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Help With Shooting Through Chain Link Fence

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DonL

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I have ordered a new lens which should be here tomorrow.

It's the Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 IS USM II and will test it out at my grandson's baseball tournament this coming weekend..

Sometimes I can get inside the fence to take pictures but most times I will not be able to do so....

Would really appreciate some suggestions as to the best way to take pictures through chain link fence....I know there must be a technique to do this but I have not found it yet..I tend to either get part of the fence in the frame or I get a haze all around the picture..

I've gotten so much great help from those on this site it was my first thought for suggestions...

Thank you ahead of time for any and all help you can provide..I appreciate your taking the time to help me out...
 
I'm looking forward to some of the replies that you get to that question also, I have shot my kids baseball games and some of the shots look like there is no fence at all and some the fence is very noticeable even when the fence is not in focus. I'm sure there is some technique that will help.
--
Have a great day
Brian Jennings
Nikon D90, 18-105vr, 70-300vr, sb600, Velocity 7x
Bogen Manfroto 055XPROB, 488RC2 ball head.
Life's fast good thing there's burst mode.
My Pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/gonzopics07
 
Focusing on your subjects in the field while selecting the largest aperture or within a couple of stops will minimize the DoF and blur the fence which should practically make it disappear. This also depends on your distance from the fence.... the closer the better.
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Regards,
Hank

 
DonL said:
I have ordered a new lens which should be here tomorrow.

It's the Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 IS USM II and will test it out at my grandson's baseball tournament this coming weekend..

Sometimes I can get inside the fence to take pictures but most times I will not be able to do so....

Would really appreciate some suggestions as to the best way to take pictures through chain link fence....I know there must be a technique to do this but I have not found it yet..I tend to either get part of the fence in the frame or I get a haze all around the picture..

I've gotten so much great help from those on this site it was my first thought for suggestions...
Click to expand...
Hi

Just set the fastest aperture and get up close to the fence and at the longer focal lengths especially and it should fade out nicely ....shoot straight on.

Experiment with your new lens....it will quckly become apparent what works and what does not for you.

Good luck

neil
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26884588@N00/
 
In theory get as close to the fence as possible, use the longer end of the zoom (the shorter the focal length the more likely you are to have a problem) and wide open aperture (2.8 in your case).

The catch is that at 2.8 and max tele (200mm) your depth of field will be narrow enough to cause problems if you are looking for any kind of significant front to back focus in the shot. On the other hand if you are primarily focusing on one one person this should be manageable.

if you turn up a little early, pick your spot and take a few test shots at 2.8, 3.5, 4.0 etc (closing the aperture down shot by shot) you can quickly check the results on your screen and see the point at which the fence becomes visible in shot and take it from there.
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Sean
 
I am no expert here and not with chain link fences either, but rather shooting thru a window screen. Here is what has worked for me to some degree.

I use manual focus with the distance set to suit. The window screen goes away, but in shooting thru a screen the exposure certainly changes a bit and the pictures have a Grey color cast. But it's better than being on focus at the screen. Probably should be similar with your chain link fence, and or a dirty window at the zoo??

Solution #2 would be to use a very small diam. lens?
Solution #3. Bring a ladder?
The list goes on?

Have fun at the game.

Paul
 
These three were taken at a Little League game earlier this year. We were seated pretty much right behind home plate, probably 10' + - from the fence. All three taken with Nikon D80 and 70-300VR lens. The interesting thing is that the only real significant difference in the three shots is the focal length.

This is what you get at 1/500, f/6.3, 102mm



From the same location, this shot is 1/800, f/6.3, 270mm and the fence essentially disappears



Another at 1/800, f/6.3, and 270mm



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D80, 18-135, 70-300VR, SB-600, 80-200 AF-S f/2.8
WSSA #83 http://www.DLJonesPhotography.com
Everything that goes around comes around.
 
As others have already said:
1- Get as close to the fence as possible;
2- Use as large an apperture as you can;
3- Stay as close as possible to maximum focal lengh.

With your lens if you shoot from less than 10ft of the fence, at f3.5 and at 150mm or more, the fence should not appear at all.
 
I plan on getting the lens right up against the fence most of the time....Thanks...
 
Thank you Neil...it sounds like I should shoot at 2.8 at 200mm focal length and the only hitch is that I need as fast of shutter speed as I can get to stop the ball in flight so that the stitches are clearly visible....I will try your recommendations...thanks again.
 
I'll be using a Canon 30D with the 70-200mm F/2.8 lens IS II lens so I wonder about trying a manual set up with 1/2000 shutter speed, 2.8 aperture opening and then adjust the ISO...? I plan on having the lens hood right up and touching the fence.

Thanks for your help....
 
Here's more information I should have posted earlier...

I'll be using a Canon 30D with the 70-200mm F/2.8 lens IS II lens so I wonder about trying a manual set up with 1/2000 shutter speed, 2.8 aperture opening and then adjust the ISO...? I plan on having the lens hood right up and touching the fence.

Thanks for your help...
 
Don, I would probably avoid having your lens or hood contact the fence. No reason to tempt a foul ball or anything. If anything, I think getting too close will make the fence links a larger part of the image and appear as a blur rather than disappearing.

As for the settings, your environment is going to dictate that to some degree. The shots I posted were a late afternoon game with shadows moving onto the field, such that the outfield was in direct sun but the plate and part of the infield was shaded. I would probably start with aperture priority and select something in the f/4 - f/5.6 range, then set your iso so that you get an adequate shutter speed. If your light is diminished you may need to go to f/2.8, but in any case you want to force a fairly wide setting to create the shallow DOF.
DonL said:
Here's more information I should have posted earlier...

I'll be using a Canon 30D with the 70-200mm F/2.8 lens IS II lens so I wonder about trying a manual set up with 1/2000 shutter speed, 2.8 aperture opening and then adjust the ISO...? I plan on having the lens hood right up and touching the fence.

Thanks for your help...
Click to expand...
--
D80, 18-135, 70-300VR, SB-600, 80-200 AF-S f/2.8
WSSA #83 http://www.DLJonesPhotography.com
Everything that goes around comes around.
 
Here's three idea's you won't thank me for . Hire a Mobile Cherry Picker Hoist , or apply to do the Groundmans job for no wages, build a box periscope the same hieght as the fence , you won't loose much when fully zoomed but wonder if you will get enough light ? Was only trying to be helpfull .
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Roygbiv
 
Dennis,

I will give your ideas a try.... I know your pictures look great.... I will do some experimenting this weekend at the baseball tournament and see what I can come up with. Thanks again Dennis for your help....DonL
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How'd I do that?
 
Paul, won't be able to use a ladder but if I ever get to a location that will allow it I will give it a shot....thanks....
 
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