Month: September 2015

Shooting the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game with Nikon D4 and Sigma 120-300mm w/ 2X converter

by Stanley LearyNikon D4 / Sports
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

I wanted to share some photos I captured from the Chick-fil-A Kickoff this year, where Auburn defeated Louisville 31 to 24.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1600

There are a couple of things that helped me get some of what I thought were lovely moments.

Camera Settings:  To see these go to the blog post on them here 

  • Custom White Balance with ExpoDisc
  • AUTO ISO
    • ISO range 100 – 12800 on Nikon D4
    • Minimum Shutter Speed 1/2000 – The shutter will drop below 1/2000 once the ISO maxes out at ISO 12800
  • Continuous High Shutter Release
  • Focus
    • Continuous
    • Focus Point Selection – 21-point dynamic-area AF
    • Focus Tracking with Lock On set to 4
    • AF activation and choose “AF-ON only.” This setting will not focus on the lens when I press the shutter. Instead, it will only fire the camera. 
    • To focus, I am using the AF-ON button on the back of the Nikon D4.
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000
A few other photographers used to shooting night games at the Georgia Dome were using their teleconverters since this was a daytime game. The arena has a large white sheet over the dome, giving a diffused daylight across the field.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1000
The lights they use for night games were also on for the game. So my White Balance was 4250º Kelvin and +29 Magenta.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1600
I enjoy shooting from the end zone as much as possible, so using the Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S with the Sigma TC-2001 2x gave me a 240-600mm ƒ/5.6 lens.
 
It was ultra quick to lock in on focus and track players as they moved across the field.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250
In the photos you are seeing, I was tracking the play and would start shooting just about the time, say a pass was to hit their hands, and motor drive through in case anything like a missed catch could happen.
 
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Here is the take on that particular image above. Every one of the images was sharp and usable.
 
Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1000

Before the “Big Game,” shoot the “Small Game.”

 
I recommend going to the community recreation center in your town or local high school, shooting with the same gear, and getting used to it. Then, if you rent a camera or lens, pick it up so maybe you can squeeze in a Friday night game before the “Big Game” on Saturday or Sunday.
 
Missed shots are more related to how well you know your gear than anything else. Be sure you are getting all you can out of the equipment. Please don’t blame the equipment when it might be your knowledge of how to use your gear that is the problem.
 

Fujifilm X-E2: Capturing the stories of our lives

by Stanley LearyPhotography
 
Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 400, ƒ/7.1, 1/600

One of the best things the camera phone has helped us do is capture ourselves in our pictures. Capturing a moment with a horse that Keziah met on her trip around The Big Island of Hawaii is something she wants to keep for herself and share with her friends.

The quality of a photograph is what drives people to buy those cameras. The other thing in many camera purchases today is the camera size.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 500, ƒ/6.4, 1/500

Some of the students I was teaching in Hawaii went on trips around The Big Island, and everyone had their DSLR cameras. They give excellent results when used correctly, and the lens choices are far superior to their smartphone cameras.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 2500, ƒ/7.1, 1/500

Tomorrow I will be lugging around my Nikons as I shoot the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game between Auburn and Louisville. The Nikon D4 is just the perfect sports camera and lets me continuously shoot more than 90 frames at 10 FPS in the RAW setting before the buffer slows the camera down. The XQD memory card is so fast and the buffer so good that I can get those big plays without missing moments because the camera isn’t capable of keeping up with the action.

However, the downside to the gear is its size and weight. By the end of the day, I will collapse more from carrying all this gear for more than 12 hours. I will be covering the pre-game Fan Zone till the Trophy presentation.

I cannot think of a better system for travel photography than the Fujifilm X-E2. It is small and compact. I have great lenses to use with it, and at the end of a long day, as I traveled around The Big Island of Hawaii, I wasn’t tired and worn out. On the contrary, It was an energizing experience for me.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 400, ƒ/6.4, 1/1700

I only carried the Fujinon XF 18-55mm and the 55-200mm with one body. So I stuck the 55-200mm in my vest pocket and just continued to relax and enjoy my time.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 55-200mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/110

I captured the Island Breeze Luau from the back with the 55-200mm due to the image stabilizer to keep the photos sharp.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 1250, ƒ/4, 1/500

Unless you are shooting sports for a living, I think the Fujifilm X-E2 is a great camera. The lenses they make for the system and the images are incredibly sharp.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/8, 1/680

A video was helping two funerals I was attending to tell the story of the people who had passed away. The use of photos all through the pieces to help tell their stories was quite moving.

It reminded me there were some things I hadn’t known about them, and I loved them even more for learning them.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 6400, ƒ/5, 1/480

This photo is a moment I also cherish of Karen Walker having parakeets on her hand at a store we stopped by on our trip.

Fujifilm X-E2, FUJINON XF 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/3.6, 1/180

Tips for Capturing the stories of your life

  • Carry your camera with you–Since you cannot take photos if you don’t have your camera be sure to buy a camera you would want to lug around with you. Fuji X system cameras are my vote for just such a camera.
  • Spend a lot of time just soaking in and listening to people. Of course, you don’t need to be shooting every minute, but be sure you have some photos that you can then add the text to later that you can preserve these stories for you to have for years to come.
  • Archive your photos. I put captions with every shot I take. Some are just a few words to help me remember.
  • Display the stories. Find a format where you can display those stories.
    • Maybe you use something like Instagram, where you post your photo and then put a caption that tells the short story.
    • Blogging about your journeys might be another way to preserve those stories. My friend Bill Bangham is doing that on his blog here.
    • Maybe create a book as I have done many times for trips, special events, and family stories. Here is a link to some of my books.
    • Create videos with your voice-over and pictures. Here are some of my packages.
Most important is to take the time to listen to people and honor them by helping to remember their stories through pictures and their words.