How to Photograph Volleyball

[@eburonsavarin8766]

When you shoot faster games (in higher leagues for adolescents/men) you have to rely a lot on your knowledge of the game. The higher the game level, the more players are going to switch to other positions on serve or receive. When in offence they have different positions as opposed to when in defence (which is obviously not the same as receive). So my first advice for shooting volleyball on the whole would be: learn the game very, very well. In higher league volley ball (I shoot pro volley a lot) you don't wait to photograph a player to perform a certin action. Rather you anticipate where the player will be in case he will perform that action and you preset the camera for the action on that spot. For instance, let's say I 'm positioned at the tabel where the points are marked. Then I have 4 actions I can shoot on the court. The reception of the serve, the setter while setting the ball, the opposite (R wing spiker) attacking and in another phase the blocking of the attack from the other side. Basically, I choose what action I want to shoot and preset my camera for that particular action. So basically a volleyball match on that level for me is a list of actions I want to shoot. I can't shoot pictures as the actions unfold, I'd be way too slow with my camera settings (AF). If you did the job right, you didn't even know the score while shooting the game, and didn't see the match, just actions. A lot of people forget how impactful the celebration pictures can be -you know, point scored, players come together in a sort of group hug. It's where the emotion of the game is captured. I shoot a LOT of these hugs. Center on the face that is overjoyed, try to find the face that is disappointed and try to capture the reactions of team mates to that... That's sports too, for me at least. From kids to pro volley, it always captivates. Lastly, try to shoot the players in moments when they are not in action too. Between serves, before and after time outs. See how they react to one another. Who is friends with whom, who avoids whom etc... Facial expressions can tell huge stories so well :)

[@skaners8]

Hi, 7 month later, i'm a volley ball player, i know the game really well, and i would like to take good photo for m'y Friends in higher League, wich equipment would you suggests?

[@mikephotos225]

I totally agree and I would take it one step higher. Learn the players as much as you can. I shoot one particular DI P5 team and I can generally tell which way the set will go based on the body language of the setter and potential attackers. It's not 100% of course, but that's also why opposing teams watch opponent video before a match.

[@ClineFamilyof5]

Very good info, thanks! As a mom of an Outside Hitter, I can tell you they (and also the Middle and Outside/RightSide Hitters) like to be photographed from a low position... you can't see their face, but you can get a good shot of their technique and it's a great angle for getting the hit. It makes their jump look really high and they like that ;)

[@ericandrews4452]

I've been shooting volleyball for quite a while and have a few additional suggestions : I like to shoot ftom behind the baseline when a team has several jump servers. I use 24-70 f2. 8 here, usually at 24. Focus on the server's back and you get a dramatic wide angle shot of the court with the server leaping into the air. I know you don't see the server's face but you see her teammates' and opponents ' faces. It's a great shot. I also like to capture the server from the side. I stand at the corner of the court facing her, using the 70-200 shooting horizontal. Frame it so the player' s leg is cut at mid thigh (not at the knee). You should be able to get a great shot right as she is tossing the ball up to serve, ideally right as it starts to float above her fingertips and her face is intense. This is an excellent shot for someone whose gear limitations might require them to shoot at lower shutter speeds. You can easily get away with 1/500 here, maybe slower. Finally, high school volleyball is tough for all the reasons Jack mentions. If you get the opportunity, shooting at a club volleyball tournament is a good way to get your feet wet. There will be many matches over the course of the weekend so you'll have more opportunities for shots. Also, at many venues you can get much closer to the action. Multiple courts are laid out in convention centers or similar venues with chairs for parents around three sides of the court and I mean right up next to the court. You will be able to walk around getting lots of different angles. 70-200 is almost too much here! Lastly, the lighting in these convention centers is usually way better than HS gyms since they also host product expos, car shows and other events. This weekend I shot a tournament at 1/1250 at f3. 2 and ISO never got too far above 8,000 or so. Hope this helps and happy shooting!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Great suggestions, thanks!

[@ericandrews4452]

@@JackBeasleyMedia Jack, I'm curious about your AF area for volleyball. I shoot D500, so similar to your D5. I find 3D great for soccer, lacrosse and field hockey but too slow for volleyball. I tend to go back and forth between D25 and group AF for volleyball. Thoughts?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

@@ericandrews4452 Normally, I use 9-point. I don't even bother with the 3D tracking.

[@ericandrews4452]

I just saw your other post. Heartfelt condolences to you and your family AND wishing you a speedy and full recovery. It's amazing you found the time to respond to my comments.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thank you!

[@TCRick]

When shooting from the end line, I will use back button focus to aim for the legs below the net of the middle front-row player before the serve. Then I am pretty close to good focus for play at the middle. The same holds for a player at the left or right. As long as the action is at that section of the court, I'm good. Even if I'm focused on the middle and the play goes left or right, I'm not too far off.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Yeah, I didn't go into it here, but sometimes I'll move the focus point down below the net to get that focus. Thanks for the input!

