Ice Hockey Photography - 2012/2013 Season

steelerdean

steelerdean

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Dean
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Following on from our very popular and successful thread for the 2011/2012 season, I thought i'd kick this one off for the upcoming season.

Just working my way through my images from last night so will get some up later. Lets see if we can get some top quality images again this season!!
 
I'm in! Here are a few from last Wednesday's pre-season 'friendly' (!) at Cardiff. The lighting was pretty bad, but not as bad as I remember from last season. Horrible colour cast in all the pics and I'd forgotten my Expodisc... It literally took me 15 minutes to try to remember how to setup the camera though - it had been sitting in my camera bag since the play offs in April!

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Fair to say that we have a somewhat more physical team than last season!
 
Nice set, do they actually play hockey or just fight?
 
Mark i'm always blown away with how white your whites are (if you get what I mean!). Are they coming straight of the camera like that or is there some type of post processing that you do which brightens them up so well? Whenever I try any brightening during post processing my pictures just end up looking washed out.
 
Here are a few from last night (against Dean's team - Sheffield). Back on home ice, so a bit more familiar with lighting etc.

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steelerdean said:
Mark i'm always blown away with how white your whites are (if you get what I mean!). Are they coming straight of the camera like that or is there some type of post processing that you do which brightens them up so well? Whenever I try any brightening during post processing my pictures just end up looking washed out.
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Hi Dean

Thanks for the comments. These shots are pretty much straight out of the camera - a little levels adjustment, cropping & a bit of sharpening and they're done. As I've said before, the pics generally have to be at the newspapers/various websites about an hour after the end of the game, so I never really have much time to faff around in Photoshop.

The only rules of thumb I ever have are:

1. fill the frame - not only does this give (in my humble opinion) a more interesting photo, it also takes away from all that white ice, which can cause metering problems and make your subject darker / noisy,

2. try to have a reason for each pic, i.e. showing a new player, a goal, hit, interesting expression etc, and

3. expose to the right - make sure the camera is setup to ensure the histogram is over to the right.

I think option 3 above is more responsible for my whites being whiter, anyway.

Cheers

Mark.
 
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Really helpful, thanks Mark. For the third point, do you tend to get to that by overexposing, or is it generally a combination of settings?
 
tredders are you using strobes?
Are you guys shooting through the glass or is there cut outs in the corners of the rink? I'd love to get out and shoot some hockey. Sorry this might be the wrong section but where can I find some info on when and where games are?
 
sl888 said:
tredders are you using strobes?
Are you guys shooting through the glass or is there cut outs in the corners of the rink? I'd love to get out and shoot some hockey. Sorry this might be the wrong section but where can I find some info on when and where games are?
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No strobes - they're not allowed in UK rinks, so just relying on fast glass & high ISO to get decent shutter speeds. I stand in the players area, so don't have to shoot through the glass. Better photos, more risk of getting sticked in the face during a game (as happened a couple of years ago!).

For info on hockey (inc. fixtures), take a look at the following links: -

http://www.eliteleague.co.uk/ - Officially, the top tier of hockey in the UK, with teams in England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland.

http://www.eplicehockey.net/ - English Premier League (EPL), second tier.

http://www.eiha.co.uk/Leagues/NationalLeague.aspx - National Ice Hockey League (NIHL), third tier.

You should find a team within a reasonable drive from most places. Any questions, just ask - there are plenty of us 'rink rats' on here who spend way too much time at hockey rinks, who'll be happy to provide advice.

Cheers

Mark.
 
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Thanks Mark! I just moved to London + no car so I don't have a lot of options. Seems like Streatham of the NIHL is the closest.
Do I just purchase a ticket then shoot or do I need permission from the team/rink/league?
 
tredders, I like how you got only one shot of actual Ice Hockey and the rest brawling in skates and shoulder pads!

I imagine Ice Hockey is a difficult sport to shoot?
 
