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Shooting Tennis

Fizzy69Fizzy69 Posts: 3Member
edited July 2013 in Nikon DSLR cameras
Hi Everyone,
I know this is short notice but I've been offered a trip to the UK (I'm from Ireland) tomorrow to see the Wimbledon ladies semi final. I am planning to bring D800, 70-200 2.8 with 1.7x TC and would like to get some nice shots. Given the short time available to me any advice on settings, content to use would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance...
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Comments

  • spraynprayspraynpray Posts: 6,545Moderator
    I'm sitting watching Wimbledon and I don't see anybody with a full size camera in the spectators so your question is probably moot. If I am wrong and you are allowed in with it, you will not be able to use flash of course. The weather is likely to be cloudy so you will be shooting at higher ISO's, continuous high, shutter priority and shutter speeds of minimum 500th preferably 1000th IMHO. Using auto ISO will be useful.
    Always learning.
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  • sevencrossingsevencrossing Posts: 2,800Member
    edited July 2013
    Cameras are allowed as long as you don't distract the players and photographs are for personal use...
    + 1 on auto ISO (+ 2 clicks) if using A
    or 1/1000 if M
    set focus to 3d tracking if you have used 3d before, if not, just use AUTO
    you are likely to draw attention to you self if you are putting the TC on and off ( would leave it off, with a D800 you can always crop )
    Post edited by sevencrossing on
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  • Fizzy69Fizzy69 Posts: 3Member
    Thanks for your help on this, some good advice. I hope personal use extends to PAD - if I can work that out :\">
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  • PB_PMPB_PM Posts: 4,494Member
    edited July 2013
    I shot a tennis tournament last year (3 hours a day for three weeks), and i have to tell you that tennis can be a challenging sport to shoot. I was taking 300-1000 shots a night, so I think I got a good feel for shooting the sport. :D

    The tips so far have been okay, but could use some tweaking. Ideal shutter speed is around 1/640s, because it freezes player movement, but still gives the tennis ball a sense of motion. Try to sit near the end of the court if you can, right or left side depending on the light, as that is the ideal shooting location. It could be a challenge from the stands at 200mm. 300mm is considered the ideal focal length for court side shooting. If you have any questions go for it!

    Note shooting during serving is prohibited at professional tournaments.
    Post edited by PB_PM on
    If I take a good photo it's not my camera's fault.
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  • KillerbobKillerbob Posts: 732Member
    Why "shooting during serving is prohibited"? Because it makes noise?
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  • PB_PMPB_PM Posts: 4,494Member
    edited July 2013
    @Killerbob Yes, due to the noise.
    Post edited by PB_PM on
    If I take a good photo it's not my camera's fault.
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  • AdeAde Posts: 1,071Member

    Note shooting during serving is prohibited at professional tournaments.
    There's no such rule. Just don't use the flash.
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  • PB_PMPB_PM Posts: 4,494Member
    edited July 2013
    Funny, the pro photographers (B&H video on Youtube) I got the tips from who shot events like the US Open said there is. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'll take the word of a known sports photographer over you any day of the week.
    Post edited by PB_PM on
    If I take a good photo it's not my camera's fault.
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  • AdeAde Posts: 1,071Member
    Funny, the pro photographers (B&H video on Youtube) I got the tips from who shot events like the US Open said there is. Don't take this the wrong way, but I'll take the word of a known sports photographer over you any day of the week.
    Tips from a B&H video on YouTube?

    Don't take this the wrong way, but like many, I've attended actual ATP World Tour events in person and with my camera.

    Plus, just look at any current Reuters / AP / Getty Wimbledon photo feeds and see the many many pictures taken during serves.

    Here are several hundred (!) pictures of in-game serves from Wimbledon:

    http://www.gettyimages.ca/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&mt=photography&p=wimbledon+serve

    Tennis isn't golf.
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  • PB_PMPB_PM Posts: 4,494Member
    edited July 2013
    It could simply be a rule at the US Open. The photographer featured in the B&H video is an widely published veteran tennis photographer, so I'm sure he knows what he's talking about.

    Edit: Went back and watched the video again. Not sure where I got that idea. Must have mixed it up with something else.

    You can see the video:
    Post edited by PB_PM on
    If I take a good photo it's not my camera's fault.
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  • AdeAde Posts: 1,071Member
    I highly doubt it. Are you sure he wasn't talking about US Open Golf?

    Serves from 2012 US Open:

    http://www.gettyimages.ca/Search/Search.aspx?contractUrl=2&language=en-US&family=editorial&assetType=image&mt=photography&p="us+open"+tennis+serve
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  • PB_PMPB_PM Posts: 4,494Member
    edited July 2013
    See my edited post. I watched the video over a year ago, so my memory was not in line with everything that was said.
    Post edited by PB_PM on
    If I take a good photo it's not my camera's fault.
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  • AdeAde Posts: 1,071Member
    Great video, thanks for sharing that.

    At 00:51:07 he does say:

    "I should mention too, technically you're not really supposed to shoot, during the serve,
    but at the U.S. Open the players can't hear it so I've never heard any-- I don't even
    know if it's still in the official guidelines at the Open, because the players just can't hear
    you, or they're just, you know, tuned out."
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