Better lighting-JC B-ball

[Steve Cavigliano]

Hello all,
Yep, it's time for this week's Junior College hoops shots. I bet you've all been breathlessly awaiting these

Anyhow, it was an away game, over at Aptos. The gym had way better lighting ( a little brighter and way less yellow), so I figured I'd try to shoot at ISO800 and F1.8 instead of my usual ISO1600 and F2.2. The shots are a bit softer, but the color and contrast looks really good to me (although I'm blind in one eye and can't see out the other ;-).

I know that us basketball/sports junkies have been posting quite a bit this week and I'd definitely rather be posting a nice heron or egret shot. But since this is what I have been shooting, this is all I have to share





Other than the tilted backgrounds, how do they look to you? As usual, any feedback, comments. criticisms welcomed

Thanks for taking the time to look,
Steve

[blackwaterstudio]

Looks good Steve, what lens are you using to shoot these?

[gregneil]

Awesome shots, Steve! I think the color looks great, and the images seem really sharp. 1 and 3 are my favorites. I really like where you caught the action in these shots. Were these shot with an 85/1.8? I've been thinking about that lens...

My only question would be about chopping off the feet. In my 2 favorites, 1 and 3, you get the whole subject, but the other players are cut off at the ankles. I wonder if it would look a little more complete if you could get the whole feet in. Maybe it doesn't matter? I haven't studied many pro shots to see how often this happens, and if it's considered "acceptable" or not. Does anyone have any thoughts about getting all the feet in the shot? If you can't get the feet in, should you go for a tighter crop? The missing feet don't really bother me, it's just something I noticed, and would be interested to know what the pro's think about it...

Thanks for sharing! Keep the basketball pics coming... The season will be over soon enough and we'll have more time for other shots!

[Angelo]

very nice group of images.

[Steve Cavigliano]

Originally Posted by jdsphotography

Looks good Steve, what lens are you using to shoot these?

Thank you

I used that sweet Canon 85mm F1.8 lens. Other than being a bit long for floor shooting, I find it almost perfect for capturing low light action

Thanks for your comments,
Steve

[Steve Cavigliano]

Originally Posted by gregneil

Awesome shots, Steve! I think the color looks great, and the images seem really sharp. 1 and 3 are my favorites. I really like where you caught the action in these shots. Were these shot with an 85/1.8? I've been thinking about that lens...

My only question would be about chopping off the feet. In my 2 favorites, 1 and 3, you get the whole subject, but the other players are cut off at the ankles. I wonder if it would look a little more complete if you could get the whole feet in. Maybe it doesn't matter? I haven't studied many pro shots to see how often this happens, and if it's considered "acceptable" or not. Does anyone have any thoughts about getting all the feet in the shot? If you can't get the feet in, should you go for a tighter crop? The missing feet don't really bother me, it's just something I noticed, and would be interested to know what the pro's think about it...

Thanks for sharing! Keep the basketball pics coming... The season will be over soon enough and we'll have more time for other shots!

Thanks Greg

Yep, that's the 85mm F1.8. It is great for low light action. It is kind of tight from right under the basket (can't get the whole player in the frame, even in portrait orientation) and I was thinking about picking up the Mk II 50mm and seeing if it AF'd fast enough to use for these type shots. If anyone has this info (MK II AF speed), I'd appreciate any feedback.

You know I kind of wondered about chopping off feet/legs/knees too. Some of my older shots showed everything, but they showed so much it was hard to see expressions, or lay enough megapixels on the subject to tell a good story, or to be able to get a tight crop). I started going for tighter and tighter shots. So yes, I cut off/crop off non-essential extremities (non essential to the image not to the player....lol) but I think I am getting lots more pixels on my main subject(s) so that I have mucho detail to work with. Much better, IMO, than trying to work with a heavily cropped image.

I've got to go study some pro images too. Maybe they leave the feet in the frame

And you are right, only 2 more weeks of the regular season left. Then it will be on to baseball....LOL


Thanks for your comments and thanks for taking the time to look,
Steve

[Steve Cavigliano]

Originally Posted by Angelo

very nice group of images.

Thanks Angelo I appreciate you taking the time to view my images and to respond to this thread


Steve

[ehughes]

Great Stuff Steve, I was looking into the 85 1.8, how do you like it overall? Would you buy it again?

[wxwax]

Steve, this is really good work. I reckon it's about the best you can hope for with the available lighting.

WRT chopped off limbs, look at the images in the paper every day, they don't show complete bodies. What's important is that you capture a good moment in the action, which you have.

Nice stuff.

[pathfinder]

These are first rate Steve! And I think the color is spot on too!! You knew I'd be a stickler after our last color discussion, but these are outstanding. Sharp, nice back grounds, and the color looks like it came from Kodak!

