Swim Meet Photos

[NostalgicDad]

I've recently taken on the role of team photographer for my oldest son's high school swim team. I've never shot swim meets before and have quickly found out what a beating they are. The meet this past weekend was an invitational and there were 15 schools and about 300+ kids crammed into the natatorium. The conditions for shooting are deplorable at best. It's indoors with mainly skylighting. It's very humid and there's of course water splashing everywhere. Being on the deck with all those kids is quite hard to maneuver around while getting in some good angles for the different strokes.

I would kill for an outdoor meet but it appears all of ours will be indoors. I thought I would share just a few out of the 400 or so I took. The shots below are with the D300 and 70-200VR f/2.8. I shot wide open and stayed mostly at ISO 1250 and that resulted in some pretty decent shutter speeds. These are 1/2000 - 1/5000 sec. No NR done in pp. Thanks for looking......

It's hard not to cut off the hands in the butterfly .....

 

[Suburbanmom]

I'm sure the parents are going to be THRILLED with your photos. Very nice captures.

 

[AbsolutLaney]

They are nice shots.

 

[My2Girls66]

You did a great job! Both my girls were swimmers so I know how hard it is to photograph indoor meets. The photos are bright like they were taken outdoors. Did you use a flash at all?

 

[NostalgicDad]

Thanks for the nice comments.

You did a great job! Both my girls were swimmers so I know how hard it is to photograph indoor events. The photos are bright like they were taken outdoors. Did you use a flash at all?

Thanks. No flash was used. Even if I wanted to, neither flash nor strobes are allowed at these events.

 

[My2Girls66]

We were allowed to use a flash as long as it wasn't at the start to avoid confusing the swimmers and causing false starts. Not that it helped me that much

 

[Wingman]

These are great shots and everyone should be please. I tried to take a few of my daughters swiming indoors and came nowhere near what you have there. Then again, I did not have a 2.8 to help, well not yet anyway.

 

[YesDear]

Great shots! You have got to love that lens and the camera. The lack of noise at higher ISO's is great with the D300!

The 70-200 rocks!

 

[NostalgicDad]

We were allowed to use a flash as long as it wasn't at the start to avoid confusing the swimmers and causing false starts. Not that it helped me that much

These are great shots and everyone should be please. I tried to take a few of my daughters swiming indoors and came nowhere near what you have there. Then again, I did not have a 2.8 to help, well not yet anyway.

Great shots! You have got to love that lens and the camera. The lack of noise at higher ISO's is great with the D300!

The 70-200 rocks!

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, the combination of the D300 and 70-200VR f/2.8 goes "swimmingly" well together!

 

[PA disfan]

Awsome pics. They are crystal clear.

 

[DVC Jen]

wonderful shots - wonder if there is a future gold metalist there?

 

[NostalgicDad]

Awsome pics. They are crystal clear.

Thank you PA disfan!

wonderful shots - wonder if there is a future gold metalist there?

Thanks Jen. Oh, he certainly believes so as much as compares himself to Michael Phelps. (I think so too, though )