[@minjohnlee]

great lesson Jack. i watched this video multiple times to be honest. regarding focusing thru the net, i can share a couple tricks i use from time to time. one, use F4 instead of F2.8 when ISO situation is under control. for beginners, this gives you more focus depth. second, focus on the spiker's legs. you need some angel to the player otherwise defense players will block your view most of the time. my 2¢. cheers!

[@ellistai]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. Appreciated. As a dad of two setter kids, I have been shooting volleyball for years. 70-200/2.8 is definitely one go-to lens (or 50-100/1.8 if I am using DX camera). But I always bring along 85/1.8 prime for the shootings as well. The F1.8 really helps as the gyms are always poor lite, and it gives a really nice background blur to make the subject standing out more. BTW, love to see so many parents down in the comments shooting for their athlete kids. Happy photo shooting everyone!

[@mikephotos225]

A trick for capturing players on the opposite side of the net is to put your focus box at the bottom of your frame and focus on the players legs under the net. Most of the time, the face of an attacking player will be in a close proximity plane to their thighs and you avoid having your autofocus grab the net instead of the player. Also, when shooting warmups, I like to get very low right by the pole (very low meaning the camera is virtually on the floor) and shooting up at an outside hitter attack. It's a very dramatic and dynamic view.

[@mikephotos225]

A little departure here but thanks to your descriptions and recommendations, I just went to the Z8 as my primary sports camera. (I passed on the Z9 because I didn't like the weight). So far, I'm very happy with the results.

[@ginasalang9378]

Appreciate the positioning and court drawings. Best explanation of the game from a photography standpoint. I also like to aim my camera at the celebration point where they come together on the floor after each play. When they win the celebration emotion is my favorite to capture.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

You’re right, tons of celebrations in volleyball.

[@strandboy23]

Agreed! Hard to predict who's getting the pass or set but, like clockwork, you can pretty much guarantee where they're coming together (whether they win or lose that point, they're coming together for sure!)

[@josephdixon4684]

I have been shooting sports about 14 years, the last 10 or so for a local newspaper. One of my go to lenses is an often overlooked and sometimes ridiculed little gem. A prime 24 mm 2.8. I use it for volleyball as well as basketball and have used it for wrestling. Granted it is all but useless for distance shooting, but from the end zone for basketball and sitting front row for volleyball at the side I am covering I get some great shots.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

There was a time when I shot almost exclusively with 28mm and 180mm primes.

[@Hawddawg]

Newbie here. I set my camera to ss1000, f2.8 auto iso but is your lens on af? Or manual?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Autofocus- always!

[@Hawddawg]

@@JackBeasleyMedia hmm not sure why my pics are coming out a bit blurry. I shot at an indoor gym

[@jonsmith5810]

Appreciate the video! Your use of overhead "charts" are a huge help in understanding optimal positioning!

[@bobgiglione9387]

You have given everyone the blueprints for shooting all sports. Thanks again! Keep up your great work!

[@hanslandheer6896]

Nice Volleyball 101 and good sports workflow description, thank you. On the settings part we differ a bit, but that could be because I don't have a D5-like camera. I use DX, come from D90/D7000 now D500. I love the reach/dollar. 70-200 as you say, but lately always with the converter. I always meter from the court and the jerseys of the team I want to focus on. That I set manually. When the light changes I meter again between sets. When you swing from court to net , you can hit many different light patches in the stands and I don't want the light on the players to be thrown off by that. Further, every automation in camera is turned off. All manual. When I say "click" the thing must go off at that same moment. A cheaper camera doesn't think that fast, so don't let it come in your way. In the game down time, you can easily delete the extra bad shots. I try to stick to 1/1000th max, but with the women 1/640 or 1/800 is also ok to get some "movement" in the ball. I've seen shots from Sony A9 with eye autofocus that definitely made a difference on the net. When following the action court side, there are so many differences that I did away again with all these professional tricks. Just focus through half-press on these 9 or 12 grouped points in the dead centre of the frame and follow your player. No thrills no frills Every venue is differently bad, so you must see what you've got. From a photographic standpoint the volleyball game is a cluttered mess, so you try to improve on that through isolating your subject. My preffered location is the stands for action at the net. The higher the better. The downward angle gives you easier access to faces and the floor makes for a nicer background (although often smeary). Working at court level for defense I prefer the side opposing the team benches. Your view is then not blocked and you have a free view of the coaches. But if there people crowding into places trying to make money with winner shots, I happily move to an impopular and therefore quiet place. I don't need to deliver and one can make a few decent pictures from any location. Most people forget the setter. It's an important player, kind of the quarter back in volleyball. I always have straight frontal shots of them in action with ball in hand. The view is unblocked, and all it takes is a bit of timing. Speaking of timing, please don't start shooting as the match begins. Use the warming up to practice your timing. Get every player in the exact moment with hand-to-ball contact, offense and defense. It will be of help in the game itself. The action in volleyball is switching fast with highly differing situations. There is however a high repetition of the same kind of actions. So you can set yourself up perfectly for "that one shot". Praying that it comes and is not blocked from view. In that way you can counter all the surprise moves. If you can afford to come home without all the others, that is :)

[@victorkeller]

Excellent video. This is one of the hardest sports to document.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thank you!

