Golf Question

OldGuy · July 18, 2014

Hi gang, I asked this question awhile ago, so refresh my memory please.
I will be shooting my very first golf outing next Monday and I need some advice on shooting etiquette,
primarily distance suggested and timing to prevent shutter noise distractions.
I will be using a Nikon D300 w/17-55 f2.8 and a Nikon D700 w/the new Sigma 120-300 f2.8.

This is a MSU Alumni annual tournament, not a pro event.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

lifeinfocus · July 19, 2014

I have taken images at local golf club. Not a competition. I was using a 70-300mm lens. What I did was station myself at one location where I could capture shots from a tee and quickly move to shots by a hole. That worked well and I wasn't in the way or distracting. A longer lens would have been better.

Phil - Midland, Michigan.

Go Green, Go White!

jonh68 · July 19, 2014

Do not take shots while the swing is in motion. The sound of the shutter can and will be distracting.

lifeinfocus · July 20, 2014

Glort wrote: »

I have shot heaps of these and the thing to remember is it's basicaly a bunch of hackers not pros and it's not a pro event with millions on the line. Basicaly, shoot at will. ...........

Have fun!

Great information. Do you have a link to some images so we can see some of this work?

Thanks, Phil

Sam · July 20, 2014

lifeinfocus wrote: »

Great information. Do you have a link to some images so we can see some of this work?

Thanks, Phil

:snore:snore:snore:snore:snore:snore:snore:snore

:D

johng · July 21, 2014

Pro golfers or not - it's about them, not you. The advice to "shoot at will" is amateurish. Just like any other time - you need to act like a professional. In the case of covering golf, it means don't shoot till after contact.

Plan on using the 120-300 - and be advised, 300mm is still awfully short. You use it not only to provide distance between you and the golfer (remember, your job is to get photos without being distracting to the participants) but as with many sports to create subject isolation. You're not going to have gallery shots. And, unless it's at a historic course, you're not going to have a lot of wide angle shots.
Now, there are two big challenges with golf photography - lighting and backgrounds. An easy way to shoot is to pick a green and follow-up hole tee-box for shooting. That way you get your two basic shots with minimal movement and you can cover the whole field. Select the location based upon lighting primarily - so some good tree cover around both is great. That way when it's mid afternoon you don't have blown out backgrounds. But, you also want a short distance between green and next tee so you can move back and forth.

Sorry for the late advice

johng · July 22, 2014

Glort - it's simple. Professionalism is not interfering. It's not too terribly difficult to not take a photo before contact. Writing a 500 word response doesn't change that. You are entitled to your opinion. I disagree with it. Others can make up their own minds.

jonh68 · July 22, 2014

Glort wrote: »

Dunno if you missed it or not but theses ARE amateur events FFS! They are more about fun and socialising than winning or the shooter getting the best pics possible.

Have you ever actually ASKED the players at these gigs IF they mind when you shoot?
I do, every outing at the group shot and NO ONE has every said a thing yet.
That's a fact I work on rather than some unsubstantiated " code" or belief. If people tell you they are concerned, then obviously respect that. Otherwise, why worry?

Seems incredelous you advise the events are about the players not the shooter then go on to say the challenges are Lighting and backgrounds. Dunno how many of these you have done or what the culture is like where you are but the 35-40 I have done, some annualy for 6 years now, are pretty much what we call here, pissups.
The players don't give a rats about the lighting and backgrounds are seldom a worry either if you shoot with a tele and wide open.

The spectators arent standing around deadly silent like a pro event nor at the masters are the spectators standing round swilling beer, jibing the guy teeing off or putting. Why you think that the same standards apply for events that could not be more opposed is beyond me.

What IS imporatnt no matter what lighting or background is capturing the emotion and enjoyment of the players. The clients couldnt give a stuff about techinaly perfect pics. If you think otherwise you don't understand the purpose of what these things are for. The people putting them on are trying to build rapport with their clients or staff and use the pics as reminders and reinforcement of a positive experience with their organisation or as a thank you.
The players are mostly hackers be they regular players or not and don't take it seriously. The ones that do are far more put off by the jibes and comments from the other people they are playing with than the sound of my shutter, which if you read the other advise I gave, suggested shoot after contact for the best stroke pic. If something occours before that, I have no problem firing away... often from close in at a wide angle. Total complaints recieved over the years??? ZERO.

When I'm photographing the Masters at Georgia, I'll amend my shooting practices accordingly. For this work however, I deliver a better product not worring about something no one else is worried about and would make no difference other than to impeed what I deliver to the client and reduce the value of my services to them.

As for professionalism, were you trying to be offensive or just don't realise that one can act totally professionaly while still photographing an amateur event?
As I said, I have done these things for major companies for up to 6 years on the trot now and one company even flew me interstate and put me up to cover their event. Being an international IT company, I doubt if they would have done that if I was anything but professional or had complaints from their guests about my pic taking during the years previous. What I do know is I get more work out of every damn one of these things I do from the players who often put on the same type of events of their own.

Being uptight and stiff upper lipped is not being professional. Here at least people like it when you are friendly and personable and not walking round like you have a rod up your fundamental orifice.
If the way I shoot was so terrible and upsetting to the players, I sure as ship would have heard about it by now.

