On The NIght Shift.
I have been on the night shift for the last few weeks, and this means two things to me - bad lighting conditions at high school sporting events and cold weather. I consider myself a pretty good sports photographer and even have won some awards for it, but they were never from a night-time sporting event. Night sports are a whole different beast than the luxury of a day game, especially a slightly overcast day game. Now there are the exceptions of sports played in a well lit professional or college venues, but I am talking about high school sports played in cavernous gyms or on dark fields.
Since this is fall, the main sports are football, soccer, field hockey and volleyball. The first three played on dimly lit fields and volleyball is the bane of my existence. At least with football, soccer and field hockey, I can use a flash to light my shots. Although I hate on camera flashed sports photography, it is better than the alternative of high ISO, slow shutter speed, grainy and motion-blurred volleyball photography. We are not allowed to use flash for volleyball because the girls are too sensitive to it, although the basketball players, who have to get the ball in the small hoop, seem to have no problem with it.
The other biggest obstacle of fall sports is weather, and I have been in some nasty stuff shooting night sports. Just last night, I was shooting football in the cold and rain. As I have gotten older I have also gotten a little wiser - just a little, mind you. I now have rain gear for my physical body, although I need new rain boots and warmer clothes. When I started out and for many years of my career, I would just wing it with whatever I had on. This would lead to many a cold and wet night editing my images back at the office after the game. Now I have the proper gear to keep me dry.
I wish the same could be said for my gear, or should I say the paper’s gear. We have one Light Ware rain cape for our longer glass. It is older and does not allow for the use of flash. I usually have to resort to taping and rubber-banding my gear in either trash bags or grocery bags. Trying to get a decent shot a night is tough enough, but when you spend more time and thought worrying about your gear getting wet, it’s nearly impossible. I am trying to talk the powers that be into buying some AquaTech rain shields for us to share. They are pricey, costing about two hundred fifty bucks each, but considering our 400mm 2.8 lens cost $8,000 and a new D3 is $5,000, they seem cheap.
So I do whatever I have to do to get a picture. That’s my job and don’t get me wrong, I love it. It is just less gratifying during the fall because the shots are usually less than spectacular and I like hearing the ooohs and aaahs of a great sports shot.
Since this is fall, the main sports are football, soccer, field hockey and volleyball. The first three played on dimly lit fields and volleyball is the bane of my existence. At least with football, soccer and field hockey, I can use a flash to light my shots. Although I hate on camera flashed sports photography, it is better than the alternative of high ISO, slow shutter speed, grainy and motion-blurred volleyball photography. We are not allowed to use flash for volleyball because the girls are too sensitive to it, although the basketball players, who have to get the ball in the small hoop, seem to have no problem with it.
The other biggest obstacle of fall sports is weather, and I have been in some nasty stuff shooting night sports. Just last night, I was shooting football in the cold and rain. As I have gotten older I have also gotten a little wiser - just a little, mind you. I now have rain gear for my physical body, although I need new rain boots and warmer clothes. When I started out and for many years of my career, I would just wing it with whatever I had on. This would lead to many a cold and wet night editing my images back at the office after the game. Now I have the proper gear to keep me dry.
I wish the same could be said for my gear, or should I say the paper’s gear. We have one Light Ware rain cape for our longer glass. It is older and does not allow for the use of flash. I usually have to resort to taping and rubber-banding my gear in either trash bags or grocery bags. Trying to get a decent shot a night is tough enough, but when you spend more time and thought worrying about your gear getting wet, it’s nearly impossible. I am trying to talk the powers that be into buying some AquaTech rain shields for us to share. They are pricey, costing about two hundred fifty bucks each, but considering our 400mm 2.8 lens cost $8,000 and a new D3 is $5,000, they seem cheap.
So I do whatever I have to do to get a picture. That’s my job and don’t get me wrong, I love it. It is just less gratifying during the fall because the shots are usually less than spectacular and I like hearing the ooohs and aaahs of a great sports shot.
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