[@sashnaidu8806]

Thank you for this. It's been a while since I have photographed volleyball photography and have a tournament to capture this weekend after almost 2 1/2 years. This helped give my memory a recharge haha. Appreciate your good work.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@sashnaidu8806]

@@JackBeasleyMedia Thanks for replying. I sent you a message as well.

[@sashnaidu8806]

@@JackBeasleyMedia Hi buddy. Happy 4th of July weekend to you. Quick question, do you particularly use AI Servo when photographing volleyball?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

@@sashnaidu8806 I use it for all sports

[@sashnaidu8806]

@@JackBeasleyMedia Please see your IG message when you can.

[@randybocksnick3750]

JACK-- I leave the flicker on my D500 at all indoor sports! It only works when the lights actually flicker! Thanks Jack for the unique video! Randy Bocksnick(Montana)

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks for sharing!

[@sportsphototv]

Again, we have similar shooting locations and style. I shot with a 300mm a couple times and a 400mm twice and it was actually fun. Keep up the good work. You are looking more comfortable on camera with each one.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks, I’m trying! They say it takes 30 videos to hit your stride and I’m about there.

[@tedk2814]

I'm glad I stopped on your channel. In my second year of high school volleyball which I enjoy. Thanks for the strategy section of the talk especially the official's stand. Ted in Sebastian, Fl

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@strandboy23]

Great suggestions - this is incredibly helpful! My daughter is in her 3rd year of club volleyball and I've really started getting into photographing her club's matches as an extension of filming the matches. It's pretty amazing how much emotion you can capture (especially zoomed in tight) and I'm really excited about improving the shots I capture (everyone just loves the shots and memories). I have been taking most of my shots from where you suggest but I can't believe I didn't think about getting up in the head referee's stand to capture warmups! That will be remedied in our next tournament and I have no doubt those shots are going to be awesome. THANK YOU! While I've had good luck with the 70-200, I'm on a crop sensor and in most of these tournaments it's just too tight (the courts are all lined up next to one another). I'm going to try something unusual and use a sigma 50-100 f1.8. While I realize it's not in the same league as the 70-200 workhorse, I'm hoping it works out well given my circumstances. We shall see - thanks again for the tips and great videos!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

You might want to get up into the stands to create some distance with that 70-200 on crop frame.

[@MarkReese]

Phenomenal breakdown, Jack (thank you)! 🏐 Why did you ultimately choose the 400mm f/2.8 over the 300mm f/2.8? Are you using a full frame body?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I’m using a 400 in this video because that’s what I had! Actually, a 300 is probably more appropriate for most gyms. Yes, I use full frame.

[@MarkReese]

@@JackBeasleyMedia - Got it, thanks! Do you find yourself using a 300/400 prime more often than a 70-200?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Not for volleyball. I’ll use it for one or two games just to get some different looks and angles. Then I switch to the 70-200.

[@michaelkeropian2954]

Great info thanks. I find all those locations good. I like the idea of going up the ref tower.

[@msmphoto553]

Jack, great video! Found it extremely informative…thank you!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I appreciate it!

[@christinegage449]

Thanks...very informative

[@mike-N6S]

I like to shoot warmups sitting on the floor directly beside the ladder. You can get some really great high-flying shots shooting up at the outside hitter spiking.

[@Gpm88]

This video saved me !! im about to photograph a game tomorrow, the gymnasium is awful, no stands, poor lighting ... you certainly gave me more ideas to try out ! thanksssssss so much

[@Cali62825]

Yet another super informative video. You are my go to videos when I’m looking for touch up work on positioning for sports! My customers appreciate it and think I’m Superman. 👍

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

thanks for watching!

[@MarkReese]

Thanks for this tutorial, Jack! I'm about to shoot vball for the first time in ~ 12 years (it's been awhile!). On the Z9, which AF Area Mode(s) do you like best for vball when shooting through / around the net?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I haven’t shot VB in a year, so I don’t know if the latest firmware updates have improved matters, but in general, the Z9 has trouble tracking faces through nets. It’s hit and miss. The safe bet is to put your focusing point below the net on their body.

