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Archive 2016 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens

  
 
PureMichigan
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


Came across this article on The Strobist this past weekend -- have always avoided lighting at HS games for various reasons -- wonder if anyone has tried this approach (one gridded flash right on the lens) and to what effect.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2012/09/friday-night-lights.html



Jul 18, 2016 at 10:12 AM
finster1018
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


I think most shooters who use flash will tell you to keep the flash as far from the horizontal axis of the lens - main reason, to avoid the dreaded redeye. Many will mount a flash or even two near the bottom of their rigs on their monopod. The flash might be modestly angled to look up as not to blow out the foreground. I have never used a flash on my hotshoe while shooting football.


Jul 19, 2016 at 08:24 AM
Paulthelefty
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


Member ontherez went through a lot of this stuff about a year ago IIRC, try to find that thread.

Paul



Jul 19, 2016 at 01:57 PM
gnjphotography
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


This is definitely true, except we are using telephoto lenses, changing the playing field quite a bit. If I was going to listen to anyone about flash photography, Joe McNally and David Hobby would be it. They continually experiment and break traditional boundaries to get quality imagery.

-Greg



Jul 22, 2016 at 05:36 AM
timgangloff
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


For a while, strobing football was all the rage. Maybe it was partly driven by Maxpreps requirements, I'm not sure. And while I saw a lot of folks post strobed football here, it was the rare person who did it well-I was not one of them. There was ghosting, red eye, a lack of action, etc. The link PureMichigan posted has some of these same issues. The only peak action shot posted is not very good - looks like some ghosting and motion blur seen on the guy making the tackle. And when the author in the linked article wrote: "Because my ultimate goal this year is to be shooting night high school football with multiple, off-camera lights"....well he just kind of lost me. Strobing can be an annoyance at an indoor event, where they are less noticable, but start blasting a football field with multiple strobes and I think you have recipe for trouble, especially if several shooters are doing the same thing.

As for when I did do it, I never thought about gridding it, and most everyone I know was putting the flash as far as possible off the axis of the lens, clamping flashes way above or below on our monopods.

So, while I used to see folks strobing football and occasionally did it myself, I seldom see others on the sidelines around here doing that anymore. Most doing this professionally have bodies that can shoot ISO 8000 or so really well, and in my judgement, effectively negating the need for flashing football. I take that back, I do see one of those large school photo companies shooting football with a flash, but then again, they are using a old body, with the flash on the camera and a kit lens....and their images, well...I'm sure you get the idea.



Jul 22, 2016 at 07:52 AM
AndyD
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


I still strobe my night football games. Although the flash placement is about 1-1.5 feet below the lens on my monopod not as the article on strobist shows.
An SB-900 speedlight is on a PocketWizard Flex TT5 and a Mini TT1 on camera. The speedlight/Flex TT5 is attached to an umbrella bracket. The umbrella bracket is then attached to a Manfrotto super clamp which is attached to my monopod.

http://www.andrewkryan.net/Sports/Hillsborough-JR-Raiders-2013/10-12-13-Hillsborough-Varsity/i-tZXfvmX/1/L/8-L.jpg
http://www.andrewkryan.net/Sports/Hillsborough-JR-Raiders-2013/9-28-13-Hillsborough-Varsity/i-4b5SVd4/1/L/9-L.jpg

Andy

Edited on Jul 25, 2016 at 08:43 AM · View previous versions



Jul 22, 2016 at 04:18 PM
lerobroy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


I shoot with a Canon 1DX but I still strobe night-time football. I like the boost in the color that the flash provides. I have a single flash unit mounted about 2' below my 400 on my monopod. Mounting the flash low helps reduce the amount of red-eye in the image.







Jul 23, 2016 at 01:20 PM
PureMichigan
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


Great. Thanks. Can I ask how you mount it to your monopod? I've seen a lot of cobbled together options -- which may in fact be the best -- but nothing off the shelf, which would be great.


Jul 23, 2016 at 01:39 PM
brian_f2.8
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


I would ask if you are allowed to use flash. Most AD's and coaches will think its a distraction. Yes it makes better images but its a common problem at the HS level. With a pro camera at high iso and the field pov, your images will be better than parents 55-200 from the stands.

I have seen indoor sports strobed but the light is in the ceiling. Also you are not shooting rapid fire. You get 1 or 2 pics each time they are on your side of the court, so you have to have perfect timing and really anticipate the action.



Jul 28, 2016 at 06:45 AM
finster1018
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


brian_f2.8 wrote:
I would ask if you are allowed to use flash. Most AD's and coaches will think its a distraction. Yes it makes better images but its a common problem at the HS level. With a pro camera at high iso and the field pov, your images will be better than parents 55-200 from the stands.

I have seen indoor sports strobed but the light is in the ceiling. Also you are not shooting rapid fire. You get 1 or 2 pics each time they are on your side of the court, so you have to have perfect timing and really
...Show more

I've never had any player, coach, AD, or referee tell me the flash was a distraction during a football contest. This will be my 7th season shooting. In fact when I have asked them about it, their typical response is "...you were using flash?"




Jul 28, 2016 at 03:31 PM
Ralph Thompson
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


There are a ton of threads on this over the years with VERY good tips and methods. IMHO, in this day & age of PWCs bringing their ultra high ISO cameras to the sidelines, the pros need to stand out. Being able to professionally light every venue and every sport separates us from from the rest of the pack. Most folks don't understand the science of light (to include cycling lights). That's why I'll always flash football and strobe basketball (unless in a pro arena). As a MaxPreps photographer, I've become a master at getting really good stuff in some of the worst lit venues on the planet!


Jul 28, 2016 at 09:14 PM
brian_f2.8
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


finster1018 wrote:
I've never had any player, coach, AD, or referee tell me the flash was a distraction during a football contest. This will be my 7th season shooting. In fact when I have asked them about it, their typical response is "...you were using flash?"



Not gonna be rude, but don't shoot in Connecticut. I shot for a paper for two seasons. I saw 1 newbie asked to leave. He set a local example. That was 7yrs ago, maybe things have changed.



Jul 28, 2016 at 09:33 PM
lerobroy
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Strobing Night Foootball: Flash on Lens


Here is a picture of my flash mount. I like the KISS and cheap method! I fire the flash with TT1 & TT5 triggers.

I have shot football in Texas for the past 9 years and I have never been asked to stop using my flash.







Jul 28, 2016 at 09:54 PM





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