Photographing indoor basketball

[blestmom]

I'm a pretty new photographer, just learning about aperture-shutter speed-ISO. I don't have a DSLR, but a bridge camera (I think it's called)...a Fuji Finepix s6000fd. Once I get the hang of it, I want to get a DSLR. But I want to learn the basics of photography before I invest in a new camera.

In the meantime, I'm trying to photograph my son's basketball games. I tried the sports setting...I know, big mistake. They didn't turn out at all. So then I tried the Program Mode. Some of the shots were good, others were real grainy, and others are just terribly blurry.

Any suggestions on maybe what some good settings might be to try? Am I correct in assuming I need a fast shutter speed?

Thanks for your help. I look forward to the day when all this comes naturally, and I know what settings to try.

 

[mommyof3rookies]

I had to learn this same lesson this past weekend, LOL. I have a Canon XTI but I might be able to help. I put my camera on program, I believe I put the ISO on 800. Can you change your ISO on your camera? Also I believe I set my lighting to tungsten or flouresent, can you change that on your camera? If you can change those things, I would go to the next game early and mess with those to setting and see what looks better, that's what I did, it took me anout 10 minutes to figure out what worked with my particular lens. Also DO NOT zoom too much, that really brings the blurriness out, it did in my fuji camera that I used to have. If all else fails and you just can't get the lighting right in the pics, try a photo editing program and you can take that yellowness out of the pics. When I had my fuji, my basketball pics were yellowish, but I didn't know much about that camera so I don't believe I tried to change any of the settings. I hope this helps a little.

 

[blestmom]

I had to learn this same lesson this past weekend, LOL. I have a Canon XTI but I might be able to help. I put my camera on program, I believe I put the ISO on 800. Can you change your ISO on your camera? Also I believe I set my lighting to tungsten or flouresent, can you change that on your camera? If you can change those things, I would go to the next game early and mess with those to setting and see what looks better, that's what I did, it took me anout 10 minutes to figure out what worked with my particular lens. Also DO NOT zoom too much, that really brings the blurriness out, it did in my fuji camera that I used to have. If all else fails and you just can't get the lighting right in the pics, try a photo editing program and you can take that yellowness out of the pics. When I had my fuji, my basketball pics were yellowish, but I didn't know much about that camera so I don't believe I tried to change any of the settings. I hope this helps a little.

Yes, I can change the ISO on my camera. I didn't do that...I'll try that next time. I can also change the lighting. I didn't notice too much of a yellowing. I'll also try to watch the zoom. I'll try to upload a couple of pictures to show what I was able...and not able...to do.

Thanks for your help.

 

[blestmom]

Here are some examples of the pictures I took...I'll post the good, and the not-so-good, so hopefully I can learn what to do next time (or not do.)

Here's one of the better ones...

And this one is alright...he isn't moving

This one I thought was okay too...

This one is bad...

And this one's really bad...

I know I'm not going to get fantastic pictures with the camera I have, but I want to learn how to get the best I can.

 

[ukcatfan]

Indoor basketball is tough on a DSLR unless you have an expensive lens, so do not be too upset that you are not having great results with a p&s. To stop action, you are probably gong to need a minimum of a 1/250 sec shutter speed, but maybe even faster. They only way to do that is to bump the ISO, so noise is just something you will have to deal with. Try something like Noiseware or Noise Ninja to help improve the shots in PP. After removing the noise, I like to use something like the unsharp mask to sharpen the image up a little. Most editing programs will have something like it.

 

[blestmom]

Those are really helpful suggestions, ukcatfan...thank you very much. I will give those a try at the next game. I hope you don't mind one more question...what mode should I use for a setting? Shutter priority? Aperature priority? (I told you I was a new photographer...!) Good idea about the Noiseware, too. I hadn't thought of that.

I know I'll have to get better equipment to get great shots. These will have to be good enough for now.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[seashoreCM]

Use shutter priority. You can intentionally set the shutter to be slower in order to increase the exposure (make it less dark) and see how much motion blur you can tolerate. The aperture will max out, still not enough to give a good picture at low ISO. You will probably have to turn the ISO as high as it will go, again a manual choice.

On some cameras, after the aperture maxes out, the camera will violate your shutter priority. On others, after the aperture maxes out, you will just get a very dark picture. The camera will not change your ISO setting unless you have or use "auto ISO".

