Shooting college soccer?

I'd love to talk about the ins and outs of shooting college soccer. I've shot 10 other sports at this school but soccer is new for me. I shot a women's soccer scrimmage for practice on the new turf field they built. It was a 7:00 game so the artificial lights were my sole lighting after 8:00. The action was harder to predict than lacrosse and I heard time finding good shooting positions. I'm fine on settings but I'd love tips on capturing the action and finding good shooting positions. I did realize that once the sun went down I had to move closer to the middle of the field so the players weren't between me and the light out they were too dark. I'd love other tips. I'm shooting with a 300 f4 and a 70-200 2.8. Thank you!!

Soccer is no cinch, certainly ...particularly when you are "under-gunned" such as I am .... I'm hoping to make some upgrades in the coming months, but for now am shooting with a Canon 500D and a Tammy 70-300 VC ..... I sorely need more burst rate and better low-light capability ...

As you say, it's a challenge. The game moves very quickly, and furthermore I find myself longing for some additional reach to better capture the action close to the goal after corner kicks and such .

The layout I'm up against really only provides me with one sideline from which to shoot, as I am not affiliated with the school or media and have no field access.....so I have to make the best of what I can get.

I have no tips or words of wisdom, but I will surely follow this thread to see what others have to share, as I am interested in learning / improving ....

Best of luck . Hope you'll post some images .....

Staceyliza said:

I'd love to talk about the ins and outs of shooting college soccer. I've shot 10 other sports at this school but soccer is new for me. I shot a women's soccer scrimmage for practice on the new turf field they built.

Click to expand...

You will find shooting women soccer much different from shooting men soccer. It's a slower game, and there are less pulling and bumping. Yawning....

Staceyliza said:

It was a 7:00 game so the artificial lights were my sole lighting after 8:00. The action was harder to predict than lacrosse and I heard time finding good shooting positions. I'm fine on settings but I'd love tips on capturing the action and finding good shooting positions.

Click to expand...

If you are shooting, say, between the 40's (sorry football terminology) you will forever swinging your camera back and forth. In low light your 300mm f4 will be too slow as you want at least 1/800 second most of the time, unless you are capturing a player standing still. Your 70-200 f2.8 is too short, but that would be your best option on a full frame 24mp camera. I would think if you use a cropped camera, there would be too much noise at ISO 3200 or 6400. Now, I am not saying you can't have some good results, but overall, you will have limited keepers.

Staceyliza said:

I did realize that once the sun went down I had to move closer to the middle of the field so the players weren't between me and the light out they were too dark. I'd love other tips. I'm shooting with a 300 f4 and a 70-200 2.8. Thank you!!

Click to expand...

Also consider shooting behind the endline, between the goal and the corner. From this position, you can see the players coming at you, but you will most likely miss the shot on goal.

I did use my 70-200 after the sun went down. I find that I can go to 3200 and use Topaz Denoise and I get a nice shot. Men's games are always more intense. I do know that! I stood in the end zone next to the goal last night until the sun went down then I moved down the line. The other time dominated so I guess that's why I got frustrated.

you can get some nice shots with a 70-200, depending on how close you can get to the field. Look at my threads from a few months ago. I've shot entire professional games for Atlético de Madrid with just a 70-200 standing behind the goal. I found it liberating to be able to walk around with a light lens instead of being stuck in one place with a heavy lens on a monopod.

If you're the only person shooting then it depends on how many shots you need. If you're selling them to the players, then a 70-200 probably won't yield too many pictures. If they're for publication then you only a few really good shots, and in that case you can get away with just the 70-200 and just wait for the action to come to you.

If you need to maximize the number of shots then ideally you'd have two bodies, one with the 70-200 and another with a longer lens.

As for where to stand, it's true that the traditional place is behind the goal line, but you can get good shots from anywhere. During the day my only concern is to have the sun at my back.

I'm shooting for one school. They ask for 50-100 shots per game. I don't have to get every player but they like to get shots of as many as they can over the course of the season. I'm allowed anywhere on the sidelines so no issue there.

I think you'd have a tough time getting 50-100 quality shots from just the 70-200, though that obviously depends on what your threshold for a quality shot is. If I take just one body I end up with an average of about 35 good shots per game, so to get 50-100 I'd have to take two bodies.

I imagine that with a lens like the Sigma 120-300 or the Nikon or Canon 200-400 I'd be able to get 100 shots per game with just one body, but those aren't trivial investments.

Staceyliza said:

I'm shooting for one school. They ask for 50-100 shots per game. I don't have to get every player but they like to get shots of as many as they can over the course of the season. I'm allowed anywhere on the sidelines so no issue there.

