Doing my first football game tomorrow.

scottishguy

scottishguy

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Scottish Juniors game at Linlithgow rose tomorrow..
First time doing a football game.
Any tips from the knowledge of TP would be most welcome.
 
Get low by sitting down, watch your backgrounds and enjoy the experience. Don't be scared to increase the Iso to get a decent shutter speed for the action,a noisy photo is better than a blurry one.
 
I have only taken one football game. It depends on your access. If it is static then you have to make the most of your position if can move around then you do get a better chance. Just keep taking pictures use continuous shooting. Good luck
 
Are you doing the game for a publication/agency or just for practise?

As said in replies above above use a seat to get you lower, I tend to sit between the end of the penalty area and corner flag, if you do that then sit at the side where there are most fans of the team who are attacking towards you as it increases the chance of celebrations towards you. 100% agree that chasing the game is a bad thing.

AI Servo focus (or equivalent for non Canon cameras) - shutter speed really wants to be over 1000th second and minimum of about 1/500th. You won't need to worry about backgrounds too much at Rose, it's a proper little stadium.

If there's a big guy there with a Canon 400 that will be Andy West who's the Rose photographer. Say hello to any guys who are shooting the game, don't get upset if they blank you - that happens with new guys - don't ask them about gear, settings etc. they don't care - be polite and listen you can learn a lot from listening to guys who've photographed football for years.

Most important thing to me is editing - be brutal about your pics and only keep the very best ones, you want faces and guys challenging each other in your pics
 
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Thanks for the replies guys.
Not sure where I'll be in the ground, a friend has arranged it.
Should be an interesting day!
 
I don't see much wrong with most of these. If you can sit down, they will be better (some look like you were standing), but not at all a bad set. I don't get to go to Longmead as they are not in the same league now, but I remember it as a nice stadium, you can walk round pitchside comfortably. I tend to base position on which way 'my' team are playing, sun direction, shadows, linesmen etc. I don't tend to move much, but sometimes relocate from behind goal line to side line or even half way as I try to get as many of the team as possible as well as goals.
 
It's a lovely stadium, they've recently built a tower for the video filming.

Thanks for the recommendation in sitting down. Most of these were taken whilst standing or crouching. Does it make that much of a difference? I'm only 5' 8 anyway! :)

Next time, I'd like to try and get more of the emotion/action shots. Would you recommend the spray and pray method every time that there is action?
 
wezza13 said:
It's a lovely stadium, they've recently built a tower for the video filming.

Thanks for the recommendation in sitting down. Most of these were taken whilst standing or crouching. Does it make that much of a difference? I'm only 5' 8 anyway! :)

Next time, I'd like to try and get more of the emotion/action shots. Would you recommend the spray and pray method every time that there is action?
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Being low down (sitting) makes a massive difference to the look of the pics with a shortish lens (70-200) - not much with a 400 when photographing action 50 yards away.

As to spray and pray - it's a bit more subtle than that - but yes, when there's good action coming your way get them in focus and fire off a short burst
 
wezza13 said:
It's a lovely stadium, they've recently built a tower for the video filming.
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Why don`t you try a few shots from up the tower (if you have the lens reach, and access).
You will get a different angle, and nice clean backgrounds.
 
did you ever post photos mate I enjoy shooting a spot of amateur football myself
 
pope said:
Why don`t you try a few shots from up the tower (if you have the lens reach, and access).
You will get a different angle, and nice clean backgrounds.
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That's not a bad idea, I'll certainly ask. If I put the 150-600 on the D7000 there'll be more than enough reach.

But, then again, it's not as good in crappy light compared to my D600.

Then again, 600mm may very well be enough reach as opposed to the crop sensor's (pretend) 900mm :)

May pop up there tomorrow as Tonbridge are at home (y)
 
wezza13 said:
That's not a bad idea, I'll certainly ask. If I put the 150-600 on the D7000 there'll be more than enough reach.

But, then again, it's not as good in crappy light compared to my D600.

Then again, 600mm may very well be enough reach as opposed to the crop sensor's (pretend) 900mm :)

May pop up there tomorrow as Tonbridge are at home (y)
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Here's a bit I wrote about photographing football from up higher https://davidyoungphoto.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/a-different-angle/
 
KIPAX said:
Well I know for a fact this isn't allowed at any league ground in the UK (Even for accredited photogrpahers) so it would be breaking rules.. as far as I know its also not allowed at non league although nobody usually cares...
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In what way isn't it allowed? - especially in Scotland where dataco don't licence photographers
 
davidy233 said:
In what way isn't it allowed? - especially in Scotland where dataco don't licence photographers
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nothing to do with dataco... all ground rules are the same.. no photogrpahy..only acceptions are accredited from pitchside.. thus no photogrpahya llowed in stands....read the ground rules.. there the same in scotland as i tried photogrpahing from the seats at dundee once :)
 
KIPAX said:
nothing to do with dataco... all ground rules are the same.. no photogrpahy..only acceptions are accredited from pitchside.. thus no photogrpahya llowed in stands....read the ground rules.. there the same in scotland as i tried photogrpahing from the seats at dundee once :)
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I've just read Dundee's ground regulations - doesn't say I can't photograph from up high, there's actually no mention of where you can photograph from, and I know they would let me if I asked - it would be TV gantry though if there was a crowd in - and yes I can get access to the TV gantry.

