Shooting Sports in Low Light: SETTINGS and Tips

Shooting sports in low light can be extremely frustrating. I'm here to help! Going through basic settings, manual mode, and some pro level tips to help you get the images you want. Keeping the images sharp and the noise low. This tips work for shooting night football games, indoor basketball, hockey, and anything else in low light.
0:00 - Intro
0:35 - Evaluating Light
5:25 - Manual Mode
6:12 - Settings for low light
8:25 - Raw vs Jpeg
9:08 - Misconceptions
Follow along on Instagram @paulrutherford_
Check out my images at www.paulrutherfordphotography.com
As always, leave any questions in the comments!

[@Paul_Rutherford]

What are the darkest shooting locations you've shot in?

[@dano390]

Recently, I shot an outdoor high school soccer game with a Canon 400 f2.8, 1/500, 3200, shot in RAW. Very dark -- especially on the ends. Harsh light in the better-lit areas. As you allude to in your video, the lighting is what it is...with some post-processing work, the images were satisfactory considering the conditions.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

@@dano390 Never fun when you have to spend more time post-processing!

[@RAPMediaCC]

During a reception, when the wedding attendees fled the dance floor to run into the ocean. Just had the lights from the resort, since it was very much into the evening. I still managed to get a shot I absolutely treasure.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

@@RAPMediaCC Nice! Those memories are the best photos!

[@erik5024]

Night high school football game. At least 1/3 of the stadium lights were out. Halfway through the 3rd quarter, my 1Dx and 70-200 2.8-II was at ISO 51,200 using auto ISO (1/1000 and 2.8)

[@daynacass1280]

Thanks so much for this video Paul! The visuals are really helpful!

[@bethwitrogen7091]

Paul I’ve watched several videos to learn settings for night sports photography (I shoot prep water polo) - yours is far & away the best & most helpful. Thank you!

[@Paul_Rutherford]

You're welcome! Thanks for the kind words!

[@noelchacko]

Always get hype when I see a new Paul Rutherford video

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Appreciate it Noel!

[@lilmanni3038]

Thanks a million. super helpful how you explain things so well and clearly ☻ Love the blackboard tooos

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Thanks for watching!

[@JuniorExtrime]

I just discovered your channel now and I've learned so much from you!! cheers from portugal!

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Thanks for watching and glad its helpful for you!

[@MikeSpille]

Excellent tips! Thank you!

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Thanks for watching!

[@speed4213]

Shooting my first high school game tomorrow. I’m super excited 🎉

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Congrats! Hope it went well!

[@Toblies]

Great tips. Thanks for posting. Subscribed.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Thanks!

[@jamesbrooks4125]

Great advice 😅

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Glad it helps!

[@billbaum2586]

I have a doozy for you. Shooting judo at Buddhist temple with 1960s sodium vapor lights. Dark tan walls, 30ft ceiling, yellow and blue mats so think of the color casts! It was literally a cave and you need at least 1/500 to have some motion control shooting judo, taekwondo, boxing, etc. Even then on some throws you’ll get image blur. Sometimes usable sometimes not. Was using a D4 with 85 1.8 and 1/6400 with spot metering. Folks overlook changing their metering pattern. On dark soccer fields that can be a lifesaver since you’ll expose for the subject and the background will go black at a late afternoon / evening game. Great post.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

That sounds like I'd be converting everything to black and white! Agreed that changing the metering pattern can help get a more accurate exposure when shooting auto modes. Thanks for watching!

[@billbaum2586]

@@Paul_Rutherford Paul, manual mode too as it allows you to dump the background if necessary. And a few of those images did go B&W!

[@LemarGriffinfilms]

Bro that thumbnail is amazing. 🏁 great video man

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Haha appreciate it! Hope people don't think I actually use a flash light for sports photos!

[@angelogarciajr5356]

Paul, these are the type of videos I always hope that will help, but looking at the settings you showed, those will never work in the high school gyms for me, but probably in the NBA. I think most people looking at your videos for help are people needing help in very low light fields or old gyms. I don't think anyone that actually shoots in pro stadiums will be searching these videos for help. Am I making sense? I personally have never seen ISO 1600, at F4 and 1/2000 anywhere i have ever been shooting. Last gym I shot, ISO 6400, f2.8 and shutter 1/800 even 1/500 at times. Brutal. Keep that in mind in future videos. I appreciate your help! Thanks

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Hi Angelo, Sorry if you thought I was recommending everyone use those settings. I did mention those for a photo when I have more light, but most of the video I am talking about balancing a high ISO with a slower shutter speed. I showed images using ISO 10000 and 12800 at F/2.8 and shutter of 1/1000th. Also a big part of what I wanted people to get was to evaluate the light at their individual court/field to get the best images. I will try to be more clear next time!

[@FishinMagik]

Angelo that’s based on the equipment you’re using and conditions and environments you’re shooting in. If you have a basic grasp of the exposure triangle, you don’t actually “need” help, it would very well be the gear you’re shooting with that limits your capabilities. There’s really no “trick” to fix that, and in the environments you’re shooting in, adding flash probably won’t be an option.

[@markhoffman1186]

do you use any thing lower then 2.8 i looking at primes now 1.4 to see if i can do better .

[@angelogarciajr5356]

@@markhoffman1186 I shoot old gyms with poor lights. In a good gym I like my 70-200f2.8 but a lot of times I go with my ef 85mm f1.8. But you need to stay closer to the basket. There are some other choices too in the f1.8 or faster. They get more expensive and your depth of field gets shallow. Good luck.