Great shots - the first image made me laugh though, looks like the spectators have gone to sleep. lol. I need to pop to my local hockey team and grab some snaps, looks like lots of action goes on there ! :)

Great set :)
 
sl888 said:
Thanks Mark! I just moved to London + no car so I don't have a lot of options. Seems like Streatham of the NIHL is the closest.
Do I just purchase a ticket then shoot or do I need permission from the team/rink/league?
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If you shoot from your seat, then in most rinks I've been to, they're happy for you to take a camera in, but no flash.

It might be worth getting in contact with the team and seeing if they need any photos taking of a game. In my experience, most teams who don't have a regular photographer are glad of the exposure. Just offer to give them some web pics for permission to shoot around the rink.
 
j07cmt said:
tredders, I like how you got only one shot of actual Ice Hockey and the rest brawling in skates and shoulder pads!

I imagine Ice Hockey is a difficult sport to shoot?
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haha, our games against Cardiff have always been, erm, 'physical'...

Hockey's not too difficult to shoot, but you're really at the mercy of the rink lighting. My home rink (Coventry) isn't too bad, and a couple of rinks (Sheffield, Nottingham & Belfast) have lovely bright lighting, which makes life (and pictures) far easier. Other than that, it's a huge advantage if you know the game and the players - I've been watching hockey since I was a kid, so have been regularly watching games for the last 30 years. Hence, I spend half the game not following the puck, and watching individual players, since you get to know who is likely to throw a big hit (or a big punch!).
 
Carlh said:
Great shots - the first image made me laugh though, looks like the spectators have gone to sleep. lol. I need to pop to my local hockey team and grab some snaps, looks like lots of action goes on there ! :)

Great set :)
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Thanks. I think the first pic is a result of the big check into the plexiglass. The natural reaction is to flinch when two 17 stone blokes fly towards you into a thin bit of plexi - I guess I caught them all 'mid-flinch'!

If your local rink is Telford, you should speak to Matt (hewhoknows) on these forums. He's an ex-Telford player, and is the official photographer for the team. He'd be a useful guy to speak to if you fancied going to a game :cool:
 
Tredders - great shots - know what you mean about lighting setups. With no ice in Telford till October all our games are away from base, went up to Blackburn and thought the lighting looked good, could not for the life of me get a good WB setup, took a lastolite EzyBalance (Hadnt used before - 1st mistake) but couldnt get the camera to accept it as a WB profile (2nd mistake - hadnt bothered to check how to use a picture i.e. grey card as a WB setting). Light wasnt as good as I thought, one light over the commentry box was actually throwing pink light onto the ice.

Cant wait for Telford to get its TV Broadcast light, shooting holes in the plexi and flash rigs in the ceiling. lol ha ha ha :-(
 
tredders said:
Thanks. I think the first pic is a result of the big check into the plexiglass. The natural reaction is to flinch when two 17 stone blokes fly towards you into a thin bit of plexi - I guess I caught them all 'mid-flinch'!

If your local rink is Telford, you should speak to Matt (hewhoknows) on these forums. He's an ex-Telford player, and is the official photographer for the team. He'd be a useful guy to speak to if you fancied going to a game :cool:
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Not quite correct - not splitting hairs but; Matt started out photographing at the rink for his photography degree and used to help me out (registered EIHA off ice official - Photographer Telford TIgers) on game nights and we then started working together. Since the club re-formed as a trust run team I have been the team photographer. This year I am the official Team Photographer, Matt has set up a new company with a couple of other guys; Howling Monkey Media to promote the team to a wider audience, with video - James Shaw, Photography - Matt Giles and promotion - Gabe Grey.
I will be feeding game photos into this new enterprise.

If still interested in taking photos at the rink, best to contact Myself or Matt in the first instance.

:):)
 
Tampa Steve said:
Tredders - great shots - know what you mean about lighting setups. With no ice in Telford till October all our games are away from base, went up to Blackburn and thought the lighting looked good, could not for the life of me get a good WB setup, took a lastolite EzyBalance (Hadnt used before - 1st mistake) but couldnt get the camera to accept it as a WB profile (2nd mistake - hadnt bothered to check how to use a picture i.e. grey card as a WB setting). Light wasnt as good as I thought, one light over the commentry box was actually throwing pink light onto the ice.

