Shooting Sports (Page 2): The unrealistic solution is to use a powerful strobe to narrow the dynamic range to where the camera could handle it.

tradio Loc: Oxford, Ohio

The unrealistic solution is to use a powerful strobe to narrow the dynamic range to where the camera could handle it.

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

My personal thanks for the valued input I hoped was forthcoming!

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

DaveO wrote:

We differ in what we perceive could be improvements. Mine is some easily taken care of highlights and possibly shadowed faces be a little more discernible. I'm going to sit on the side until one of our PP guys steps in. I'm thinking it will be no big deal and filters are not the answer, but I am anxious to learn. Kids sports have become more important of late. It's called grandkid syndrome.

Dave, no big deal but think you are either misunderstanding me or have my replies confused with others. If you look at my first two replies you will see I also stated underexposing a little and correcting important parts (faces) in PP would probably be the ONLY solution and the filters would NOT help.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Stardust wrote:

Dave, no big deal but think you are either misunderstanding me or have my replies confused with others. If you look at my first two replies you will see I also stated underexposing a little and correcting important parts (faces) in PP would probably be the ONLY solution and the filters would NOT help.

I want to thank all the club members who chimed in on this subject. As always you get so many opinion, comments and suggestions. That's why this club is great. Now I don't know what the hell I am going to do lol. Just try some of the suggestions mentioned.
Jules

DaveO Loc: Northeast CT

Stardust wrote:

Dave, no big deal but think you are either misunderstanding me or have my replies confused with others. If you look at my first two replies you will see I also stated underexposing a little and correcting important parts (faces) in PP would probably be the ONLY solution and the filters would NOT help.

All good, we're on the same frequency! Nice to have the option of faster shutter or stopping down to meet the same result depending upon your preferences.

I'm glad we had some of the experienced folks intercede!

Photocraig

Linda From Maine wrote:

If we accept that an ND filter is not the correct ... (show quote)

Worse than white, Linda. I bet these bleachers are aluminum and highly reflective. Getting faces inside football face masks is hard enough no less trying to match good exposure for dark skinned players amid highly reflective Jerseys and, oh yeah, backgrounds. Spot metering is hard to master, no less keeping the spot on the face of a fast moving player (and I mean any player over 12!) using a telephoto lens standing in the mosh pit called a football game sidelines.

But given that keeping the bleachers out of the frame as best as possible, partial focus/exposure metering would help. Although, to get this particular young man's face brighter, in camera, would blow out most of the rest of the exposure. Definitely a PP task, and an argument for RAW + JPEG. None the less, the amount of light is in stark contrast to puny lights that are all most High Schools can afford to install and run. Then everybody's in the dark. Heck, if it was easy everybody would get an iphone and do it, right?

C

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Photocraig wrote:

Worse than white, Linda. I bet these bleachers are... (show quote)

Your right Craig, the bleachers were aluminum, didn't help the problem. I have to be honest I didn't think about the bleachers. Not an excuse but at game time temp here in Las Vegas was 108. I could hardly think, and couldn't wait until half time, I went home. By the way I am 72 years young.

Rhankins70 Loc: Florida

Under exposure will help with the blown highlights. PP for the shadows.

David in Dallas Loc: Dallas, Texas, USA

JohnSwanda wrote:

In this situation, with areas of white lit by the sun, and faces in the shadow, it's just more dynamic range than your camera can handle. It looks like you are already letting the whites blow out a bit to get detail in the faces. You could lessen the exposure to get more highlight detail, and then lighten the faces in PP, but that could be a lot of work. The ND filter will lessen exposure throughout the image, so that won't help with highlight or shadow detail.

I don't have experience with the situation, but the above is the method I would try: expose primarily to get details in the highlights, which gives darker shadows, then use PP to add some light to the shadow areas. Slight overexposure of the bright areas is probably OK, as the highlights can be reduced in PP, but too much will lose details that you need.

ELNikkor

They are over-exposed to begin with. Shoot RAW and manage the dynamic range.

rdubreuil Loc: Dummer, NH USA

Jules Karney wrote:

I must on occasion shoot a football or soccer game at the high noon or 1:00. The sunlight is terrible at the time of the day. I am looking for suggestions and comments on what filter to use to minimize those terrible shadows and highlights.
Thanks in advance,
Jules

Hey Jules, In looking at the exif data I can see a few issues with your settings that weren't in your favor, the (ISO 560, f5, 1/2000 and +1.3 exposure comp.), I'd suggest ISO 100, f8 to f11 maybe even as much as f16, 1/3000 - 4000 and no exposure comp., then PP to bring your shadows up. Test your settings for the conditions pre-game, check your histogram and run from there. The D500 is pretty sensitive and has a tendency to blow out the specular highlights, I find it's easier to deal with a little noise in PP should you need to pull your shadows up any significant amount. Shadows are still going to have a hard edge anyway, just the nature of bright sun light. Good luck and keep shooting...

martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida

I don't see using filters an option. Using Spot metering would help with the over exposure if your subject is in a white uniform. Now if the subject is in a darker color uniform and you use spot metering, then the opponent would be over exposed if in white uniform. I would take several test shoots, using spot metering on your white uniform subjects. Make sure your exposer is correct and no blown high lights. Now I would use those settings to set camera in Manual Mode. Now all you have to work on would be the shadows. I use this method when shooting ospreys or eagles in direct sun light. The harsh shadows under the players should not be a problem and can be adjusted to some degree, even our eyes see this and expected when capturing a shot during high noon football games. Your not shooting in a studio.

tshift Loc: Overland Park, KS.

Jules Karney wrote:

I must on occasion shoot a football or soccer game at the high noon or 1:00. The sunlight is terrible at the time of the day. I am looking for suggestions and comments on what filter to use to minimize those terrible shadows and highlights.
Thanks in advance,
Jules

Still nice comp. I hate it also, any sport outdoors in the middle of the day. I don't like later in the day either with the sun down in the sky. There are so many times I want to shoot on the other side of the field but the sun and glare are killers. I try and shoot from three angles and not from the opposite side. Miss a lot of good shots because of that. Good question. See what comes. Thanks

Tom

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

Jules Karney wrote:

I must on occasion shoot a football or soccer game at the high noon or 1:00. The sunlight is terrible at the time of the day. I am looking for suggestions and comments on what filter to use to minimize those terrible shadows and highlights.
Thanks in advance,
Jules

Lower the ISO and increase the shutter speed. You settings say 1/2000, ISO 720, shutter priority mode with +1.3 exposure. The 720 seems to be driven by the +1.3. Try full manual mode, ISO 100, 1/2000 and adjust shutter speed from there.

The faces appear to be exposed well though.

LCD

PP? Please, identify your acronyms.