You seem to make out these things are major events with millions at stake. I assume you have done them so know the very different reality. People are calling out, there is often on course entertainment, alcohol going down at prolific rates at 9 in the morning and people enjoying themselves. And the more Upmarket the company, generally the wilder the event.

I don't drink, I do build rapport with the guests and have fun with them, I deliver great pictures without worrying about when they are being taken in respect to their play, I capture the emotion and fun of the day and I always get multiple people coming up to me at the end of the day shaking my hand and thanking me for a great job as well as asking me about covering their events.

If that's amateruish and unprofessional to you John, do as you will anyway and shoot as you see fit.
My clients are very happy and their opinion is far more important to me than anyone elses and as it seems they are more than happy with what I do, I'll stick with it no matter what any non client wants to get on their high horse about.

When they tell me they don't want me to take pics when I ask them before the start of play, I won't. Untill such time, I'll not worry about something the clients aren't concerned about.

I am not a pro golfer. I take it serious though. Yes its a fun event but there are people who will take it seriously and would not appreciate a photographer not having courtesy.

Unless it is for instructional purposes to study the swing, getting the actual swing and impact is kind of a boring shot. You mentioned capturing the emotion of the event and that part is not capturing the emotion. It's the reaction to a made or missed putt, the look of someone watching a well struck shot, or the anger of watching the ball go out of bounds. Good luck to you if your attitude is to shoot everything regardless of how the golfers feel.

True, this event isn't a pro tournament. Doesn't mean courtesy goes out the window. It is better to ask if it's OK to take a pic during the swing from individual golfers than just do it.

jonh68 · July 22, 2014

Glort wrote: »

That said, I tend to shoot as the club hits the ball because by the time the reactions and motions take place, the player is on the back swing or whatever it's called after they hit the ball which is the money shot anyway. Never really understood why as an outdoor sport golfers crap on about quiet. Every other outdoor sport player has to concerntrate on kicking goals or whatever they are doing while the crowd goes apeship. Why do golfers need such silence?

IF you played you would know the answer. Since you don't it's best to maybe respect the wish of not having a distraction. It isn't so some much silence as the sudden noise during the swing. It would be the same as if it was loud during the swing and then there was silence. Golf is a game of concentration and distractions can be a factor. I've played various sports from football, baseball to basketball. There is a difference when it comes to golf in regards to background noises and distractions.

ian408 · July 30, 2014

johng wrote: »

Glort - it's simple. Professionalism is not interfering. It's not too terribly difficult to not take a photo before contact. Writing a 500 word response doesn't change that. You are entitled to your opinion. I disagree with it. Others can make up their own minds.

+1

I've done a couple of tournaments with "hacks" and "amateurs". Professionalism and a long lens go a long way.

perroneford · July 31, 2014

Treating these hacks and amateurs with respect might just get you invited to shoot a pro event. Particularly if you showcase the course well. Treating this group like they "don't really matter" will get you treatment in kind.

Several years ago I was chatting with a few Sports Illustrated guys about shooting golf as well as Dave Black. I learned a ton from that. But one thing I did was buy a mirrorless camera. My Nikon 1 is totally silent and can burst at 30fps. Guess wher I use it a lot.

perroneford · August 1, 2014

Glort wrote: »

Did anyone on their high horse's read the part where I said I ask everyone if they have a problem when I shoot before the play starts at the group shot or did you all just decide to you wanted to be part of the in crowd and take the popular moral high ground because thats the forum thing to do???

My horse is far too high to see any fine print!

In truth my comments are based on my own experiences. I've never seen an event here in the States such as you describe in your country, and I doubt the original poster will find such an atmosphere when he arrives either. In that vein, my comments were offered to address the scenario he is likely to face rather than your environment.

Golf is a lot more prim and proper here it seems, even for the amateurs. In fact even for the practice rounds. Come to think of it, even during strict photoshoots where scores are not even being kept, things are quite hushed and I don't shoot on the backswing.

Maybe it's just cultural differences.

johng · August 1, 2014

Conducting yourself in a professional manner has nothing to do with "a moral high ground". As the previous poster mentioned, there could very well be a cultural difference in Australia with regards to professional behavior on a golf course. But more to the point - would you care to share one of your awesome photos of a golfer during the back swing or down swing? I've never seen a compelling shot like that. But since you are so argumentative about it being OK Glort you must have some actual examples of a compelling shot that makes this argument worth while - right?

The truth is, GLort, not much has changed in the last 5 years since you came here asking about shooting sports. You can erase your first posts to try and hide your inexperience upon coming here but the quoted posts are still there. I think if you actually had spent any time listening to sports photographers with more experience rather than puffing your chest out so much, inane arguments about whether it's OK to act unprofessional just because the golfers are not professional wouldn't happen.

jonh68 · August 1, 2014

Glort wrote: »

Did anyone on their high horse's read the part where I said I ask everyone if they have a problem when I shoot before the play starts at the group shot or did you all just decide to you wanted to be part of the in crowd and take the popular moral high ground because thats the forum thing to do???

We read the fine print. You naturally have to take each event as it is but your advice in general for the scrambles I have played in would not go over well. You can still be friendly and outgoing with the players without having to shoot during the golf swing.

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