With most cameras, more zoom means the aperture maxes out sooner; smaller aperture of course means a darker picture all other things being equal. With all cameras more zoom makes the effects of camera shake more prominent hence the suggestion that you use a higher shutter speed for more zoomed in shots.

For learning about photography it is useful to know what shutter speed (and aperture for well lit shots) was actually used. Most digital cameras record that information in your picture and you can find it after you upload to your computer.

Shoot at maximum resolution and quality unless you have a specific reason not to, for example pictures to go on the Internet only should rarely be more than 1024x768 pixels. EBay pictures usually end up 400x300 in size even if uploaded when larger. Also check the resolution every now and then just in case a wrong button push lowered the resolution instead of something else you wanted to lower.

>>> this one looks real bad
Doesn't look that bad to me.

 

[mainstreet1997]

Yes definately change your shutterspeed to something faster like 1/60. Wasilla? Isnt that the high school that became so famous after Sarah Palin showed up in the spotlight?

Good luck!

 

[handicap18]

Yes definately change your shutterspeed to something faster like 1/60. Wasilla? Isnt that the high school that became so famous after Sarah Palin showed up in the spotlight?

Good luck!

1/60th is NOT going to be fast enough to stop action in sports.

I would get as close to the court as you can, zoom out as wide as you can (this will give you the largest aperture, aka f/stop), set your ISO to as high as it can go, shoot in Shutter Priority or Manual (if in manual use the smallest f/stop number {f/stops are fractions so f/4 is bigger than f/8, just like 1/4th is bigger than 1/8th}) and use no less than 1/250th shutter speed.

You may get some dark images, but you can brighten them up on the computer afterward. I'd rather have a dark picture that has the motion stopped that I can brighten up on the computer than a bright picture with a blurred subject. You can fix a blurred subject.

 

[blestmom]

Use shutter priority. You can intentionally set the shutter to be slower in order to increase the exposure (make it less dark) and see how much motion blur you can tolerate. The aperture will max out, still not enough to give a good picture at low ISO. You will probably have to turn the ISO as high as it will go, again a manual choice.

On some cameras, after the aperture maxes out, the camera will violate your shutter priority. On others, after the aperture maxes out, you will just get a very dark picture. The camera will not change your ISO setting unless you have or use "auto ISO".

With most cameras, more zoom means the aperture maxes out sooner; smaller aperture of course means a darker picture all other things being equal. With all cameras more zoom makes the effects of camera shake more prominent hence the suggestion that you use a higher shutter speed for more zoomed in shots.

For learning about photography it is useful to know what shutter speed (and aperture for well lit shots) was actually used. Most digital cameras record that information in your picture and you can find it after you upload to your computer.

Shoot at maximum resolution and quality unless you have a specific reason not to, for example pictures to go on the Internet only should rarely be more than 1024x768 pixels. EBay pictures usually end up 400x300 in size even if uploaded when larger. Also check the resolution every now and then just in case a wrong button push lowered the resolution instead of something else you wanted to lower.

>>> this one looks real bad
Doesn't look that bad to me.

Thank you, those are all really good points. I'm taking notes!

Wasilla? Isnt that the high school that became so famous after Sarah Palin showed up in the spotlight?

Yes, it is.

I would get as close to the court as you can, zoom out as wide as you can (this will give you the largest aperture, aka f/stop), set your ISO to as high as it can go, shoot in Shutter Priority or Manual (if in manual use the smallest f/stop number {f/stops are fractions so f/4 is bigger than f/8, just like 1/4th is bigger than 1/8th}) and use no less than 1/250th shutter speed.

You may get some dark images, but you can brighten them up on the computer afterward. I'd rather have a dark picture that has the motion stopped that I can brighten up on the computer than a bright picture with a blurred subject. You can fix a blurred subject.

Thanks. Those details are really helpful. I'm excited for the next game now, to try some new things.

Thanks again, everyone. I really do appreciate your help.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Don't forget to pick up a copy of Understanding Exposure.

Actually, the pics you posted don't look half bad. Good job.

 

[blestmom]

Don't forget to pick up a copy of Understanding Exposure.

Actually, the pics you posted don't look half bad. Good job.

I did just get that book. I'm reading all I can now, and I'm going to bring it on the plane with me (since I'm flying for 9 hours!) I need to learn how aperature-shutterspeed-ISO work together, and how changing one affects the others. Lots of trial and error, I'm sure.

