Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

Sports Corner Rules
Sports Corner Resource
  

FM Forums | Sports Corner | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2014 · Volleyball newbie

  
 
ny888
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Volleyball newbie


This is my daughter's 1st year playing club volleyball and I've become the defacto team photographer. Really struggled with my shots most of the year till I stumbled on the Volleyball Tips thread started by Jay (Rolette).

I want to thank Jay not only for the thread but for answering all of my PMs and questions. It really helped in our final tournament weekend and I got a lot more keepers. Maybe too many as I spent a lot of time in Lightroom.

I'm still learning proper AI-Servo technique. Getting too many OOF shots still. Also anticipation is not the best as too many shots are missing the ball in the frame. Only saving grace for me is that for 11 and 12 year olds, there are very few digs and plays above the net.

Just starting to get better and the season is over !










Team lost a lot in the beginning but getting some wins now.




May 27, 2014 at 12:12 PM
lhryshko
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Volleyball newbie


I'm a third year noob at shooting my daughter's club volleyball, but I'm finally starting to feel comfortable doing it. She's 15 now, so their skill set has increased quite a bit from when I started, which is approximately where you are.

In addition to the great collection of tips compiled by Jay, the best advice I could offer you is to focus on a single thing at a time. Just shoot digs, or blocks, or spikes, or sets at any given time. This really allows you to concentrate on one thing and truly master it. The normal tendency of trying to get everything during a game is very difficult and frustrating for a new shooter (or was at least for me). You will rarely be in a physical position to shoot more than one or two things well. Once you have these skills polished, volleyball becomes much easier and enjoyable to shoot.

Good luck and keep posting.



May 28, 2014 at 08:47 PM
ny888
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Volleyball newbie


Good advice. Thank you !


May 28, 2014 at 09:05 PM
rolette
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Volleyball newbie


Hey Michael,

Great to see you saw improvement already! Even though it was the end of the season, the good news is that since she's just starting out with club, you've got plenty of time in the next few years to enjoy shooting in those lovely facilities

To follow up on Larry's comment a bit, one really good way to figure out what you should work on next is to post a few photos here for C&C periodically. If you can accept the feedback you get and incorporate that into your shooting, you'll improve. Sometimes by big jumps, sometimes in subtle ways... kinda depends on where you are at in the first place.

Cheers,
Jay



May 29, 2014 at 07:22 AM
ny888
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Volleyball newbie


Thanks Jay !


May 29, 2014 at 07:28 AM
Landslide
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Volleyball newbie


Volleyball takes a lot of practice with tough lighting conditions in most of the venues. Remember to enjoy your daughter's games as much as the photography. Give some prime lenses a try. I have had some great luck with 85 1.4 .


Jun 03, 2014 at 09:31 AM
ny888
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Volleyball newbie


Landslide wrote:
Volleyball takes a lot of practice with tough lighting conditions in most of the venues. Remember to enjoy your daughter's games as much as the photography. Give some prime lenses a try. I have had some great luck with 85 1.4 .


Practice definitely helps. There's been times I've gotten so caught up in the point and the game that I realize I'm not shooting.



Jun 03, 2014 at 10:44 AM
BillM_
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Volleyball newbie


Just to add my 2 cents.... Its not just your practice that will help. As you daughter gets older and the skill level of the girls increase, it will become somewhat easier as you will get to know the girls tendencies and the ball will go where it is supposed too.

Here are some of my tips:
1) Use the custom back button for focus.

2) I don't know what settings you shoot with (AV, TV, manual), but when on your "home court", get comfortable with the lighting and shoot manual. I found a much higher keeper rate with a lot less OOF results when shooting manual. I don't know the technical specs but I will say my 7D AF performs much better when it is not "thinking" about other exposure decisions. When not on homecourt, I shoot AV.

3) It is also good advice to focus on one thing at a time. My approach to a game was: from sideline (by judge stand), shoot back row using AI Servo. I would also try to get setter shots from here as well. From backline, shoot front row net play. Use one-shot AF. I focus on a leg (below the net), keep focus locked, and shoot all of the front row. I sometime will use manual focus as well, but don't trust my old eyes. You will lose to many shots when AI Servo focuses on the net. From up in bleachers, you can get great shots of front or back row. when shooting from here, I uses AI Servo

4) enjoy it while it lasts! (and try to watch some of the matches w/o the camera). My daughter is now off playing in college and the opportunity to watch and/or shoot is more limited. The seemingly endless years of traveling to tournaments turns out not to be endless after all

BTW, I think the pics you posted look great. I also found that the girls where not as obsessed as I with the capturing the peak moment of action. They really like the jube shots and any candids as well. I would have taken more of these pictures if I was doing it all over again.



Jun 06, 2014 at 01:38 PM
ny888
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Volleyball newbie


Good advice. Thank you. The weekend is now free, wish I was shooting more volleyball !


Jun 06, 2014 at 02:52 PM
TrojanHorse
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Volleyball newbie


BillM_ wrote:
... the ball will go where it is supposed too....


Ain't that the truth.

Kid's volleyball is hard, I know I struggle with it.



Jun 12, 2014 at 04:33 PM
Stormyy
Offline

Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Volleyball newbie


Haha, the first photo - I wouldn't be surprised if the both missed the ball with their eyes closed!


Jun 17, 2014 at 11:32 AM





FM Forums | Sports Corner | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.