder to do as much with the camera up front instead of trying to create a masterpiece in post. My challenge is always to "Fill the frame" since I am shooting HS and Jr High basketball...doesn't take much cropping to degrade the photo. Great job as always
Jack, great video! I got into photographing bike races a few years ago and am now looking to expand into other sports like football and some indoor sports like basketball and others. This and your other videos have been helpful in guiding me. I appreciate that you shared some of your “mistakes” so we can learn from them. I look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Nice video! I especially liked a couple of the before and after photos....might even in another video want to talk just a little about what you adjust in the software to get your desired effects!
Thank you! Yes, good suggestion. I'm planning on a low light / high ISO video in the near future. I've got some soccer coming up on a dark field and that should make for some interesting editing.
Thank you for the info! I have been taking pics of my boys playing soccer and now I am wanting to improve more since they play on Varsity in high school. I also am taking the pics for the team! Definitely learning to get better with my skills!
I mainly photograph wildlife and use some of the techniques when photographing sports. I set up my D500 so I can change to different AF Area modes in an instant by assigning them to the function buttons on the camera. This enables me to go from Group AF to Single Point AF or 25 Point AF without taking my eye away from the viewfinder while tracking the subject.
Awesome video Jack and I really learned a lot from your channel. I also want to say WHOOA too a fellow soldier. I just completed a twenty year run myself and picked my camera back up. I really learned a lot on how to clean up he background and crop for impact. I would love to get your opinion on the 300 f2.8 as I am seriously thinking about purchasing it soon. Keep up the great work.
Yeah, 300/2.8 is a great, all around lens. Honestly, you’ll feel it’s a little short for some field sports, but as a first big telephoto for night sports, it’s hard to beat. Buy used!
Love you videos! I appreciate the tips in all of them. Question- can you talk about metering and what you do or use for your Nikon? I shoot with a D500 which is very similar to your D5 in a lot of ways. Thanks!
Thanks Eric, I appreciate it! Yes, I'll add metering modes to my list of potential videos. In short, I generally use matrix metering all the time, but I will add +0.3 exposure compensation in most situations to help fill shadows.
At 16:42, did you use the Topaz Denoise here to reduce grain here or what edit did you make here? There is a improvement on the noise and grain on this edit... thanks for all your vids!!
Jack my biggest problem when I am shooting soccer is waiting for the action to come to me. Jim ruled out some pics. last game because I cropped to much ruining the image quality. I was shooting with D500 200-500. I have to fill the frame and be patient. Good video. Where is your galleries, what state?
Yeah, I've had to learn the hard way not to crop too much (and you're already at a disadvantage with a crop frame camera). The image falls apart, especially in high ISO situations. I'm in Arizona.
these are all valid points. i shoot mostly cycling and some running, swimming and whatnot. Mostly outdoors in the woods. So I have my fair share of high ISO and and high shutter speed. I used to shoot with a D700, but the high ISO performance is not great in 2022. I moved on to D4s, the high ISO is better but then you can't crop much can you? Since I shot with a D700 I didn't get into the habit of cropping at all being that it's 12MP and the D4s is 16MP. I pair my D4s with my D810 and sometimes for reach I shoot my D810 in DX mode with my 70-200 f/2.8, the result is not bad at all....I WONDER how my (edit: your, of course I want mine) Z9 's AF compared to your D5. I am actually quite happy with my D700 for what I shoot. AF and AF tracking is paramount, and low light for sports.
It depends on the client requirements or where it’s being posted. For Instagram, there are specific crop requirements. For most of my work for MaxPreps, I have to use 3x2.16. For putting something on my own wall, I crop to fit a 11x14 format.
My biggest problems: 1. Terrible venue lighting. I've shot a lot of night games in the worst possible lighting. Where I live the outdoor venues are generally lit worse than most US high school football fields. We're talking running a Nikon D5 up over ISO 20,000. 2. Terrible backgrounds. At the same type of venues mentioned, there's always random old ladies walking their dogs, or bunches of people sitting in camp chairs around the field. Or parking lots, houses, etc. And using a Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 doesn't give you enough bokeh to smooth it all out. 3: Not enough reach. Best I can do for night games is a 70-200mm f/2.8. Daytime I can go 200-500mm which is nice. But night games, shooting things like Aussie Rules Football on a huge playing field, with a 70-200mm, just doesn't cut it. Wish I could afford a 400mm f/2.8, but that's never going to happen.
ISO 20,000? Yeah, that sucks. I don't like to go over 16,000 with my D5 - and that's with a judicious use of Topaz Denoise. And, shooting field sports with a 70-200 is tough - but I've done it recently when my 400/2.8 refused to focus one night. I still got some really good pics, but there was a lot of sitting around until the soccer (football) action got close enough.
Hi Jack! Thank you for your helpful videos. I am a rookie photographer (literally) but I have a passion for photography and for sports, especially football and soccer. You mentioned on one of your videos, the importance of a mentor. It would be meant so much if you could criticize my work. How could I submit some of my pictures to you? Is there an email?
I’ve got media passes, so I don’t have a problem. Until the game officially starts with kickoff, the referees don’t get worked up about photographers on the field. It doesn’t hurt to ask, of course.
