# Saturday High School Football just like the old days



## MSnowy (Oct 8, 2019)

I haven't done many football games because in Massachusetts most high school games are played under crappy lights on Friday nights.  So I saw on line a day game was scheduled for Saturday just like the old days. Good news no rain but no clouds either. The bad news I was only able to shoot into the sun.


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## PJM (Oct 9, 2019)

Nice action shots!


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## MSnowy (Oct 9, 2019)

PJM said:


> Nice action shots!



Thanks


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## ac12 (Oct 9, 2019)

YAY, a DAY game.
Generally our varsity games are at night under lights.  And I am shooting at ISO 6400, 1/500 sec, f/4.
I much prefer day games where I have plenty of light, to shoot at a lower ISO and a faster shutter speed.

No matter how many times I tell the kids, IF YOU HAVE A DAY GAME, SHOOT IT.  They just don't listen, and they have to struggle with night games, and shooting at ISO 12800.


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## Derrel (Oct 10, 2019)

I do not think I have ever seen regular season, non-playoff daytime High School varsity football shots. Wow it is so nice to see those faces inside of those helmets.

In my state the only daytime games we have are in the playoffs, with the exception of junior high and JV games which are typically played in the early afternoon.


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## BillM (Oct 10, 2019)

Shooting football with daylight ????? That feels like cheating. I think I'd burst into flames if I did that lol


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## Braineack (Oct 10, 2019)

colors are throwing me off...


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## ronlane (Oct 10, 2019)

Nice set Snowy. I probably would have left #4 and 5 out, but that's just me.

Daytime football is nice.


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## ac12 (Oct 10, 2019)

I also hate shooting into the sun.
I did it ONCE.
The field colors were off, players were HEAVILY backlit, contrast took a hit from the sun hitting the front element.
I went to the other side of the field, until the sun set behind the hills.  Much easier to shoot, with the sun at my back.


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## ac12 (Oct 10, 2019)

Derrel said:


> I do not think I have ever seen regular season, non-playoff daytime High School varsity football shots. Wow it is so nice to see those faces inside of those helmets.
> 
> In my state the only daytime games we have are in the playoffs, with the exception of junior high and JV games which are typically played in the early afternoon.



We have a couple schools in the area, that the "affluent" neighbors have prevented them from having night games.
So they do day games; either afternoon (right after school), or Saturday.
Or they go to another school and use their stadium, for a night game.


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## SquarePeg (Oct 10, 2019)

Melrose played Lincoln-Sudbury during the day last Saturday as well.  There was a EEE threat in L-S so they moved the game here.   The soccer team had the field on Friday night so they had to go with the Saturday opening.


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## ac12 (Oct 12, 2019)

I just got back from a night game where portable lighting was installed for the game.
I talked to a school alumni, and he said that is the FIRST night game that the school had in over 20 years.

They also do not have a speaker system.  Too much noise.
They gave out headsets that received what would have been on a speaker system.

Affluent (rich) neighbors who control the city and the school.


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## MSnowy (Oct 14, 2019)

ronlane said:


> Nice set Snowy. I probably would have left #4 and 5 out, but that's just me.
> 
> Daytime football is nice.



Thanks. funny you mention those pictures. The parents of the #5 picture loved it and #4 got a lot of comment from the players on the blue team


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## MSnowy (Oct 14, 2019)

Derrel said:


> I do not think I have ever seen regular season, non-playoff daytime High School varsity football shots. Wow it is so nice to see those faces inside of those helmets.
> 
> In my state the only daytime games we have are in the playoffs, with the exception of junior high and JV games which are typically played in the early afternoon.



The school the game was at is a small under-funded tech school that can’t afford lights or synthetic turf.


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## MSnowy (Oct 14, 2019)

ac12 said:


> I also hate shooting into the sun.
> I did it ONCE.
> The field colors were off, players were HEAVILY backlit, contrast took a hit from the sun hitting the front element.
> I went to the other side of the field, until the sun set behind the hills.  Much easier to shoot, with the sun at my back.


 
Ya totally agree it would have been nice to get to the other side of the field but that was off limits


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## MSnowy (Oct 14, 2019)

Braineack said:


> colors are throwing me off...



Yes I agree colors are off from shooting into the sun. I thought of going with B&W but ended up with color because the parents and kids liked the “bright colors “


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## ronlane (Oct 14, 2019)

MSnowy said:


> ronlane said:
> 
> 
> > Nice set Snowy. I probably would have left #4 and 5 out, but that's just me.
> ...



I get that. I sell more of those type images than I do the ones that I would put in my portfolio or share online.


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## ac12 (Oct 14, 2019)

ronlane said:


> MSnowy said:
> 
> 
> > ronlane said:
> ...



When I post pictures for the AD and coaches, I have to be aware of that also.
I try to get pics of all the players, especially the lower ranked players, who normally don't get to play.  And when I post for the AD and coaches, I try to get as many players as I can.  It is way too easy to concentrate on the "stars," especially in football.
That way, at the end of the season, there are at least a few pictures of ALL the players (I hope) for the parents.

As with you, I am not happy with some of the pictures, but parents emotion and art don't often match.
They may LOVE, a shot that I technically don't care for.


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## ronlane (Oct 14, 2019)

That has been the hardest thing I have had to deal with this year. I have been shooting for Maxpreps and I really have to me much more selective with my photos. I still post a few more on my site that fall into this category but not many.


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## ac12 (Oct 14, 2019)

One thing that I learned is . . . shooting individuals is a different mindset and equipment need.

In football, I used to concentrate on the QB, running backs, and receivers, because that is where the ball was.  The line was ignored, because that was not where the ball was.  Now I am "trying" to shoot more shots of the line, in both offense and defense, to get "the other players."  As with you, this mental shift has been difficult to do.

In team games, like football and volleyball, more than half my shots are multi-player plays, not individual shots.

For football, when I shoot a play, I use a 70-200.  If I were shooting individuals, I would be using a 300 or 400 (IF I had the $$$$$ for a long f/2.8 lens), to pick them out. The 70-200 does not have enough magnification to do that.  So, many times, I have to deep crop into my 70-200 frame to get the individual players.  Luckily the 70-200 has good enough IQ that usually a deep crop is possible, without loosing much visible IQ.

In volleyball, I use a 35 or 50 on my DX camera.  I used to wonder about parents who brought a 70-200 lenses to a volleyball game     But then I realized that if they are only shooting *their kid*, an individual shot vs. a play shot, the tight viewing angle made sense.


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