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Best way to open up shadows on indoor soccer players looking down at the ball?
Dec 14, 2021 15:42:25   #
Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS
 
While shooting test photos of my local indoor soccer team during their practice sessions, I realized that one of my most difficult problems to solve when shooting in poor indoor lighting of high action indoor sports such as indoor soccer is capturing correct exposure while still maintaining high enough shutter speed to freeze the action. I soon learned that my Sony,70-200mm; F2.8, telephoto lens requires different settings than my Sony 135mm; F1.8; Prime lens to get a proper exposure in the shadow areas, which makes things even more difficult to solve when I carry two cameras.

The enclosed image was shot with my Sony A7R4 camera; Sony 70-200mm lens with setting of 1/1600 second shutter speed; F4.0 aperture; ISO 40,000 at 148mm distance. I didn't have to adjust the exposure at all; but reduced "noise" and slightly "dodged" faces during post editing. Do any other sports photographers on UHH have suggestions on how they "open up" indoor soccer players faces when they are caught looking down at the ball? Thank you in advance. Shooter41


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Dec 15, 2021 11:06:08   #
mostsports Loc: Mid Atlantic
 
Frenquently, I have athe same problem of opening-up the faces in sports shots. The Nikon post processing tools include a Color Control Point tool. I place the tool's center on the face and reduce the size of the tool's effect to a small circle on the face. The tool has sliders that vary brigntness, contrast, color and other functions. I understand that as a part of the older Capture NX2, it is available at no cost on the Internet. Other UHHs may be mable to point you to the tool.
It has proven to be very effective if you do the following:
Place the point carefully on the image surface. Different facial features will affect the brigntness and color charistics. Adjust the tool's diameter so as yo not spill into other areas. Play with the sliders. If you are making high use of the sliders, watch out that you may get too much differential, an over processed result which will affect the total composition. Too much post processing may produce very sharp results, but less than realistic and pleasing results overall.
Once you are satisfied, the tool may be duplicated and positiond on another face. Adjustments can be refined for that face. I have used the tool on as many as 6 faces on the same image.

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Dec 15, 2021 11:11:14   #
DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area
 
Shooter41 wrote:
While shooting test photos of my local indoor soccer team during their practice sessions, I realized that one of my most difficult problems to solve when shooting in poor indoor lighting of high action indoor sports such as indoor soccer is capturing correct exposure while still maintaining high enough shutter speed to freeze the action. I soon learned that my Sony,70-200mm; F2.8, telephoto lens requires different settings than my Sony 135mm; F1.8; Prime lens to get a proper exposure in the shadow areas, which makes things even more difficult to solve when I carry two cameras.

The enclosed image was shot with my Sony A7R4 camera; Sony 70-200mm lens with setting of 1/1600 second shutter speed; F4.0 aperture; ISO 40,000 at 148mm distance. I didn't have to adjust the exposure at all; but reduced "noise" and slightly "dodged" faces during post editing. Do any other sports photographers on UHH have suggestions on how they "open up" indoor soccer players faces when they are caught looking down at the ball? Thank you in advance. Shooter41
While shooting test photos of my local indoor socc... (show quote)


If you have Lightroom Classic, try using the radial gradient on the faces.

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Dec 15, 2021 11:32:43   #
mikeroetex Loc: Lafayette, LA
 
Shooter41 wrote:
While shooting test photos of my local indoor soccer team during their practice sessions, I realized that one of my most difficult problems to solve when shooting in poor indoor lighting of high action indoor sports such as indoor soccer is capturing correct exposure while still maintaining high enough shutter speed to freeze the action. I soon learned that my Sony,70-200mm; F2.8, telephoto lens requires different settings than my Sony 135mm; F1.8; Prime lens to get a proper exposure in the shadow areas, which makes things even more difficult to solve when I carry two cameras.

The enclosed image was shot with my Sony A7R4 camera; Sony 70-200mm lens with setting of 1/1600 second shutter speed; F4.0 aperture; ISO 40,000 at 148mm distance. I didn't have to adjust the exposure at all; but reduced "noise" and slightly "dodged" faces during post editing. Do any other sports photographers on UHH have suggestions on how they "open up" indoor soccer players faces when they are caught looking down at the ball? Thank you in advance. Shooter41
While shooting test photos of my local indoor socc... (show quote)

I can offer 3 suggestions: 1) Quit shooting such high ISO, use SS and aperture variables for proper exposure 2) get closer, much closer, 3) get lower, try not to shoot from above them. Can you get aiong the glass?

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Dec 15, 2021 17:04:43   #
Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS
 
mikeroetex wrote:
I can offer 3 suggestions: 1) Quit shooting such high ISO, use SS and aperture variables for proper exposure 2) get closer, much closer, 3) get lower, try not to shoot from above them. Can you get aiong the glass?


Dear mikeroetex...During live actual games, I will shoot from just above the four-foot wall with no glass in front of me; at chest high level and very close to the players. (I was shooting from the balcony and far away during practice to determine the proper exposure settings on my new camera and lens without the distraction of a snow-white plastic wall background behind the players, but rather a green indoor-outdoor carpet to determine exposure for the players faces in time for the season opener. Thank you for your excellent suggestions. I am trying ISO and SS and aperture suggestions from Sony Ambassador, Mark Galer for my A7R4 camera and will compare them to yours.

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Dec 15, 2021 17:05:39   #
Shooter41 Loc: Wichita, KS
 
Shooter41 wrote:
Dear mikeroetex...During live actual games, I will shoot from just above the four-foot wall with no glass in front of me; at chest high level and very close to the players. (I was shooting from the balcony and far away during practice to determine the proper exposure settings on my new camera and lens without the distraction of a snow-white plastic wall background behind the players, but rather a green indoor-outdoor carpet to determine exposure for the players faces in time for the season opener. Thank you for your excellent suggestions. I am trying ISO and SS and aperture suggestions from Sony Ambassador, Mark Galer for my A7R4 camera and will compare them to yours.
Dear mikeroetex...During live actual games, I will... (show quote)

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