[@MarkReese]

@@JackBeasleyMedia - Got it. I shot 2 games last night on Firmware 5.00. Faces through nets are still hit or miss on the Z9, but when it hits, it's very good. I'll try lowering the AF point for the next game, thank you!

[@Vibes2me]

great info -capturing my first tourney tonight.

[@SJHFoto]

I agree with gear-mostly. I use a 70-200mm f/2.8, but I actually like the 4 prime lenses of 50 1.4, 85 1.8, 135 f/2, and 200 2.8 I'm at 8000 to 12800 ISO. I make sure not to go slower than 1/800sec

[@karlweb1]

I use an R5 been using the 24-105 great range I normally stand right below the ref opposite of the scores perch I also will grab a 70-200 and go the far line and shoot into the net Great video

[@jamescacao]

Massive thanks, Jack.

[@mirandaceef4814]

Ótimas dicas! Uma verdadeira aula! Obrigado!

[@micheledandrealowell7]

The best tutorial I have found !! Thank you Jack!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Glad you liked it!

[@jbaswoll3221]

Excellent tips! I recently photographed a game as well. I made the mistake of being on the wrong side of the court. Since the majority of players are right handed, the majority of my shots were the back of the heads. But it was fun and I'll know for next time.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Yep, I didn't mention that, good point.

[@ellistai]

But the "wrong" side is the right side if you are shooting the setter. I like taking pics of the setters when they are up in the air, placing their hands on the ball and deciding which way they are going to set the ball to. Awesome moments!

[@user-vu6mc6ks9f]

Look for a walking track high above the court. With a long lens, you can get some good shoot making it look like players are jumping high above the net.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Nice piece of advice!

[@peconicgp]

Been shooting volleyball for a few years now. Generally just my daughters team but I have always treated it as if it was a paid gig and shared 100-150 edited photos a game for her and her teammates. Boy volleyball is tough. A challenge i didn't hear you mention is because the court each team is on is relatively small I often get other players stepping inline of my focused player.. So frustrating. But I like the suggestion of the referee ladder in warm ups. Never thought to ask that. Thanks. Just found your channel and love the recomendations for angles on these "not the most popular" sports.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

You're right, I didn't mention that, but it is big problem. I get plenty of pics of the backs of people's heads! You also have the ref on that one side moving on either side of the net pole.

[@bobgiglione9387]

Love Jack’s videos!!

[@gofotolux]

Fantastic tutorial!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

thanks!

[@ToastyCourier]

Thank you for the information.

[@riflegurlsmom]

SO helpful - thank you!!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Glad it was helpful!

[@worldcupjunkie2659]

That’s what I needed last weekend and I couldn’t figure it what it was! Darn anti flicker

[@TuckerPearce]

Such a helpful video, thanks.

[@justonbrazda3846]

Great video!

[@NikCan66]

Excellent tutorial video

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thank you!

[@noodle11152]

I am also a photographer for Maxpreps, did you have that shirt made or did you order it from Maxpreps? I haven't seen that one in the store. Thanks

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

@@noodle11152 I ordered it through MaxPreps. They take orders once a year. I bought it a couple years ago, don’t know if they offer it every year.

[@lour7753]

I’ve shot a lot of volleyball recently. Since I’m not selling the pics, I only shoot 1 team. My settings are exactly like yours. I typically move every 10-15 points to get different angles. When shooting from end, I will move from one corner to the other, as I don’t like the look from the center., and the player faces will often get blocked by the other team.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Yep, me too. I don’t sit in the same spot for more than half an individual game.

[@chrislognshot]

i use nikon Z9 gen 2 FTZ Sigma Sports 120-300mm and it weight is 10lb and at 120mm since top bleacher. use for volleyball or 28-75mm F/2.8 from 4 row or higher. do not shot over 6k ISO

[@silviosaiki]

Congratulations about your video. It is very so good!!! a point: how do you fix the focus durant the match?

[@kristasmith4743]

I've been shooting my kids' game since they were in 5th grade (so about 5 years now). Glad to hear that what I'm doing is what other well more experienced photographers are doing! This is my first year shooting high school, so it's definitely different but I love the challenge! I have an older Canon 7Ti camera and typically use the F2.8 70-200 lens and get pretty good shots. Wondering if I should upgrade to a better camera body? Thank you for the video!!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I'd say it depends on what your goals are. If it's just to take pics of your kids, than perhaps not - unless this is a hobby you really want to pursue. If your goal is to make money at this business, then you might want to look into a used, more "professional" level camera.

[@emilito7333]

I would suggest not to upgrade, you already have one of the better lenses out there (professional quality). I don't know the Canon 7Ti, but if this is not a full frame, that would be my only suggestion, upgrade to a full frame for more clarity/sharpness if your into that kind of thing.

[@Realrobertchan]

Found it extremely informative…thank you!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Glad it was helpful!

