Photographing Rugby - my second attempt

[dabhand]

I agree with William here. I shoot various sports and his is good advice. After that, being in the right location and getting focus on the subject are the main concerns. In sports you should have opportunity to take many photos so try different settings. Don't forget to stay out of their way, they don't see you.

Scrums and line-outs offer the best opportunities for those starting out - the action is slower and more predictable but the images can be really worthwhile.

steve

[rpcrowe]

I have never shot rugby but have shot soccer and American Football. I tended to shoot from a low angle using a pair of lenses, a long prime and a shorter tele-zoom. I wonder if this could also be a strategy for shooting rugby?

Unfortunately, at my age and with several knee and a spinal surgeries, I am no longer mobile enough to shoot from my knees, like I used to. Unless I wanted to stay in one spot and not move! AND... then call for help getting up

If I were shooting with the equipment I owned today, I would use my two 7D cameras and my 300mm f/4L IS and 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses. Sure f/2.8 glass would be nice but, I own the 300mm and 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses...

Here's a YouTube video on a strategy for shooting American Football with two lenses which I suspect could be carried over to rugby. The knee pad idea is certainly a smart move...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMgZ13X_pr4

[Doorstop]

Gents, how about comparing apples with apples?

in my humble opinion ... there are many ways to photograph especially rugby. A rugby field is 70 + 44 m wide and 100 m long, and at the pace of (South African) rugby, it will be well nigh impossible to keep adjusting the camera settings.


The photographer of those images referred to by Andre, decides what image he is going for, positions himself at a specific spot and waits for the action to come to him. He knows the sport extremely well, so he knows exactly where to position himself for the shot he plans on taking.

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/galler...ingbok&cat=520

(Taken this past Saturday against New Zeeland.)

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/galler...228613&cat=574

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/galler...125964&cat=520

I have never shot rugby but have shot soccer and American Football.

With great respect, this cannot be compared to top league and test rugby in South Africa.

Then this is only one of my many credentials:

... and even with greater respect and admiration - you do not specify which sports you photographed. Again, gymnastics, as an example, will be entirely different from rugby.


In the end, there is only ONE way to settle this argument - post the images, give the EXIF.

[William W]

. . . In the end, there is only ONE way to settle this argument - post the images, give the EXIF.

There is no argument to settle. as I agree entirely with your opening para, viz:

in my humble opinion ... there are many ways to photograph especially rugby.

I simply took great exception to the exceptional rudeness that was previously displayed: and certainly I was NOT implying that the images that were linked to, were not good – that was quite clear.

WW

[Doorstop]

There is no argument

It looked a bit heated ... probably just my perception.

I simply took great exception to the exceptional rudeness that was previously displayed: and certainly I was NOT implying that the images that were linked to, were not good – that was quite clear.

As far as rudeness is concerned, well, rudeness is as rudeness goes. However I had the impression that those samples and the EXIF on those images were brushed off as inconsequential, but, well, again, that's just me...

In summary of my opinion?

If I was learning or asking advice on how to photograph rugby, (and cricket, and motor sport and other sport), I would study sport photographs by Simon du Plessis and GB Jordaan very, very, seriously.

[pnodrog]

With great respect, this cannot be compared to top league and test rugby in South Africa.



.

Actually they can....

Most field sports played at top level can be compared to rugby at top level. Humans can only run and move within defined velocity limits which any top player will be very close to regardless of code. Provided the photographer as you mention positions his or her self at the correct position all the photographic requirements will be virtually identical - the biggest variations being the lighting and distance - certainly not the sport.

[Doorstop]

Actually they can....

Most field sports played at top level can be compared to rugby at top level.

As you rightly say,

MOST

.

We are going to have to agree to disagree on this. Having attended a few American football as well as soccer games - sorry, I will never be convinced that photographing this is the same as rugby.

Sure, camera settings will remain the same, or then, have a similar approach, i.e., dof, apperture, ISO, but I am sorry, I am not going to be convinced that photographing a sport that is played at a faster pace over a longer and wider distance, is the same as a slower sport played in a smaller space.

Athletics, gymnastics, etc, will be a lot easier to anticipate where the action will take place. It is going to be a lot more difficult in rugby.

Sorry, again, examples of images with EXIF is what I think will convince me.

[pnodrog]

As you rightly say, .

We are going to have to agree to disagree on this. Having attended a few American football as well as soccer games - sorry, I will never be convinced that photographing this is the same as rugby.

Sure, camera settings will remain the same, or then, have a similar approach, i.e., dof, apperture, ISO, but I am sorry, I am not going to be convinced that photographing a sport that is played at a faster pace over a longer and wider distance, is the same as a slower sport played in a smaller space.

