p.1 #2 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
I think your first two shots are the better of the bunch. All the pics are sharp and for the most part exposed properly. Some are a bit overexposed for my taste but it's ice, it's gonna be bright. I haven't shot tons of hockey but when I do I always shoot in RAW so that I can bring the highlights back in post.
It seems to me as if you changed your post work for the last two images. They are more saturated and contrasty compared to the previous images. I'm wondering why?
I'd like to see more of the puck in the shots but I know that can be a matter of the game/competition.
p.1 #4 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
No prob.
Personally, I like the last two as far as the way they are edited. But really, whichever image looks more accurate to the jersey color should be the correct choice.
When I shoot hockey I almost always overexpose then pull the highlights back in ACR with 'recovery' or what's now 'highlights' in CS6. fyi.
In the last two pics you can really see the blue in the crease. The rest are a tad bit over but not completely blown. When I edit I always make sure you can see something so that they aren't skating in "infinity" if you know what I mean.
Here's one of my shots that at first appeared as if the ice was blown out but later 'recovered' in post.
p.1 #5 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
I think they're all fine shots and also like the processing in the last two. My problem is that I cannot overexpose. I also shoot RAW, ISO is usually cranked up to 6400 and my photos are still dark. This one is 1/640 at f/2.8 through plexiglass and I still had to increase the exposure to around .20 in ACR. A lower shutter speed results in blurred action shots. Black pants and red jerseys seem to be the most problematical for me. C&C welcome.
p.1 #6 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
Myra, first of all I should have said I overexpose the ice. If I put my meter dead center (I shoot manual exclusively) the image will certainly be too dark. I Usually meter for the player's face or for a jersey if there are really dark jerseys.
Secondly, the venue will certainly make a difference in how over you can shoot. I shoot NHL which almost always has more than enough lighting at the venue. High School and some college venues don't have the lighting of an NHL venue which makes it much more difficult. I have never had to shoot at 6400 ISO for NHL games but I am using 2.8 glass (not sure if you are) and that certainly helps.
p.1 #8 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
I usually overexpose in manual mode 2/3 of a stop and still add .2 or .3 in post as my arenas dont have NHL quality lighting. All these were F2.8 1/640 iso 3200 TTG.
p.1 #9 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
Wordski, yes, I understood that the exposure is for the ice.Thanks, though, for the clarification. My lens is a 2.8, so unless I lower the shutter speed, thereby comprising any action shots, that's the best I can do. Or at least it seems to be. The rink is a small local one that was built about forty years ago with a bit of refurishment in the last ten. Absolutely, the histogram would be more left than right.
Pizdets, not sure about your camera, but I can't add any stops in manual mode. Yes, I also add about .2 in post.
The thing is, I think I might just stop trying to make things whiter than white. If you look at the ice, the playing areas, the corners etc, they are not bright white. Part of the appeal of Pixdets last two shots, to me, is that the ice looks "real". There's lot of definition and the colours and reflections can still be seen.
p.1 #10 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
Overexposing has worked for you here because you are shooting photos of your son behind a goalie mask. In your later photos that are darker the face gets too dark for my liking. The first shot where you see both eyes clearly is really nice.
When I am shooting profile photos (non-action) of goalies I tend to overexpose slightly and then burn in the ice and pads later, I find I get better results doing that than trying to lighten just the face behind a goalie mask later.
p.1 #11 · Not nearly enough hockey in this forum :)
Thats too much processing for me lol. I am too lazy, I just usually bump the exposure a bit, clarity a bit, and sharpen. Thats about all. I used a LR preset for the last two.