[winger]

Originally Posted by Steve Cavigliano

The shots are a bit softer, but the color and contrast looks really good to me (although I'm blind in one eye and can't see out the other ;-).

So you are saying you would be a good ref or umpire with that eyesight.
I like the first one, nice shot of the ball just before it goes into the hoop.

Sometimes with the cropping a sport action (and I am realising alot of photograhpy is subjective) I got a comment about my sportsshooter gallery the first day it was up. He had some comments about my hockey stuff (which I have no problems with the comments, and he said he knew little about the sport) but he was saying I missed the action. I asked a few other people and they had good things too say. So who knows.
i had a point somewhere but i am exhausted.

OH yeah cropping. Sometimes I leave feet in sometimes I dont, I dont know if there is a hard and fast rule, and even working for one department on campus (media relations) if find there are photo preferences amoungst the different people that work in that office.

The beauty of an art form i guess.

I usually make more sense, did i mention i am tired.

Edit: althought now looking at this one I think I would crop it tighter, his experssion and hand extension to the hoop is so much more stronger than leaving his feet in the shot. Does that make sense?

[wxwax]

Sorta like this? (Hope you don't mind, Steve.)

[ian408]

Originally Posted by winger

So you are saying you would be a good ref or umpire with that eyesight.

Hey now....

Steve, good job!

My only comment is that the backgrounds are kinda ugly but there's not a
lot you can do about that.

Ian

[winger]

Originally Posted by wxwax

Sorta like this? (Hope you don't mind, Steve.)

That is sort of what I was thinking, but I was thinking that wide and then crop the bottom up to about where the face that is getting stuffed is......its tought it a looooonnn photo.

But I like your crop too, definatly took out most of the distracting elements in it, and like i said the experession on the two guys faces are great, and just the players extention to the hoop and where the action was caught with the ball....i love it. ( I may even try to replicate myself tonight)

[Steve Cavigliano]

Originally Posted by wxwax

Sorta like this? (Hope you don't mind, Steve.)

Sid,
I like the crop. You left the 3 players, that are important to the shot, in the frame. But I think Karen is right, I may have to crop some off the bottom or top. It seems too long and skinny this way. It would make a nice 4X10 this way though

Thanks for your edit, and please never worry about playing with my images. If you can improve them (which shouldn't be too hard ;-), go for it. I really do appreciate this sort of feedback

Steve

[Steve Cavigliano]

Originally Posted by winger

So you are saying you would be a good ref or umpire with that eyesight.
I like the first one, nice shot of the ball just before it goes into the hoop.

Sometimes with the cropping a sport action (and I am realising alot of photograhpy is subjective) I got a comment about my sportsshooter gallery the first day it was up. He had some comments about my hockey stuff (which I have no problems with the comments, and he said he knew little about the sport) but he was saying I missed the action. I asked a few other people and they had good things too say. So who knows.
i had a point somewhere but i am exhausted.

OH yeah cropping. Sometimes I leave feet in sometimes I dont, I dont know if there is a hard and fast rule, and even working for one department on campus (media relations) if find there are photo preferences amoungst the different people that work in that office.

The beauty of an art form i guess.

I usually make more sense, did i mention i am tired.

Edit: althought now looking at this one I think I would crop it tighter, his experssion and hand extension to the hoop is so much more stronger than leaving his feet in the shot. Does that make sense?

Karen,
I'd be a super ref or ump Not only am I blind, I'm stubborn too.....lol One of the advantages of being a crusty old fart

After looking at Sid's edit, I agree. It should be cropped tighter. I'd like to get the proportions right for an 8x10 though. So I'm probably going to have to amputate lots of limbs, or leave some superfulous junk in the shot (to make it wide enough).

I know what you mean about different crops for different folks. I don't see any "standard" in the shots I look at. Some don't even have any action. What's up with that?

Anyhow, thanks for the comments and feedback

Steve

[4labs]

I can't believe there was no noise at 1600 iso you must love that lens.. Great shots !

[gubbs]

I know nothing about basketball, but I really like this one! The ref (I'm from the uk remember ) watching in the foreground, the spectators, the defenders expressions and of course the jump... great stuff Steve

[Steve Cavigliano]

Originally Posted by 4labs

I can't believe there was no noise at 1600 iso you must love that lens.. Great shots !

Thanks 4Labs

Yes, I do love this lens and to be honest there is some noise when you look at the shot full size. But, nothing that would show up in an 8x10 :) It is similar to ISO200 on my digital. No major noise and no colored blotches


Thanks for taking the time to comment,
Steve

[Steve Cavigliano]

Thanks Gubbs


I appreciate your comments. I really enjoy shooting sports (and watching sports and reading about sports...lol) and it's so nice to finally have a kit that will do justice to this type of shooting.


Thanks again,
Steve