Cant wait for Telford to get its TV Broadcast light, shooting holes in the plexi and flash rigs in the ceiling. lol ha ha ha :-(
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How do you usually do your WB setup?
I've read to take it off the ice; some say just before the resurface some say after.
 
I will add a couple,taken at the Devils v Steelers game last Sunday.
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Great too see a new 2012/2013 hockey thread going live, im sure we'll carry on all the good work from last season and im looking forward too seeing all your photos from what looks like to be another excellent season of hockey.

This year ill be armed with some new equipment, a new D3 body and also a new Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 lens to go with my 70-200 f2.8.

Took them all for a 'test drive' last weekend at our final pre-season game in Swindon. Bright lights but with a nasty yellow cast, managed to set a decent customer wb though and let the D3 run its legs.

All straight from camera:


MIG_8452 by Matt_Giles, on Flickr


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MIG_8366 by Matt_Giles, on Flickr

This one's had a tweak to exposure and sharpening as it was used as a promo image


Promo 1 by Matt_Giles, on Flickr


In as far as shooting at the Telford rink, TampaSteve is quite right. There is a new set up for this coming season which see's my company, Howling Monkey Media Ltd (www.howlingmonkeymedia.co.uk), take over all media activities for the club which includes match day photography amongst the many services we provide for the Tigers. Steve and myself are the official club photographers for this coming season so anyone wanting to request to photograph a game can either message Steve or myself here or email the office on tigersmedia@howlingmonkeymedia.co.uk

(y)
 
sl888 said:
How do you usually do your WB setup?
I've read to take it off the ice; some say just before the resurface some say after.
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I used to a take reading from the ice after a recut and to be honest that still works absolutely fine in pretty much all cases. I have also got an expodisc which was bought mainly for indoor sports photopgrahy in sports halls etc which I use to set WB. Not a massive difference from setting off the ice and if you do alot of indoor photography id suggest to buy one, if its just hockey you do a reading off the ice will be just as good.
 
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Agree with Matt on the Expodisc, thought my WB was spot on, till i Borrowed Matts disc and difference was there straight away. Just purchased 'another' version of Amazon from a German manufacturer, Tested it in the lounge and the difference is amazing no more cool blue shots but nice colours as the eye sees them. Cost me £18.00 !
 
Tampa Steve said:
Agree with Matt on the Expodisc, thought my WB was spot on, till i Borrowed Matts disc and difference was there straight away. Just purchased 'another' version of Amazon from a German manufacturer, Tested it in the lounge and the difference is amazing no more cool blue shots but nice colours as the eye sees them. Cost me £18.00 !
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You got a link Steve? Having problems getting the best colours this season so am going to invest in one.
 
hewhoknows said:
I used to a take reading from the ice after a recut and to be honest that still works absolutely fine in pretty much all cases. I have also got an expodisc which was bought mainly for indoor sports photopgrahy in sports halls etc which I use to set WB. Not a massive difference from setting off the ice and if you do alot of indoor photography id suggest to buy one, if its just hockey you do a reading off the ice will be just as good.
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Thanks I'll have a look into the expodisc. Too bad I'm not closer to you guys or else I'd definitely come to a game.
Well I sent a few emails out so hopefully I'll hear something soon from a team. Keep posting guys. A lot of great shots!
 
The Vivicaps are ok, tried one myself with pretty good results, but im pretty sure they only use the prisms to read your customer WB (cant quite remember as it was ages ago when i tried one??). The thing that makes the expodisc so good is that is combines 2 layers; plastic prisms facing the light and a smooth diffusing white sheet facng the lens. The combination of the two effectively remaps all the light falling on your sensor as one even monotone like no other WB reader.

Unfortunately there is a big price difference. Vivicaps offer good value for money at around £20 with an expodisc setting you back around £65 for the 77mm: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ExpoDisc-...5399211?pt=Camera_Filters&hash=item4d04f1382b

I suppose it depends on how much you would actually use a WB cap. I use one all the time for my property photography, pretty much every day now, and with my sports photography most weekends so it was a great investment and a piece of equipment id never be without. Even though I shoot raw i prefer to try and get it right in camera than alter the WB in post.

More important though Dean, how you finding the D3.......bloody fantastic aint it ;)
 
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