Horse jumping photos

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David
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I'm off to Patchetts Equestrian Centre this morning to see my horse jump and, hopefully, get some photos of him in action.

It's Indoor and very dark there. Previous experience tells me that I will have to be using ISO 3200 or, more likely, 6400 on my 50d with 70-200mm F2.8L to get a half decent shutter speed.

Should I be shooting Jpeg or Raw to get decent results?

I have Noiseware Community Version to clean up my shots....is this the best programme to use for cleaning up noise?
 
Although it obviously adds another step to your downloading and editing process I'd be shooting RAW if possible in order to give you more flexibility when you get back home.

Even if I'm covering all day events, if I'm in a dark arena at the dodgy end of the day (light wise) I always shoot in RAW.

I use Noiseware Professional version and find it very good, don't really know about any of the others as that's the only one I've ever used!

Hope you have a good day!
 
Shoot RAW - always - gives you more options.
 
Thanks for replies...RAW it is then.....its just a bit more time when I get home to process the images...however, unlikely to have more that 15-20 images so will not take that long.

What extra featured come with Noiseware Professional over Community?
 
Don't be afraid to lower the shutter to 1/250 or even 1/200. I've got good results at these speeds when there's not much light.
 
I used to ride at Patchetts but I've never togged there but from memory the light indoors is somewhere in between good and rubbish so I'm guessing for speeds of around 1/320th, you are looking at ISO of up to 3200. If you need to use a slower shutter speed then head on shots may be the easier rather than side on, altough then you will have to watch your DoF at f2.8 so try to be as far from the subject as you possibly can.

I'll also move this to Talk Sports for you as there are a few pro Equestrian togs who may be able to advise who won't have seen the thread here (Talk Basics)
 
Well, below are a couple of attempts from today at Patchetts. ISO 2500 F2.8 1/320
Both have been adjusted slightly and put through Noiseware. 1st is uncropped, 2nd is cropped.
This was the first time (literally) I have used this camera (50d) and only the second time I have taken photos indoors of showjumping. About 75% of the photos I took are probably usable with those head on better than those going across (motion blur?)

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75% is a pretty decent rate for a first time go! :)

If you have to go up to ISO 2500 anyway, why not push it to 3200 for 1/400, as the noise should be roughly the same and you might reduce the motion blur a fraction?
 
Dark horse = overexpose by 1/3rd ;)
 
Thanks ....will remember that about dark horses....have been struggling a bit with bays etc.

When I say 75%, I mean that the horse is roughly in the right position, it is near enough exposed and just about focused!....I'm probably being a bit unfair to myself there.
 
It's still a good start!

Oh, and go -1/3rd for light greys as well, especially in sunlight!

I actually tend to go -1/3 for a bay and -2/3 for a dark bay, but only if I remember in time! :)
 
I'll be giving the over exposure a go as her in doors horse is a dark brown money pit!;)
 
Went to Addington yesterday (my horses got 3rd, 3rd & a 2nd!). Lighting very much better there and seemed to get some half decent photos. Still struggling a bit with balance between ISO & shutter speed but have taken on board about overexposing slightly for dark horses. I have not done much to this photo and have not put it through noiseware.
F2.8 1/400 ISO3200

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Try taking a pic of a white/light grey horse at normal exposure and then a dark horse at +1/3rd over the same jump and you will see the difference.
 
admirable said:
Try taking a pic of a white/light grey horse at normal exposure and then a dark horse at +1/3rd over the same jump and you will see the difference.
Click to expand...

I have...this photo was somewhere between 1/3 & 1/2 overexposed.
 
Any improvement / comments?
Addington Manor: F2.8 1/500 ISO3200
Focus point is approx just behind the girth.
It is virtually straight out of camera although I have applied a small amount of sharpening. Have not used any noise reduction on this.

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mike weeks said:
You see that light sandy stuff on the ground, well its actually good for taking a light reading from (work out compensation needed) and then you dont have to keep dialing in different settings. Personally I try to keep to 1/640 and at a push 1/500.

Mike
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Mike...thanks for comment. Are you saying you think exposure is incorrect? I am actually doing as you say.....taking light reading from sand and then adding 1/3 - 2/3 of a stop.

I am already working at ISO3200 and F2.8 and am struggling to get a decent shutter speed any higher than 1/500. I could always go to ISO "H1" on my 50d but am worried about noise.
 
