# Flash, not at volleyball



## ac12 (May 19, 2021)

It was bound to happen.
A the local high school volleyball game, a parent was shooting his dSLR, *with the pop-up flash*.
The ref stopped the game and told him, to NOT use the flash.  And the ref did this at least twice.
The ref was on one end of the net, the parent was on the other.  So when the ref looked down the net, he was looking into the flash.

I saw the parent's face, and interpreted it as "well how else am I going to get the picture?"
My guess is he was an "Auto" only shooter.  And in low light Auto WILL fire the flash.

Four years ago I shot with a f/3.5-5.6 zoom.  So he could shoot without flash.  Although at ISO 12800.
But he had to get off Auto.


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## ronlane (May 20, 2021)

Is it wrong to LOL??? 

I was at my son's baseball game a week ago and a friend of one of his teammates was there with her consumer level camera and was shooting with a kit lens and was using the pop-up flash. (She was behind home plate trying to shoot the 3rd baseman. (Only the head coach knows that I am a sports photographer) It took all I had to not say anything and just let her do her thing. I told me wife afterwards, that I would like to see some of those images because I kept hearing the focus beep. (Was cringing thinking she wasn't using AI Servio)


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## ac12 (May 20, 2021)

Old rule that I was taught.
"ALWAYS respect and obey the ref, or get thrown out."

Ah yes, default settings  

I turned the blasted focus beep off on my cameras.  I think it irritates ME more than the subjects.

When I got my first dSLR, a Nikon D70, I learned the hard way, to make the camera MINE.
I had the camera on "Auto" at a family dinner.  But most of the pictures were OOF   
I did my research (really RTFM) and found that in "Auto" the autofocus uses "closest subject" logic.  So the camera was focusing on the dinner table in front of the guests, rather than the guests on the other side of the table.  The table was the "closest subject."  I had to get burned, to learn that.  I NEVER used Auto again.

If the parents don't ask me for help, I generally don't give it.  
I found out the hard way, that some parents have very soft skin, and resent being told what to do.  "Do you think I'm dumb?"


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## ronlane (May 20, 2021)

ac12 said:


> If the parents don't ask me for help, I generally don't give it.
> I found out the hard way, that some parents have very soft skin, and resent being told what to do.  "Do you think I'm dumb?"



That's why I didn't say anything. 

She didn't know that I had 2 x 1Dx + 300mm f/2.8 and have shot sports for 6-8 years, everything from my 6 year old's soccer to D1 football and some pro indoor football. [Because I didn't bring any gear this year to baseball games. I wanted to be a dad]


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## ac12 (May 21, 2021)

ronlane said:


> That's why I didn't say anything.
> 
> She didn't know that I had 2 x 1Dx + 300mm f/2.8 and have shot sports for 6-8 years, everything from my 6 year old's soccer to D1 football and some pro indoor football. [Because I didn't bring any gear this year to baseball games. I wanted to be a dad]



I've also given up giving safety warnings, because they just ignore me, and continue doing what they were doing.

I know what you mean.
My wife tells me to NOT bring my gear (dSLR and flash) to family parties, because then I turn into a photographer, and hardly interact with the family.


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## flyingPhoto (Jun 1, 2021)

and ill bet you a lobster dinner the guy was taking shots only on them bouncing lady parts or that he was only taking shots with that flash so as to mess with the opposing team.


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## ac12 (Jun 1, 2021)

flyingPhoto said:


> and ill bet you a lobster dinner the guy was taking shots only on them bouncing lady parts or that he was only taking shots with that flash so as to mess with the opposing team.



You loose.
You can send me a VISA gift card.


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## flyingPhoto (Jun 1, 2021)

ac12 said:


> You loose.
> You can send me a VISA gift card.


no not loosing unless they werent old enough to have bouncing lady parts.

The fact the ref told him to stop multiple times puts the reason for flash into the distracting the other team category. 

most logical solution the most likely.


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## ac12 (Jun 1, 2021)

flyingPhoto said:


> no not loosing unless they werent old enough to have bouncing lady parts.
> 
> The fact the ref told him to stop multiple times puts the reason for flash into the distracting the other team category.
> 
> most logical solution the most likely.



You made the bet.
Don't try to change the rules after you lose the bet.


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## Rickbb (Jun 1, 2021)

Only thing more irritating than flashes at events like that are people who weren’t there telling you are wrong about you personally saw. lol


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