[Leica] IMG: Basketball game

[ricc at embarqmail.com (Ric Carter)]

Thanks, Ted.

This trip was completely recreational. I agree with your advice. It has 
worked pretty well in 2 or 3 thousand basketball games (mostly high school 
but a couple hundred college) I've shot in my life. UNC's floor space is a 
hard ticket and patrolled heavily, and I was there for fun, not a fight;^)

My most frightening contact was looking up to see UNC's Geff Crompton (an 
overweight 6-11 center of over 300 pounds from Burlington,NC) losing his 
balance as I sat cross-legged at the end line. He landed full atop me 
without catching himself. I folded up under him and still do not know why I 
was not hurt.  That was in about 1974 when I was a skinny pup. I fear it 
would kill the fat Ric of today;^)

I wish I had owned a Leica in those days, I feel they would be excellent for 
basketball. I mostly used a 50 (on a Fujica ST and later OM-1 or OM-3) in 
the high school cave-dark gyms at small high schools. I even resorted to an 
old Honeywell potato masher flash from time to time, but preferred available 
light. I tried to go longer lens in well-lit college gyms. I could stand to 
shoot at high school (and preferred it), but most colleges required sitting.

"Dominate the lane" would yield 80% of the successful shots especially for 
guys like me without the high-dollar telephotos.

Thanks for looking

ric









On Feb 20, 2011, at 1:03 PM, <tedgrant at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Ric Carter offered:
> Subject: [Leica] IMG: Basketball game
> 
> 
>> Went to a college game today:
>> 
>> <http://cartersxrd.net/Site/First_Draft/Entries/2011/2/19_Tar_Heel_Basketball.html>
>> http://tinyurl.com/4ngmbpj<<<<
> 
> Hi Ric,
> Interesting series on an overall shoot. Lots of good bits and pieces. But 
> lacking in high jump to basket images. Maybe this will help. :-)
> 
> Next game go early and get a spot sitting on the floor (make it look like 
> you are supposed to be there!) By the same token be prepared for a couple 
> of things. You should be slightly back from the court floor marking and 
> right inline with the basket.
> 1/
> Being told to get a seat some place else. But try to convince the official 
> you have covered lots of games from this position , "even a few NBA" 
> games. And smile. Keep it light and if he insists? Live with it, and move 
> .... "back " But do try to stay  inline with the basket.
> 
> 2/
> If you can stay...... "BE PREPARED TO BE RUN OVER BY A PLAYER OR TWO!" 
> Ouch! It can hurt.   But always smile!   :-) Toughest hits are those you 
> don't see coming! If this should happen the chances are you will be told 
> to move! Again smile, move back from floor markings, but not far enough 
> that people can walk in front of you.
> 
> Obviously chose the end of the team that "your team is playing against." 
> You want "YOUR TEAM" doing the high jumps to basket and looking like they 
> are scoring all the points. Then at half-time move to the other end. Again 
> always look like you are supposed to sit at that position! Don't move 
> about! Just park yer butt and fiddle with cameras in a "preparing to shoot 
> fashion!"
> 
> However, in the event you have no favourite team, find out which team is 
> the most likely to win and sit at the other team's end because you want 
> the most opportunities for baskets at your end right in front of you! And 
> not watching all the cool stuff happening at the other end. :-(
> 
> While in this position don't worry about things at the other end, waste of 
> time as they're too far away. You watch for athlete with ball charging 
> into toward your end from mid-floor to basket and follow the ball/player 
> to the final jump to basket. Usually good opportunities when defenders go 
> up also.
> 
> As you know it's faster than a bolt of lightening. If you're using a 
> manual focus, you'll find keeping the camera generally focused on the 
> basket will get the best hits in focus. Auto-focus? Well it depends on 
> camera and how fast it does it's thing, or if you're following somebody 
> keep tapping the shutter release lightly and camera will change. Or if you 
> have one of those whiz bang follow focus cameras I need not tell you how 
> to use it. Because I don't know how. :-)
> 
> LENS? From the sitting on floor position usually the 50mm works best. And 
> the greatest number of basket shots will be holding camera for vertical 
> format shooting.
> 
> One of the best things of sitting on the floor or kneeling..... "don't do 
> it, your knee caps will never forgive you!" Is the players look like 
> they're jumping 5 feet off the floor, more spectacular! :-)
> 
> Just a few things from shootig a great number of basketball games. Good 
> luck.
> cheers,
> ted
> 
> 
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