[@davidcorbin6916]

Great stuff. I try to shoot right-handed hitters from the left side so their arm doesn't block their face. Also, thousands of blown shots when another player moves in front of targeted player at the last moment. Makes it tough. Thanks for these spot-on tips!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@markkempton4579]

Great tips! I've been working on my through-the-net technique this year and also had luck with focusing under the net before they jump. (I've used the number successfully.) I hadn't thought about the ref stand. Thanks for the tip! Going to try that next week!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks! Yes, I didn't talk about AF settings, but I'll sometimes move the AF point down low to focus on their bodies underneath the net.

[@markglenday7291]

Thanks for the tips Jack, I have shot basketball in the past and a friend of mine has asked me to photograph a Volley Ball game, and I have never photographed a Volley Ball game in my life so this is the first one. I will be shooting on my D5 and my D500, lens choice will be my 70-200mm f2.8, 24-70mm f2.8 and i was also thinking about my 14-24mm f2.8. If there is any other advice or suggestions please can you share. Thanks in advance Mark from Australia. 😀

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Sounds like you're set!

[@markglenday7291]

Jack I love watching your Videos thank you.👍📷

[@JGZphotography]

Thanks for posting this video. You are correct in that volleyball is tough to cover. Took me a while but even with the best anticipatory skills, it’s still easy to miss the shot. A couple of comments. While certain gym and football field lighting, especially for high school that still use sodium lights that flicker to the 60 Hertz AC voltage, this will make the camera shutter studder, and often make you miss the peak moment of the sequence of action. I never use anti-flicker after losing several key shots when my camera shutter said "NO!" I leave the antiflicker OFF and shoot in RAW. Now I get the shot and can color correct in post-very easy, and I get the money shot! JPG is okay, but limited in the data for accurate color correction. Not everyone will have the same court access as media personnel have, like newspapers, MaxPreps, etc., so climbing referee stands could be an issue for a parent photographer without permission from the home coach due to personal liability. I always first shoot squatting on the floor just right of the referee stand and against the first row of the stands shooting the home side for the first set. I shoot with two 1DX2 cameras. One with a 24-105mm f/4 and the other with a 70-200mm f/2.8. By squatting on the floor, I get shots at the level of the players rather than the level of their heads. This is a more dramatic view of the action, just as kneeling for football on the sidelines or end zones. For the second set, I switch to the other side of the referee stand to cover action shots for the visiting team. For the third set, I attach a 1.4x TC to the 70-200. This makes for an f/4 due to the loss of 1-stop, which increases my ISO as high as 12800, but I have a variable zoom to 280mm. I use this setup for the third set that puts me behind the net or end of the court to capture the kill and other running shots, also sitting on the floor. If the teams are even at sets starting the third set, I stay fixed at that end. In the fourth set, I go to the opposite end. For the fifth set, I'll go to the top level of the stands opposite of the ref stand to capture ball exchanges across the net. Now if a team is set to win all three sets, then during that third set I will switch to the opposite end of the court to be able to document kills and shots from the opposite team. I do keep my strategy flexible should one team will win a 3-0 sweep. If I am lucky, some gyms have stands that surround the court, and there I will go up into the rear-court elevated stands to get shots from the third set onward using the 70-200mm + 1.4x teleconverter. All my images are sharp with the TC, but only if you have microfocused the camera bodies to the attached lens. Mirrorless cameras don't have this reequipment. Now the other big issue-focusing techniques, focus servo settings, and back button focusing.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks for all the good tips!

[@thepauldineen]

I use a mirrorless now, but still own (and occasionally use) two dslrs. I don't have a TC, but I'm curious: when you microadjust lens with a TC attached, does the camera remember that combination, or does it just recognize just the lens? If the latter, do you have to reset the microadjustment when you attach just the lens (since, I'm presuming that the camera doesn't recognize when a TC is attached)? Of course, I'm also assuming that the uadjust could differ for the lens when a TC is attached.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

The camera remembers the lens. If you add a teleconverter, it has to be adjusted like it was a new lens.

[@harpothepessimist]

A few months late and a lot of dollars short seeing this, but as a Resource Officer with my school I try to photograph my students games and edit and upload them for the coaches, players and parents. Only having a Canon M50 mark ii and not having any fast zooms at all, I can assure anyone wondering you will be on the struggle bus long and hard having to run the iso up and the lil M50 does not handle that well. Needless to say i'll be upgrading to a Sony a7 III or iv very soon so i can hopefully get them some crisp noise free shots. M50 is a good lil camera for a lot of things, but the lack of a good buffer, less than speedy AF and not coping well with high iso, it shouldn't be anyone's first choice for an indoor sports camera, unless ya wanna spend nearly 3x the price of the camera on a lens and still hit the buffer in 10 shots

[@martin9410]

I have the Sony a7riii and having a full frame camera that has good AF makes a big difference. I think you'll really see the improvement. I think a good bargain is the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 lens. To me, it works about as good as the GM lens which is considerably more expensive.