To be fair you are correct in saying that if you are photographing with pro equipment from the stands at Dundee you would be likely to get asked to stop - who were we playing when it happened to you?
 
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wezza13 said:
It's a lovely stadium, they've recently built a tower for the video filming.

Thanks for the recommendation in sitting down. Most of these were taken whilst standing or crouching. Does it make that much of a difference? I'm only 5' 8 anyway! :)

Next time, I'd like to try and get more of the emotion/action shots. Would you recommend the spray and pray method every time that there is action?
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Sitting definitely gives you a better viewpoint. Crouching makes you uncomfortable and wobbly. I'm 5'6" and I sit. You don't sit because you are lazy! Don't spray and pray with the shutter. I find that of a sequence of 3-4 shots, its usually the first one that is a keeper. Remember, if you see it in the viewfinder, its too late to press the shutter!
Gotta be in the right place for emotion :)
 
davidy233 said:
I've just read Dundee's ground regulations - doesn't say I can't photograph from up high, there's actually no mention of where you can photograph from, and I know they would let me if I asked - it would be TV gantry though if there was a crowd in - and yes I can get access to the TV gantry.

To be fair you are correct in saying that if you are photographing with pro equipment from the stands at Dundee you would be likely to get asked to stop - who were we playing when it happened to you?
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PNE in pre season friendly

to be equaly fair.. what was you thinking of using from back of stands to capture action.. pocket kodak wont do it:)


ALLL ground rules state no photogrpahy or recording unless accredited.. accredition is normally for pitchside only..
 
KIPAX said:
PNE in pre season friendly

to be equaly fair.. what was you thinking of using from back of stands to capture action.. pocket kodak wont do it:)


ALLL ground rules state no photogrpahy or recording unless accredited.. accredition is normally for pitchside only..
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Preston - that's a while ago (2003-2004 ish?), Iain Anderson scored a cracker for North End - were you working or there as a fan because that's where accreditation matters.

Accredited doesn't specify where you can photograph from - and indeed it's common for general view pics to be taken by pros from back of stand with a crowd in the ground just before kick off - I've seen them taken (rarely) during games too when an agency/publication has several photographers covering a game,.

As I said I know that at Dundee I could get permission to photograph from the TV gantry (if I wanted to - which as I explained in the article I linked that I probably wouldn't want to shoot a whole game or anything like it from up high) so it's not regulations that would stop me (if regulations forbade it you can bet your boots I wouldn't be allowed) it's permission to be where I would be taking the photos from.
 
as a fan.. boring ex scottish manager was in charge for pne :(

your article is general and not specific to your ground.. i can go anywhere i want at my local ....

example.. I was at stoke city.. half time got a burger... sat in seats near my gear to eat burger... team came our for second half.. lifted my 70-200 to get a pic of them coming out.. steward comes charging over.. ground rules no photos from stands.. even though i had the bib and everything..

point is its not going to work everywhere.. some ground wont mind but going by the ground rules you cant..
 
KIPAX said:
as a fan.. boring ex scottish manager was in charge for pne :(

your article is general and not specific to your ground.. i can go anywhere i want at my local ....

example.. I was at stoke city.. half time got a burger... sat in seats near my gear to eat burger... team came our for second half.. lifted my 70-200 to get a pic of them coming out.. steward comes charging over.. ground rules no photos from stands.. even though i had the bib and everything..

point is its not going to work everywhere.. some ground wont mind but going by the ground rules you cant..
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It's not specifically ground rules though - being accredited means you are allowed to take photographs - the fact that they don't let you take them from the stands is interpretation and access not rules which are exactly as written.

As to boring old Scottish manager - that day is the only time I've ever seen a manager ask for a cup of tea, a biscuit and a chair before speaking to press after a game :)
 
KIPAX said:
point is its not going to work everywhere.. some ground wont mind but going by the ground rules you cant..
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Yep right, but that does`t stop you asking the right people. Cricket world cup, super 15, fifa under 20 world cup, you could shoot from just about anywhere, if you ask. But you will probable not allowed to move till half time. sky tv towers, stands ect
Man there must be some stewart nazis over there.
 
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KIPAX said:
Rule one... Never chase the game..
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Sorry Kipax, im probably guilty of this walking up and down the touchline trying to keep up (ish) with play? or at least being in the middle of this but if you say don't chase the game is it a patience thing to for example hope that sitting behind on football goal and only armed with a 200mm the attacking team can make my day bringing the game to within my focal length because I worry if I sit here the action will be at the far end!
 
Richard Brooks said:
Sorry Kipax, im probably guilty of this walking up and down the touchline trying to keep up (ish) with play? or at least being in the middle of this but if you say don't chase the game is it a patience thing to for example hope that sitting behind on football goal and only armed with a 200mm the attacking team can make my day bringing the game to within my focal length because I worry if I sit here the action will be at the far end!
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I have a 70-200mm and shot my football team for at least 5 seasons quite successfully. Unless the team you are shooting for are complete rubbish and never get out of their own half (and believe me, my team have had their moments!), you will get opportunities, you just have to take them as they happen. Don't necessarily sit behind the goal line, unless that is the only option. I often sit on the sideline level with the 18 yard box and sometimes half way line. I do sometimes shift position during the game, but that's usually because I need to snap as many team players as possible so sometimes start half way, then move goal-wards once I've got a few shots in the bag. I don't "chase the game" though. Impossible with football.
 
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