Click to expand...

What camera are you using? I shot HS for the first time this past spring. You'll get more people in your images from midfield. Try to predict where the ball will end up, especially heading. I'm shooting a 70-200 with 1.4 TC but think I will upgrade to a Sigma 120-300. Using a 7D so noise is an issue for me. As stated earlier, end line shots are also great, especially corners.

jhendrix said:

jhendrix said:

I'm shooting for one school. They ask for 50-100 shots per game. I don't have to get every player but they like to get shots of as many as they can over the course of the season. I'm allowed anywhere on the sidelines so no issue there.

Click to expand...

What camera are you using? I shot HS for the first time this past spring. You'll get more people in your images from midfield. Try to predict where the ball will end up, especially heading. I'm shooting a 70-200 with 1.4 TC but think I will upgrade to a Sigma 120-300. Using a 7D so noise is an issue for me. As stated earlier, end line shots are also great, especially corners.

Click to expand...

I shot a lot of high school games last year where the lighting is not great 6400 was a must. At most stadiums I would stand so I would shoot the players as they entered the brightest spots of the field depending on how many light poles there were, there is always brighter spots on the field. You need to work the field catching the defenders & goalie further up to get midds & forwards

mrjpack said:

jhendrix said:

mrjpack said:

I'm shooting for one school. They ask for 50-100 shots per game. I don't have to get every player but they like to get shots of as many as they can over the course of the season. I'm allowed anywhere on the sidelines so no issue there.

Click to expand...

What camera are you using? I shot HS for the first time this past spring. You'll get more people in your images from midfield. Try to predict where the ball will end up, especially heading. I'm shooting a 70-200 with 1.4 TC but think I will upgrade to a Sigma 120-300. Using a 7D so noise is an issue for me. As stated earlier, end line shots are also great, especially corners.

Click to expand...

I shot a lot of high school games last year where the lighting is not great 6400 was a must. At most stadiums I would stand so I would shoot the players as they entered the brightest spots of the field depending on how many light poles there were, there is always brighter spots on the field. You need to work the field catching the defenders & goalie further up to get midds & forwards

Click to expand...

Good point. Line up with the light poles, better yet, walk the sideline until your meter senses the highest shutter speed. Yes, ISO 6400 is a must, even then, you won't be satisfied with the noise.

wasserball said:

mrjpack said:

jhendrix said:

wasserball said:

I'm shooting for one school. They ask for 50-100 shots per game. I don't have to get every player but they like to get shots of as many as they can over the course of the season. I'm allowed anywhere on the sidelines so no issue there.

Click to expand...

What camera are you using? I shot HS for the first time this past spring. You'll get more people in your images from midfield. Try to predict where the ball will end up, especially heading. I'm shooting a 70-200 with 1.4 TC but think I will upgrade to a Sigma 120-300. Using a 7D so noise is an issue for me. As stated earlier, end line shots are also great, especially corners.

Click to expand...

I shot a lot of high school games last year where the lighting is not great 6400 was a must. At most stadiums I would stand so I would shoot the players as they entered the brightest spots of the field depending on how many light poles there were, there is always brighter spots on the field. You need to work the field catching the defenders & goalie further up to get midds & forwards

Click to expand...

Good point. Line up with the light poles, better yet, walk the sideline until your meter senses the highest shutter speed. Yes, ISO 6400 is a must, even then, you won't be satisfied with the noise.

Click to expand...

My D600 files took a lot of work, besides the fluctuating lighting playing havoc with the White balance, the noise had to be dealt with.

This

is a good example of what you could do, was shot with the 70-200 2.8 VR1 in one of the brighter spots on the field. With some work, might be ok up to 8x10 Shooting 100+ shots a game only the few worthy ones make it to Topaz Denoise, just too much of a work flow...Hoping to get the Sigma 120-300 S this year....

mrjpack said:

wasserball said:

mrjpack said:

jhendrix said:

mrjpack said:

I'm shooting for one school. They ask for 50-100 shots per game. I don't have to get every player but they like to get shots of as many as they can over the course of the season. I'm allowed anywhere on the sidelines so no issue there.

Click to expand...

What camera are you using? I shot HS for the first time this past spring. You'll get more people in your images from midfield. Try to predict where the ball will end up, especially heading. I'm shooting a 70-200 with 1.4 TC but think I will upgrade to a Sigma 120-300. Using a 7D so noise is an issue for me. As stated earlier, end line shots are also great, especially corners.

Click to expand...