[@fredmccurdy7844]

I'm my junior college photographer and I like the idea about asking to get on the refs podium during warm ups and the Anti-Flicker setting.

[@BiermaRichard]

thnx for the video. My camera is a full frame DSLR. With what settings do you shoot form the referee stand on a 24-70 F/2.8? From the stand i shoot with my 70-200 F/2.8, my ISO is 12800 and a shutter speed of 1/1000 sec. There is now light coming in, only form the fluorescent lighting on the ceiling. How can i get my ISO just a little bit lower?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

The only way to do it is go to a lower aperture, lower your shutter speed, or a combination of both.

[@BiermaRichard]

@@JackBeasleyMedia thank you for your answer

[@Fell1619]

Jack, which Nikon camera are you using in this video? Thanks

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

D5 with D850 backup.

[@katelynnsirois4821]

I’m saving up for a 70-200 2.8 but currently I have a 75-300, 28-135, and an 18-135. I’ve done one volleyball game and ISO was 6400, shutter was 1/1200 and aperture was f/5.6. Any tips on what I should try and aim for or what lens would be better? The lighting is also really rough, the pro photographer for the university I shoot for even says he hates shooting in this gym because of the lighting.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I’d drop down to 1/1000 for sure. Assuming your widest aperture is f5.6, you’re stuck with high ISOs. Shoot RAW and use a good denoise program like DxO Pure 4 or Lightroom’s denoise module.

[@bodelicious4398]

Greetings.. Wow great video, sir. Good explanation, very informative, and also very useful tips and tricks. Love it 👍🏻👍🏻

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Thanks for watching!

[@RAM2EY]

Yessir I was waiting for this

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Great!

[@TJPowell]

Thanks for the tips, this is the hardest sport i shoot!

[@SJHFoto]

I guess it depends on what you shoot the most, but I think volleyball isn't that hard to photograph at all. I usually aim at the libero, but still wide enough to see the other back row players, and then zoom in on the one who takes a step forward, or tenses for a bump. Then go to the setter (making sure she is facing me usually when she sets), and finally the spiker (outside hitter) I try to get them in a net battle shot

[@manuelgamez668]

Thanks 😊 Sir.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Sure thing!

[@XricheeX]

how do you deal with distortion? I have my shutter set at minimum 5000 and hi continuous shooting. yet I still ofter get pics where the ball is distorted. I do sometimes get the person distorted aswell but learnt that that because I then zoomed whilst taking the picture and following the subject

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Are you sure it’s shooting at that high a shutter speed? Certain automated settings will override it.

[@XricheeX]

@@JackBeasleyMedia yeah the photo info also says it

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

@@XricheeX could be rolling shutter on a mirrorless camera. Use mechanical shutter if it has one

[@pyrocix]

I'm used to baseball/softball. Trying to photograph volleyball is annoying by comparison. Something or someone is ALWAYS in your way.

[@Cali62825]

You’re either too far away or in the wrong position…just sayin. Keep going out there.

[@jimgarland6231]

Question on using back button AF with volleyball. Because of the fast movement, would it be better to set the auto focus to your shutter release instead?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

It’s a personal preference. I’ve learned to control focus with my thumb and hit the shutter at the right time with my finger.

[@thobert1]

When shooting through the net to catch the faces of the spikers and setters I have taken to focusing just under the net and essentially catching focus on their waist/thigh area. it's not 100% but shooting through the net is way less accurate.

[@VolleyballLyfe]

Give me a good mirrorless intro camera and lenses to start shooting volleyball

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I can't speak for all brands, as I'm not experienced with them, but I suggest you get a used Z6ii, FTZ adaptor, and a used f-mount Nikon 70-200/2.8. You'll be set for volleyball (and all indoor sports) for some time to come.

[@giangianni503]

My main issue is the focus. I can't stay near the scoreboard, so I have to stay upstairs (usually left or right corner). But I often have a wrong focus point. 1) Players are really fast, the spot focus often misses and grab the background 2) if I use AFC, with a 2.8 aperture, I often have a bad DOF. for example: the player behind looks more sharp after 3 or 4 steps before spike. 3) THE NET. quite impossible to focus players behind the net (like 9:16). I need this to take a photo of a spiker who's in the right field and I'm in the left angle (So I can see the spiker's face and the block from behind). It's a pain, lots of trash photo each time :( How do you manage focusing? any particular setup? thank you

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Volleyball is one of the most difficult sports to photograph, IMO. The whole purpose of the game is to fool everyone as to who will be hitting the ball, and where. I don’t use spot, I use a group. I tend to focus on one player at a time and catch them doing something. Most cameras will not focus through a net, so a lot of photogs will put the focus point below the net on the player’s body.

