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Photographer referrals in Windsor Locks, CT from Feb 06, 2012
Meri D. asked:
Ok.. I am looking for some advice from fellow photographers.. I have been fighting all basketball season with pictures that are coming out kinda dark. I know the biggest problem is probably our gym's lighting. I end up having to brighten nearly every picture I take once I get them on the computer. I have tried a million and one different settings on the camera and have tried taking pictures both with and without the flash.. Nothing seems to help. Pictures with the flash end up have reflections from the waxed floor on the players legs and even sometimes their arms. Does anyone have any suggestions of how to combat this issue? I have been told that sometimes a filter on the lens would help but I honestly have no experience with any type of lens filters and wouldn't know what kind to get or where to get it....Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Jessica M. answered:
check out this facebook page Im sure they can give you some great suggestions and/or advice.... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Photos-From-The-Sidelines-LLC/101185609990131
Bradley P. answered:
When I take pictures at my daughters basketball games I set my shutter speed at 100-125 - aperture 5.0 - ISO 1600, and set the auto white balance for flourescent lighting, thats' what most gyms are.
Meri D. answered:
the lens actually says .25m/.8ft...I have tried using the AP mode with various shutter speeds and ISO and the it doesn't produce better pictures I still have the same problem with pictures coming out dark (in some cases darker than with other settings) as well as having several pictures in a series that come out partially blurry.....I do not fully understand the white balance setting so I haven't really messed with it much...I know that my biggest issue is the horrible out dated lighting in our gym and the fact that from a camera's view point there are several "dark spots" when trying to shoot pictures..especially in the corners and along the sidelines...after playing with the settings I have gotten better pictures...some of the pictures (depending on where I am standing and where exactly I am pointing the camera) come out fine while others come out dark...I have learned that in some cases if the picture needs to be cropped if I do that before I try adjusting the lighting I have better luck....I also have a 75-300mm 1.5m/4.9ft lens but with the way our gym is built I would have to be outside hanging in one of the windows to take pictures
Gary T. answered:
Can you post a couple of pictures for me to look at?
Meri D. answered:
you want the raw originals straight from the camera
Gary T. answered:
Yes that would be best
Bradley P. answered:
Hope this helps.
Meri D. answered:
Bradley Pinkston...I have no real "training" in photography...everything I know I have learned from reading or from trial and error.....I honestly have NO idea how to change the shutter speed or the aperture on my camera...I do know how to change the ISO and the auto white balance setting.....I was told once that changing the ISO changed the shutter speed
Gary T. answered:
try setting the picture mode to action or sports. This setting will give you the highest shutter speed it can use with the widest aperture and what ever ISO it requires to get the shot. There are no guarantees this will work, but it is the best the camera can do without learning how to use the other settings.
Meri D. answered:
Gary Truchelut I have tried the sports setting...honestly it bites....my camera actually takes better action pictures with the portrait setting but with the lighting in our gym this causes the flash to pop up which is an automatic thing and you can't turn the flash off in any of the preset modes on the camera.....if it helps I am using a cannon 20D camera
Gary T. answered:
What lens are you using and what is the lowest numbered f-stop of the lens?
Meri D. answered:
it is a cannon EFS 18-55 mm
Gary T. answered:
that lens is f-3.4-5.6 which is not real fast but should work. You will need to set the camera on AP mode and set the shutter speed on about 250/th or higher to stop action. Check the exposure meter in the gym to see if you can get a good reading. If not set the ISO even higher maybe 800 or so and check the exposure again. If your meter says it will be good then it should take a correct exposure. The only other thing you need to do is set the white balance manually or just let the camera do it for you. If you are not happy with the shots, post some for me to see and maybe we can figure it out.
Gary T. answered:
One more thing, you may need to pan the camera with the player as they run past. Try this for a different effect.