The Images look reasonably good to me although they could do with a bit more punch or vibrancy - watch the wonky horizon. I have certainly seen far worse by some people calling themselves equestrian photographers. If you decide to do more indoors work then you will benefit from a better body - I bought the D700 just for this and have happily used at ISO5000 & 6400.

Timing of the shots looks good, now can you do that from the middle of the ring and get 5 or 6 selling shots per round? If so you could probably find work with an event photographer.

Mike
 
arena dependent I have seen good results from an 85/1.8 but it involves waaaay more running (which speaking as the guy running the print station is quite funny)
 
Tricky WB as it looks like a mixture of natural and artifical. 500th should be fast enough (I've shot at less than that) and your images look ok for noise even at ISO3200!
 
Graham raises the question of white balance and I usually try to take a custom white balance between rounds however some arenas how some many areas of different lighting it is difficult. I only shoot in JPEG because there is not the time for lots of correction at an event and if we use anything it is a quick auto correction in Lightroom as I have found it is just about the best for auto white balance.

Mike
 
mike weeks said:
Timing of the shots looks good, now can you do that from the middle of the ring and get 5 or 6 selling shots per round? If so you could probably find work with an event photographer.
Click to expand...

I can normally get 3-4 shots of a horse per round similar to this from the sidelines depending on the layout of the course. These will be a mixture of side and frontal shots depending on what vantage point I can get.
 
mike weeks said:
Graham raises the question of white balance and I usually try to take a custom white balance between rounds however some arenas how some many areas of different lighting it is difficult. I only shoot in JPEG because there is not the time for lots of correction at an event and if we use anything it is a quick auto correction in Lightroom as I have found it is just about the best for auto white balance.

Mike
Click to expand...

isn't the problem that arc lights change colour temperature through the frequencey cycle hence almost any in camera wb will be wrong at some point (auto wb seems to lock for a sequence of shots-canon at least). I tend to use LR for it
 
David if it were as simple as that and we only had one type of lighting to contend with - I have been to some where there may be 3 types of lighting. I never use sequence shooting, I prefer to try to get the correct image with one shot so not an issue that I have ever had to consider but I believe that many cameras use the white balance from the start of a sequence. If what you are summising is correct about arc lamps then this would be exaggerated by sequence shooting.

Mike
 
well yes you have multiple colours from multiple light sources which is why you did the custom wb, but its the arcs that change over time throwing out the custom wb.

I run the print station and tweak wb whatever mode it was shot in when we get into the evening
 
david1701 said:
isn't the problem that arc lights change colour temperature through the frequencey cycle hence almost any in camera wb will be wrong at some point (auto wb seems to lock for a sequence of shots-canon at least). I tend to use LR for it
Click to expand...

I regulary shoot under these conditions and some venues are worse than others. Although I dont shoot sequences there are still some colour shifts. These can also be worse when some of the lights are nearing the end of their life and need replacing. Colour shifts I've experienced have been reddish or yellowish according to the venue.

The point about WB when shooting a mixture is even if using a custom balance then you may be ok at one spot but not at another which means you will never be 100% correct 100% of the time so corrections will need to be made out of camera. AWB may be ok at some venues but not others in which case a custom WB may be a better all round option there.

Point is its difficult to get it spot on in camera when shooting indoors with so much variable lighting.
 
Following was taken today at Patchetts ISO 6400 F2.8 1/664 Jpeg with max strength in camera noise reduction. AI Servo focus spot on the girth. This is straight from camera...

Took about 20 photos today and I guess about 75% ok. I only had one photo where banding visible and cant seem to get rid of it with Noiseware. Others seem ok.

Any comments?

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the original size on flickr is a touch soft but i dont think its something that cannot be corrected.

agreed with mike on the slight wonk to the right but im a bit anal when it comes to level backgrounds..
 
Not too worried about the background as that can be levelled easily in processing but take your points.

Also note about getting whole of jump in the shot.

Regarding "softness" I am using ISO 6400 so stretching things a bit....I am using a 50d with 24-70 F2.8L lens and get good sharpness under "normal" light conditions. Focus is spot on the girth (AI servo) so don't know what else I can do. The light is truly awful at this equestrian centre.
 
Attached taken at Addington today 14 Nov. Comments?

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