Athletics, gymnastics, etc, will be a lot easier to anticipate where the action will take place. It is going to be a lot more difficult in rugby.

Sorry, again, examples of images with EXIF is what I think will convince me.

As soon as you used the word anticipate you moved your argument outside the realm of photographic technique into the realm of sports knowledge. Two different topics. EXIF will not show anticipation...

[Doorstop]

As soon as you used the word anticipate you moved your argument outside the realm of photography into the realm of sports knowledge. Two different topics. EXIF will not show anticipation...

No, EXIF will obviously not show anticipation and that is not what I said. But sharpness and clarity of the image will show anticipation brought on by a knowledge of the sport, which is paramount to photographing sport - well, especially a fast-paced sport such as rugby. And sports knowledge alone will certainly NOT give you a decent image. For that, you need a knowledge of photography. (or extreme luck)

You cannot split anticipation, knowledge of the sport, and technical knowledge of photography (ISO, dof, ss) into two separate topics when photographing sport. The knowledge of the sport, in order that you can properly anticipate, was already mentioned earlier, and is undisputed.

[pnodrog]

Basically I think we agree - however I should make the point that rugby even at it's highest level is no faster than many other sports. It has a very high sustained pace but the pace itself is not faster than field hockey and is slower than ice hockey. It is not as fast as 100m sprint or just about every form of cycling --- the list goes on.

[Doorstop]

Basically I think we agree - however I should make the point that rugby even at it's highest level is no faster than many other sports. It has a very sustained pace but the pace itself is not faster than field hockey and is slower than ice hockey. It is not as fast as 100m sprint or just about every form of cycling --- the list goes on.

none of the other sports that you mention is played on such a big field - and THAT makes a massive difference.

(Ice hockey is not sport - oy oy oy that is boxing on ice!

THAT is another horrible technical thing to photograph altogether! My few attempts at photographing it was not hugely successful - in the end I grabbed a p&s and put it on automatic, and THOSE worked better!)

[dabhand]

The argument you are having seems to me to be more in abstract terms than the reality of playing rugby.

A rugby team essentially comprises two sections, forwards and backs - the forwards do all the grunt work and the backs do the majority of high speed running, sort of equivalent to tackles / guards and receivers / running backs in American football.

Forward battles, and that's what they are, are centered around the scrums, lineouts and mauls which are typically slow action but where one can get some really gritty images - the backs are where one can get more open running, passing and exceptional tackling images.

So what you have in essence is two 'sports', one played quite slowly and the other quite fast - most international wingers can do very credible speeds over the 100yds or so, most forwards are challenged to do it for 22yds.

Typically images are shot parallel to the action, like 'try' in the OPs post but occassionally one like 'Got You' is better, so unless you are an athelete and capable of running up and down the touchline for 80 minutes (assuming you can get access) whilst swapping lenses and/or settings, you have to make a choice as to which type of action and/or where on the touchline to shoot from.

At most levels of the game, a cavalcade of photographers running up and down the touchlines would not be tolerated by the players, spectators and officials.

steve

[Doorstop]

We are discussing, not arguing!

And as South Africa (at last) managed to beat New Zeeland in ONE game on Saturday, maybe we SHOULD argue!

[pnodrog]

We are discussing, not arguing!

And as South Africa (at last) managed to beat New Zeeland in ONE game on Saturday, maybe we SHOULD argue!

Yes Karin I agree and what would someone called Steve from the northern hemisphere know about rugby anyway?.....
(even if what he wrote does make sense)

[Doorstop]

Yes Karin I agree and what would someone called Steve from the northern hemisphere know about rugby anyway?.....

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Given the extreme competitiveness between our two countries as far as rugby (AND cricket!) is concerned, it is a miracle that we can even discuss it here!

And seeing that SA is going to take over the world cup from NZ next year... well, we should know all about photographing that sport!

[pnodrog]

Good Luck

[Doorstop]

Good Luck

We'll need it!
(and not a rev that is against us again!)

[Kodiak]

Rugby

André,
Though I think you are on the right track and I agree with your approach, but
not the way you communicate it. You do not allow enough flexibility, latitude…
nothing is absolute but its all relative! …and this is the CiC forum!

I will take that comment as, at the most, a personal attack… Frankly, if you want credentials…

Bill,
This was a cause of arguments with my ex-wife, where experience taught me that
once in front of a client, the weight of a diploma is nothing compared to a portfolio.
•••

There is nothing to prove… but to share!

[AB26]

Good Luck

You can chew a little on this one.

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/galler...-kick-&cat=520

PS: See the EXIF.

[Doorstop]

You can chew a little on this one.

http://www.outdoorphoto.co.za/galler...-kick-&cat=520

PS: See the EXIF.

Oh my word New Zeeland is going to hate you for THIS one!