Volleyball POV Photography Tips for Maxpreps Submissions

[@Jasper2014]

I shoot all high school sports and I find the best setup is auto white balance, 1/1000 sec at F 4, back button focusing with auto focus on servo, iso to auto, high speed shooting. Send my files through Topaz de noise. Shoot at least twice what I will upload. Tips on shooting volleyball are great. Winter sports indoors are challenging.

[@dantonmcdiffett7127]

Having shot volleyball for years, I agree with most of your advice, though you commented that you are shooting vertically for Maxpreps, yet the majority of your samples seem to be horizontal.

[@Motionshooter]

for video, 19:11 ratio works best

[@jeniferhaas4734]

Great video! I was having trouble figuring out the best place to take the shots from! Thanks for your insight!

[@Motionshooter]

Awesome! Hope you're able to capture some great ones :)

[@TOPCyber]

I am also a volleyball photographer here in Belgium as team photographer. I normally use a shutter speed of 1/640th but I'm gonna bump it up to 1/1000th. I have a Canon 70-200 2.8 with my Canon R6. My R6 can handle the extra noise level pretty well

[@3-piece129]

What iso do you find you're using? I have the same camera and lens setup as you.

[@TOPCyber]

@@3-piece129 I am using automatic iso to a maximum of 16000. Most of the time 6400 is sufficient but I want to keep a constant shutter speed of 1/1000th and a fixed aperture of F/4

[@3-piece129]

@@TOPCyber thanks, I'll try that in a few minutes. I'm at a tournament in Texas now.

[@TOPCyber]

@@3-piece129 And are you happy with the settings that I gave you?

[@3-piece129]

@@TOPCyber yes, however, I'm finding that i need to stay around 4000 - 5000 iso. In your method, i guess because of the lighting, it was defaulting to 10,000 iso. Seemed too high and grainy. I do find my pictures a little blurry unless i shoot 1/2000 or possibly to 1/1600. I guess it also depends how fast they're moving. Parts of the gym are better lit than others, so sometimes i can drop to iso 3200 and get away with 1/1250 shutter speed. I'm still experimenting since i just got it. I shot with an 80D and i new that pretty well.

[@tedk2814]

Hi John, just watched your video with some good tips about where to stand for certain shots. I've been shooting middle and high school baseball for 3 years now and during this summer I have attended out local high school volleyball games the past two weeks. A real novice. Its air-conditioned !! So I've retired from 42 year career in anesthesia but grandchildren athletes and my hobby go together well. I've even started a little business ( Florida Sports Photography) mostly because I've never worked for myself, always for a PA or hospital. it is a learning process in itself. Volley ball, great action , non stop like basketball, I like it. I shoot there with a Nikon D500 and 70-200 2.8, have learned to shoot vertical with my focus point in lower mid third of frame, that way I aim at chest and can cover floor to ball in focus, not always. Also I've found that 1/1000 I sometimes still get blurred hands and shoes so 1/1250 is my priority shutter setting with aperture 2.8-4 and auto iso and WB. Our gym is unevenly lit from one end to the other. I saw "Bulldogs" team jerseys in your video and I thought hey.....we have Bulldogs in next town north of here, Sebastian Florida but then I saw San Marcos. Thats gotta be in Texas, when I was taking flying lessons, I always watched a You Tuber "Mr. Aviation 101" who lived and flew out of that airport. Would you explain to. me Maxpreps and how that whole thing works? I've shot a baseball tournament or two and made a few bucks, but I'd really like to concentrate on action shots and sport theme senior photos. Check out my website tedkphotos.com and Florida Sports Photography FB if you like. Again I enjoyed your video and will keep an eye out for others. Ted

[@Motionshooter]

Maxpreps is a freelance affiliate of CBS sports. Photographers shoot games and submit photos with no guarantees of sales. Not for the faint hearted :)

[@Frank020]

Is anyone allowed to take photos with a good 35mm camera at the games? Or do I have to have some kind of permit?

[@Motionshooter]

at high school level, anyone can take photos. The officials or school administrators will have boundaries around the court that you must stay behind, but pretty much any parent can photograph a game.

[@NikCan66]

Good advice

[@fredsolis178]

The shutter clicking during the narrative is annoying.