[@giangianni503]

@@JackBeasleyMedia thank you!

[@XricheeX]

ok so I have the sonya7iii, which is a decent expensive camera. but it gets noisy SO QUICKKKK. I shot in an inside gym only 3 times, and above 2000 iso, my photos got clear noise. now Ive been doing outside volleyball photography. I've done three days so far and have a few coming up. wide shots are fine, I can get those, top to feet shots are doable but harder to get.. will mostly shoot wider and then drop a bit in post. but close up shots and shots where I look the player in the face, are SO DAMN HARD to get. im here cause I need tips on how to shoot better cause man im stuck.

[@XricheeX]

also; I had trouble focusing A LOT, I tried different focus settings. and couldnt really figure out what the best option was cause I still missed so many shots. and so as I was outside I upped my shutter speed as high as I could, up to 8000. I could easily do that cause it was a sunny day. I also had the continues shoot at ''hi+' but I feel like because the camera needed to take the shots SO quick I didn't give it enough time to actually focus on the subject.. so I lowered my shutter speed to 3000/5000 and set the continuous shooting at ''hi'' and it went a little bit better.. also did my diafragma as high as possible so it would be easier to be in focus. anyways, shooting volleyball is DAMN hard. im nervous for my next game day

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Use a decent noise reduction software like DXO Pure Raw 4 or Lightroom Denoise module (they only work with RAW files)

[@XricheeX]

@@JackBeasleyMedia yeah i shoot in raw and sometimes use the ai denoise in lightroom but i find that it very quickly becomes odd looking. Maybe i need to use less of it

[@benjaminamato1282]

Hey Jack thanks for the info. My biggest problem is shooting from behind the line (either from floor or above). It seems the camera grabs focus from opposing team or net (especially top of net). Any thoughts on preventing this. I have been using center point focus and have tried moving it up but it still seems to grab the net or opposing players, especially if they have bright uniforms. Thanks!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

yes, it’s a huge problem. I’ll often put my focusing point *below* the net and focus on lower bodies rather than faces that are behind the net. Still, it’s a bit hit and miss. An alternative is to get high up in the stands with a long telephoto and shoot down on the players.

[@reyvincent14]

i love watching your videos when it comes to picking the best spot to shoot but my lens is 1.8 50 mm only poor of me

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Park yourself on the side of the court in the front row.

[@marvintahusoproductionsmat3495]

Hello. .i'm just using a canon 80D with 50mm f1.8 STM. .but do you think if i use a sigma 17-50mm f2.8, in volleyball, will it be convenient? I really hope you can guide me. Thanks!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I don't know that you'd have an advantage with that lens over the 50mm when shooting volleyball. You should probably look for a zoom in the 50-135 range, other there abouts. That approximates the 70-200 I talked about in the video for full-frame cameras.

[@kristenmccown88]

I take pictures of my nieces high school game would a 24-70 2.8 L USM I (not IS) Be an OK lens? I have a standard 70 to 300 IS (Not 2.8) and it’s too much zoom for high school since I am so close to the court Just curious if I need the 2.8 for the action aspect of it and if I would be OK without having the IS

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

You don't need IS for sports, mostly because your shutter speeds are up around 1/1000 - which is more than double your focal length.

[@k1ck4ever]

Hi What autofocus settings do you recommand for volleyball ? AF-C of course but, only one point focus ? 9 point ? Thx

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I use 9-point

[@k1ck4ever]

@@JackBeasleyMedia thanks a lot. I started recently volleyball photography and I was using 1 point AF. The result is nos always ideal, I will try 9 points.

[@szerszynski]

Do you get releases from the players and/or school?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

In the United States, there's no need. The only time you need releases is when the images are being sold to a third party for commercial purposes. For example, if they were to be used for stock.

[@szerszynski]

@@JackBeasleyMedia Thanks for the answer Jack. I enjoy watching your videos.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

You betcha!

[@wolfefamily2983]

I have been photographing volleyball for a long time and it keeps getting harder. The Volleyball video displayed very nice light colored walls. The gyms I shoot in have padded mats hanging on both ends of the gym, usually in a dark color. This really messes up the settings. How does one account for one shoot having the light floor as background and the next is against the dark wall? Same with the scorers table. Almost every gym now has advertising, read bright lights, or every alternating ads appearing on the front of the scorers table. Yikes. Trying to capture outside hitter with a light colored ad and the very nest shot is a dark colored ad. What is a good way to compensate for these dark walls or lighted table fronts.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

In many gyms or dark fields, I'll set my camera to my base sports settings (1/1000 sec, f2.8) and then see what the auto ISO is saying is correct in different spots. Then, I'll take what the auto ISO is saying, manually set that ISO, and then do a few test shots to see how they look on the back of the camera. I'll make adjustments accordingly. I usually do all this BEFORE the game starts. Sometimes, you can set a single ISO for the entire game. In other venues, you'll use those test shots to know that when the action is predominately in one area, I need to change the ISO.

