Shooting Skeet Shooting: So my son has decided to do the most boring sport in the world to photograph! Skeet Shooting! Do you guys have any tips or ideas to make this more enjoyable...

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

So my son has decided to do the most boring sport in the world to photograph! Skeet Shooting! Do you guys have any tips or ideas to make this more enjoyable for a sports photographer? Any fun angles or ideas for shots - any ideas ..... THANKS

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

I can only take this photo so many times!!

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

TommiRulz wrote:

So my son has decided to do the most boring sport in the world to photograph! Skeet Shooting! Do you guys have any tips or ideas to make this more enjoyable for a sports photographer? Any fun angles or ideas for shots - any ideas ..... THANKS

Get behind the shooter and then know where the clay target will be going. The clay targets will be going in different directions. Use enough depth of field and enough lens to get both the shooter and the BREAKING clay target at the same time.

I wish your son well. It is a great sport. You might enjoy it yourself.

Dennis

Hamltnblue Loc: Springfield PA

I had a shot kam when learning.
Mounts to the barrel and captures the shots and -lays back in slow motion

Tigger1 Loc: Surrey, BC Canada

TommiRulz wrote:

So my son has decided to do the most boring sport in the world to photograph! Skeet Shooting! Do you guys have any tips or ideas to make this more enjoyable for a sports photographer? Any fun angles or ideas for shots - any ideas ..... THANKS

Hi Tommi; have not recently done what I am about to suggest, however, with the right equipment, I used a video camera, shooting from the two towers can yield some interesting shots (video footage). This assumes you can get the club's management to agree to having a camera or cameras fixed to the walls of the towers just below the exit port of the clay disks. Although it is obvious you would not want to be standing beside the towers for safety reasons, you would require remote control of your camera/cameras so consider whether my suggestion has any merit for your own camera/club rules/access to mounting points for the camera/cameras and an observation point safely out of the field of fire that will enable you to capture photos/video of interest. Also, one last thought; carefully consider the background behind your field of fire/disk flight as that can greatly influence your final results. Need I say that good/excellent lighting is a must to capture the action!
Good luck, garth

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

dennis2146 wrote:

Get behind the shooter and then know where the clay target will be going. The clay targets will be going in different directions. Use enough depth of field and enough lens to get both the shooter and the BREAKING clay target at the same time.

I wish your son well. It is a great sport. You might enjoy it yourself.

Dennis

THANK-YOU!! That sounds like a fun challenge!! We are loving the sport !!

BassmanBruce Loc: Middle of the Mitten

In addition to the exploding target, a shot of the ejected shot shell in mid air with muzzle flash.

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

Tigger1 wrote:

Hi Tommi; have not recently done what I am about t... (show quote)

THANKS !!! I'll look into this

Tigger1 Loc: Surrey, BC Canada

dennis2146 wrote:

Get behind the shooter and then know where the clay target will be going. The clay targets will be going in different directions. Use enough depth of field and enough lens to get both the shooter and the BREAKING clay target at the same time.

I wish your son well. It is a great sport. You might enjoy it yourself.

Dennis

The OP specifically stated "Skeet" shooting, therefore the exact flight path is always the same from each of the two "towers". Yes, "Trap" shooting on the other hand throws a bird (clay disk) at an unknown flight path until the shooter views the "bird" in flight. Similar sports with different techniques!

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

TommiRulz wrote:

I can only take this photo so many times!!

Try getting the target breaking up from a hit. And if you can do it from behind the shooter, better.

TommiRulz Loc: Corpus Christi, TX

BassmanBruce wrote:

In addition to the exploding target, a shot of the ejected shot shell in mid air with muzzle flash.

Very Cool - I'll practice that - any tips on how to do it?

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Tigger1 wrote:

The OP specifically stated "Skeet" shooting, therefore the exact flight path is always the same from each of the two "towers". Yes, "Trap" shooting on the other hand throws a bird (clay disk) at an unknown flight path until the shooter views the "bird" in flight. Similar sports with different techniques!

Yes I know. But the two flight paths are different, are they not? Won't the camera be adjusted for each of the two shots? The shooter also moves from one position to another. Does that not create different angles? While I appreciate you correcting me, and I do know the difference between Trap and Skeet, is what I posted wrong or possibly I did not post enough information to suit you.

Dennis

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

TommiRulz wrote:

Very Cool - I'll practice that - any tips on how to do it?

That is dependent on what type of shotgun the shooter is using. If a pump or a semi auto then the shell being ejected depends upon the shooter pulling back on the forend for the pump or slide action and on the ejection cycle of the semi auto shotgun after the shot is fired. Many people use over under shotguns, two barrels with one superimposed on top of the other OR side by side guns, my choice, with both barrels side by side. With those guns the shooter would eject the shells after the clay target is broken. So it depends upon the gun used.

It appears from the photograph that your son is using an over under shotgun so he would eject the shell after the target is broken and he brings it down from his shoulder. Remind your son to keep his head down on the stock until after the clay target has been broken.

Dennis

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

TommiRulz wrote:

So my son has decided to do the most boring sport in the world to photograph! Skeet Shooting! Do you guys have any tips or ideas to make this more enjoyable for a sports photographer? Any fun angles or ideas for shots - any ideas ..... THANKS

Stand down range under the clays and photograph towards the shooters to get their faces as they shoot.
Much more exciting.

Tigger1 Loc: Surrey, BC Canada

dennis2146 wrote:

Yes I know. But the two flight paths are different, are they not? Won't the camera be adjusted for each of the two shots? The shooter also moves from one position to another. Does that not create different angles? While I appreciate you correcting me, and I do know the difference between Trap and Skeet, is what I posted wrong or possibly I did not post enough information to suit you.

Dennis

You are correct Dennis, two different starting points with two totally different but fixed flight paths. What I did not say, I apologize, was that I used two video cameras, each on fixed mounts, one at each "tower" pre-focused on the flight path for the particular flight path the camera was to track. Sorry for my oversight in not explaining my complete video technique. Regards, Garth