I have the hardest time with aperture...what is it...the larger the number, the smaller the opening? And the smaller the opening, the more is in focus...more depth of field. Is that correct?

I have a hard time remembering that...anyone have any tricks to help remember?

 

[handicap18]

I did just get that book. I'm reading all I can now, and I'm going to bring it on the plane with me (since I'm flying for 9 hours!) I need to learn how aperature-shutterspeed-ISO work together, and how changing one affects the others. Lots of trial and error, I'm sure.

I have the hardest time with aperture...what is it...the larger the number, the smaller the opening? And the smaller the opening, the more is in focus...more depth of field. Is that correct?

I have a hard time remembering that...anyone have any tricks to help remember?

Correct.

F/stops are factions. What is bigger... 1/8th or 1/16th? Same for f/8 or f/16. At one time I had TERRIBLE eye sight. I was near sighted (had lasik surger 6 years ago). When I was younger my eye doctor told me that if I ever lost my glasses I needed to get a piece of paper or a leaf or something like that and make a tiny hole in it. I could then look through that tiny hole and everything would be in focus. I tried it a few times and it works. A little tiny hole gives more depth of field. Look at all the people who squint when they want to see something more in focus.

 

[NLD]

I have the hardest time with aperture...what is it...the larger the number, the smaller the opening? And the smaller the opening, the more is in focus...more depth of field. Is that correct?

I have a hard time remembering that...anyone have any tricks to help remember?

Yes, you've got it.

I had a hard time remembering it too, when I first learned that. Then I put my camera in manual mode (forcing myself to not rely on the camera to give me the "correct" exposure settings), and that helped me remember REALLY quickly. For some reason (for me anyway) it seemed counterintuitive that the smaller the number, the bigger the opening (and thus less depth of field and more light let in). But once I started using it, it became second nature quickly.

(And I do mean quickly. I'm very new to photography, too. Just got out of Program mode last month.)

Good luck!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Neat explanation, Kyle. I'm going to remember that, too.

Actually, I've finally got aperture down to a science (I think). It's the darn shutter speeds that I'm still having trouble figuring out.

blestmom, it doesn't hurt to keep a little cheat sheet in your camera case, either.

 

[blestmom]

Correct.

F/stops are factions. What is bigger... 1/8th or 1/16th? Same for f/8 or f/16. At one time I had TERRIBLE eye sight. I was near sighted (had lasik surger 6 years ago). When I was younger my eye doctor told me that if I ever lost my glasses I needed to get a piece of paper or a leaf or something like that and make a tiny hole in it. I could then look through that tiny hole and everything would be in focus. I tried it a few times and it works. A little tiny hole gives more depth of field. Look at all the people who squint when they want to see something more in focus.

Good explanation...I like that! Yes, people do squint when they want to see something in focus. That helps.

Yes, you've got it.

I had a hard time remembering it too, when I first learned that. Then I put my camera in manual mode (forcing myself to not rely on the camera to give me the "correct" exposure settings), and that helped me remember REALLY quickly. For some reason (for me anyway) it seemed counterintuitive that the smaller the number, the bigger the opening (and thus less depth of field and more light let in). But once I started using it, it became second nature quickly.

(And I do mean quickly. I'm very new to photography, too. Just got out of Program mode last month.)

Good luck!

That's it exactly. It ssems counterintuitive to me, too. I am going to do like you suggest and put my camera in manual mode too, as much as I can. Thanks for the encouragement.

blestmom, it doesn't hurt to keep a little cheat sheet in your camera case, either.

Great idea...I'm going to do that.

 

[seashoreCM]

Part of a cheat sheet for outdoor broad daylight shots with manual cameras.

Bright sun shining on subject: Aperture f/16. Shutter 1 divided by the ISO for example 1/200'th second for ISO 200.
Hazy sun Next larger aperture (f/11)
Cloudy bright, faint or no shadows: Next larger aperture (f/8)
In shade but almost out in the open: Next larger aperture (f/5.6)
Heavy overcast: Same as in shade preceding.

"Next larger" aperture means doubling the exposure. The sequence goes (large) 1.0, 1.4, 2.0, 2.8, 4.0, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, 45 (small). Apertures smaller than f/16 are not common on compact digital cameras.