[@ckjjclan]

Anti-Flicker comment for Canon R6 shooters - in H and H+ shooting mode (the 2 high speed modes), if your fps is lower than you are thinking it should be (you’ll see the H or H+ symbol will be white and flash on and off), the anti-flicker ON may be partially causing the issue. In the manual, Canon says that H and H+ in the stated highest FPS may not be achievable given a host of factors - anti-flicker ON can lower FPS, not putting the rf lense at max ISO can affect FPS… So, just an fyi. On the opposite side, when using electronic shutter and anti flicker off, if the scoreboard is in the photo and it’s blank, then the shot happened exactly when the scoreboard flicker was dark. Lol.

[@SJHFoto]

You work for Max Preps? They don't pay too much, do they?

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I shoot for MaxPreps, I don’t “work” for them. All photos are sold via speculation, so it behooves me to sell them via social media as much as possible. MaxPreps houses the photos and promotes them at no cost to me. They take only a small portion of each sale. Having said all that, no, you won’t get rich with MaxPreps. It’s a sideline for me.

[@SJHFoto]

@@JackBeasleyMedia Thanks for explaining. I didn't know how MaxPrep works

[@metcorleone4811]

Started college to study photography and I gotta say, your recommendations have helped me a lot. Love the channel except for one thing… you’re not a canon guy! Just kidding, love the vids man:D

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

None of us are perfect…

[@allevinoantiquecafecomhist7748]

It possible to do a normal pic not so terrible with a 4.5f

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

You’re going to be shooting at either slow shutter speeds (which will cause motion blur) or very high ISOs (which introduces a lot of noise). F2.8 lenses are what pros try to use for those reasons.

[@allevinoantiquecafecomhist7748]

​@@JackBeasleyMediaYeh, but my 2.8 70 200 is broke until i fixe it, i will try today my 55 300 f4.5 d7200, try to stay at 55m 4.5, raw and 8000 iso maybe 1/500 shutter . I will shoot beach volleyball and hope for the best. Thanks

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

@@allevinoantiquecafecomhist7748 If it's outdoors in good light, you should be OK

[@francesco6346]

I have only f4 lens, with canon 6d. Is very difficult to photograph :-(

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I know, I’ve been there!

[@vwnut13]

4,000 ISO, in my dreams! Shot a game and at 1/1000 f/2.8 auto ISO was hitting 25,600.

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Were you in a grade school gym? That’s the worst I’ve ever seen.

[@vwnut13]

@@JackBeasleyMedia A private high school in Vermont with a drop ceiling with fluorescent lighting. I'd guess at least 35% of the tubes are missing. To top it off they replaced some of the tubes with some of a completely different color temp, so you'll get a pink tink in the foreground and green tint in the background.

[@Mike-pm2fc]

I've had good luck capturing Volleyball action at 500 and 640. At times there will be motion blur on the ball or hand, but this can look nice giving the feeling of motion if you like that look.

[@MrSkevich]

I will vouch for anti-flicker.

[@MrDan1509]

One should always activate the flicker reduction and leave it that way for ever!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Yeah, I’ve experimented with it and it doesn’t activate unless it’s needed.

[@MrDan1509]

@@JackBeasleyMedia Yup.. I shoot indoor and outdoor night time Barrel Racing, Rodeo and a few Off Road Dirt Bike racing Series during the day time hrs. I have noticed tho the Anti Flicker works during the day outdoors with all natural light. Mainly when shooting a race in the woods.. I'm in the PNW area.

[@hautehussey]

The best angles are often the ones with the highest risk of having them be ruined by a teammate walking in front, and the least chance of picking the right person the ball might go to!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

I feel ‘ya

[@shiva1742]

Great advice if you’re shooting at your type of game, but I attend NCAA collegiate level games and you are pretty much restricted to the stands only. However, I did pick up some good tips.

[@kristenmccown88]

I take pictures of my nieces high school game would a 24-70 2.8 L USM I (not IS) Be an OK lens? I have a standard 70 to 300 IS (Not 2.8) and it’s too much zoom for high school since I am so close to the court

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

It's OK, but you'll have to be right next to the court.

[@SJHFoto]

You use Auto WB?? I find it makes the gyms too orangey-yellow. I shoot custom WB (using a coffee filter in the gym to set the custom. I ABSOLUTELY use anti-flicker all the time too!

[@JackBeasleyMedia]

Usually, yes. Of course, I have gyms i shoot at that auto doesn’t work