[@xMiiDNiTe]

great vid!

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Thanks!

[@rblast1]

Love the videos. Keep them coming. Old high schools turn on your anti flicker setting if it has it. Old light flicker we can’t see it but the camera can. Have one gym I take pictures at the scorer’s table has a lite advertisement or sign in front of it. Is totally over exposed if part of it is in a photo, watch your position.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Great tips! I haven't tried anti flicker because I'm always afraid it will slow the shutter down too much, but I'll have to try it out next time! For sure watch your positioning. Those advertisements can add weird colors too. Thanks for watching!

[@rblast1]

@@Paul_Rutherford I had one high school gym I was shooting basketball and if you took 5 high speed shots one of the five would not be exposed right, turning on anti flicker corrected that. It’s probably not an issue at pro and good college facilities.

[@MLeeMedia]

I was holding myself not to ask but I must :D How does that telephoto behind you fit on the shelf, what sorcery is that? Great work Paul, love seeing your videos, happy mood, relaxed, and great info.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Haha, the shelf is actually taller on the inside! Thanks for watching!

[@brianvnc]

Great video and thank you for sharing! Is that the 11-24mm on the camera? Do you normally use that lens for sports? 🤔. Lol, jk I’m sure you were taking stadium shots with it. I just started shootings with the canon 200-400 f4. Love the lens but missing the f2.8 in the 400mm

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Haha, On the camera is the 8-15mm. Something I bought before I started professionally for fun, b/c it sure doesn't get used very much with sports. Such a hard decision between the 200-400 and 400 2.8!

[@bquinn722]

In gyms where lighting is different in different parts of the court, ever just shoot auto ISO?

[@Paul_Rutherford]

I haven't tried using auto ISO before so I can't say for sure how it would go. If I did use it I'd switch my metering settings to either center weighted or a single point because the evaluative metering can over compensate for a brighter background which will leave your subject too dark. I've used aperture priority mode only a handful of times when the lighting is extremely bad. I find that most the of the time the photos are close enough that editing one brighter and one darker will fix most of the issues.

[@SnoopFroggNFT]

You had mentioned about turning off image stabilization if shooting with faster shutter speed. Does turning off help create a better image? (ie: faster shutter speed, takes better images in low light). Just trying to understand the benefit of turning off or were you just saying that it won’t help? Just trying to see what benefits for having off, if any

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Great question. I find turning it off saves a little bit of battery. Also it can make it slightly tougher to track a subject if the lens if bouncing around a little bit from the Image Stabilization. But in general there isn't a big benefit to turning it off.

[@markhoffman1186]

i do night rodeo bull riding low light night action. i have a 70-200 f2.8 have you used any primes like a 1.2 or 1.4 for action shots i am looking at the sigma 105 1.4 what do you think.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

I've tried using my wife's 85 1.2, but those primes can be hit or miss because a lot of times there focusing speed isn't very fast. So you be tough to get the focus just right, especially at the lowest f/stop. I haven't tried the sigma so I can't speak to it.

[@MiguelRamos-xs7un]

enjoying your videos. At the 1:33 mark you're shooting in that gym and looks like triggering another camera next to you. can you do a video about this. You might have already, I'm not sure if I've gone thru your whole gallery. thanks

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Thanks for watching everything! I don't believe I have a video about that yet. But it is on the list!

[@whowho8470]

High school sports from my experience tend to have poorly lit fields and unless you can stop down to F2.8 or faster it becomes difficult to get high quality images. Another little trick tho not a game changer, if you're shooting raw you can under expose and third to half stop which will allow a slightly faster shutter speed and then bring up the exposure in post. Not ideal but some full frame sensors really let u pull up shadows in post without damaging the quality of the image.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Always difficult in high school sports. I shoot in a wrestling room that I've had to go down to 1/250th of a second. Sometimes I'll bring a flash.

[@sadeqsegaraga8766]

RAW or Jpeg?

[@jeffcampbellphotography8526]

You say shut off IS . How would this hurt a photo shooting under stadium lights? Have you tried turning on antiflicker?

[@Paul_Rutherford]

I normally keep IS off because I'm shooting at a higher shutter and it won't really help and will only drain the battery. If I had to en dup shooting at 1/250th maybe 1/500th I might turn it on. I've used anti flicker a few times in a gym. Helps a lot if the lights are causing banding issues in the photos.

[@nicholas248]

Would you suggest trying ETTR? It makes miracles with the noise, but I don’t know if it’s a right technique to use for sports photography. You can have a file at iso 20000 cleaner than one at iso 5000.

[@Paul_Rutherford]

That is certainly something to try and see. I wouldn't suggest it to beginners because you can easily blow out highlights. I always believe there isn't any harm in trying it out and seeing what you like better, I've done a few tests of underexposing in camera (lower ISO) to bring up in post or normal exposure (high ISO) with less editing and have found for me I do like exposing properly in camera for high ISOs, but will have to try over exposing this winter with some sports. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@nicholas248]

@@Paul_Rutherford you’re welcome! Let us know your thoughts after you have tried it 👌

[@FishinMagik]

ETTR works wonders, if the gear you use is capable, that is. Modern cameras have lessened the need to use ETTR, they are just clean at higher ISO levels to begin with.

[@equiz]

Auto ISO is not an option?

[@Paul_Rutherford]

Always an option. Just one I don't typically use.