I shot a lot of high school games last year where the lighting is not great 6400 was a must. At most stadiums I would stand so I would shoot the players as they entered the brightest spots of the field depending on how many light poles there were, there is always brighter spots on the field. You need to work the field catching the defenders & goalie further up to get midds & forwards

Click to expand...

Good point. Line up with the light poles, better yet, walk the sideline until your meter senses the highest shutter speed. Yes, ISO 6400 is a must, even then, you won't be satisfied with the noise.

Click to expand...

My D600 files took a lot of work, besides the fluctuating lighting playing havoc with the White balance, the noise had to be dealt with.

This

is a good example of what you could do, was shot with the 70-200 2.8 VR1 in one of the brighter spots on the field. With some work, might be ok up to 8x10 Shooting 100+ shots a game only the few worthy ones make it to Topaz Denoise, just too much of a work flow...Hoping to get the Sigma 120-300 S this year....

Click to expand...

the D3s definitely has less noise at ISO 6400 and doesn't require sharpening as much.

Staceyliza said:

I'd love to talk about the ins and outs of shooting college soccer. I've shot 10 other sports at this school but soccer is new for me. I shot a women's soccer scrimmage for practice on the new turf field they built. It was a 7:00 game so the artificial lights were my sole lighting after 8:00. The action was harder to predict than lacrosse and I heard time finding good shooting positions. I'm fine on settings but I'd love tips on capturing the action and finding good shooting positions. I did realize that once the sun went down I had to move closer to the middle of the field so the players weren't between me and the light out they were too dark. I'd love other tips. I'm shooting with a 300 f4 and a 70-200 2.8. Thank you!!

Click to expand...

i am shooting my sons JV and Varsity HS soccer this fall , here some from scrimmage game using d7100 and my old 18-200 mm. it works ok from sidlines until it gets to dark

rska2013 said:

i am shooting my sons JV and Varsity HS soccer this fall , here some from scrimmage game using d7100 and my old 18-200 mm. it works ok from sidlines until it gets to dark

Click to expand...

One thing U may want 2 try is a wider aperture. This will help isolate the players from the background. Compare both yours and mine at 200mm (one at 6.3 and the other at 3.2)

sssesq said:

sssesq said:

i am shooting my sons JV and Varsity HS soccer this fall , here some from scrimmage game using d7100 and my old 18-200 mm. it works ok from sidlines until it gets to dark

Click to expand...

One thing U may want 2 try is a wider aperture. This will help isolate the players from the background. C

Click to expand...

sssesq said:

ompare both yours and mine at 200mm (one at 6.3 and the other at 3.2)

Click to expand...

agree how ever the 18-200 is sharper stepped down a few and not opened up for dof. its 3.5 /5.6 lens

has very few sweet spots and wide is not one of them .........i wish i had a 2.8 70-200 or 80-200 2.8

wasserball said:

mrjpack said:

wasserball said:

mrjpack said:

jhendrix said:

wasserball said:

I'm shooting for one school. They ask for 50-100 shots per game. I don't have to get every player but they like to get shots of as many as they can over the course of the season. I'm allowed anywhere on the sidelines so no issue there.

Click to expand...

What camera are you using? I shot HS for the first time this past spring. You'll get more people in your images from midfield. Try to predict where the ball will end up, especially heading. I'm shooting a 70-200 with 1.4 TC but think I will upgrade to a Sigma 120-300. Using a 7D so noise is an issue for me. As stated earlier, end line shots are also great, especially corners.

Click to expand...

I shot a lot of high school games last year where the lighting is not great 6400 was a must. At most stadiums I would stand so I would shoot the players as they entered the brightest spots of the field depending on how many light poles there were, there is always brighter spots on the field. You need to work the field catching the defenders & goalie further up to get midds & forwards

Click to expand...

Good point. Line up with the light poles, better yet, walk the sideline until your meter senses the highest shutter speed. Yes, ISO 6400 is a must, even then, you won't be satisfied with the noise.

Click to expand...

My D600 files took a lot of work, besides the fluctuating lighting playing havoc with the White balance, the noise had to be dealt with.

This

is a good example of what you could do, was shot with the 70-200 2.8 VR1 in one of the brighter spots on the field. With some work, might be ok up to 8x10 Shooting 100+ shots a game only the few worthy ones make it to Topaz Denoise, just too much of a work flow...Hoping to get the Sigma 120-300 S this year....

Click to expand...

the D3s definitely has less noise at ISO 6400 and doesn't require sharpening as much.

Click to expand...

Nice,



No arguing that, your lighting may have been better though. Wish I could afford to have multiple bodies!!!



JIm

2nd shot was 1/800 sec at ISO 6400.