For a class assignment I have to shoot indoor basketball. I am using exclusively T-Max 3200 @1600 (no choice here) and will be using a Nikon N90S with an 80-200/2.8. Question- I am use to shooting outdoors (or indoors with alot of natural light) and use the zone system (to the best of my ability)! For this purpose, since the subject will be constantly moving, do I just meter one time and leave it there? Do I meter off the darkest shadow and adjust 2 stops (Like I usually do) or does all the overhead lights make a difference. Any help will be appreciated. Speed is important (obviously)! Hopefully, this is not too basic a question.

-- gail green (gail.green@sba.gov), January 27, 1998

Answers

Re:Metering Indoor Sports

Gail, In my basketball photography, I usually meter a gray card (Z 5 1/2) and the skin tones of one African American (at Z 4 1/2) and one Caucasian(Z 6 1/2) near half court and set my exposure based upon those readings. For most shots in a gym that uses typical grid lighting, that is all that is needed. However, in the gym I shoot in most often, one basket is only 5 feet from a relatively unreflective wall, so I open up one stop when shooting players facing that basket and closer to the wall than the last set of lights. I then print on MGIV RC Pearl at grade 1 1/2 and the negatives are very easy to print en masse. 2 important hints. 1: Use the lens hood. 2: Avoid shooting down on the players as most gym floors are highly laminated and result in a blown out background. Best of luck.

-- David Lundberg (delund@pond.com), January 27, 1998.

I have been in this exact situation several times. High school or college gyms are not illuminated the same as for an NBA game, and as such it is a tough task. What I did was walk the floor during warmups before the game and take handheld meter readings at various points using an incident light meter. Note: If you meter with the dome facing up you will get an indication of better light than there is....point the dome back towards the sidelines where your camera is. Point here is the persons face will be in a shadow from their own features that tend to block out the overhead light and put facial details in shadow. You can end up with a lot of empty eye sockets. It sounds like a minor point but it makes a huge difference, since virtually all the lighting is from overhead. I found there is usually a difference of about one stop from the worst to the best illuminated areas. I then set the camera for the WORST light and just left it there. You are right to expose for the shadow detail. Avoid underexposure with print film. With African Americans its even worse, as skin tones will quickly drop off. As I recall the best I could get was 1/250 f 2.8 with Tmax at 3200. Canon Eos-1n, 70-200 2.8, monopod. It was marginal at stopping the action. Really need to shoot for 1/500th. Seriously consider using a faster and shorter lens, maybe a 50 1.8 or 85 1.8 under the basket or at the corners. Panning works good from the sidelines. Don't mean to discourage you. It's a very hard assignment. Talking to others they have had the same problems. What's good about it is you will learn a lot on this one. Also as if you don't have enough problems....expect autofocus will lag in this situation. Shoot a LOT of film. You are looking at 2-3 keepers per roll....and of those only one you may want to show. Please post back with the results....!!!! Curious how you do.

Regards, Peter

-- Peter Thoshinsky (camerabug1@msn.com), February 05, 1998.

I agree with Peter. Having shot indoors for volleyball and basketball, I also meter off a gray card with my Olympus OM-4T which has a great spot meter. I can then spot meter one black and one white player to get the average. The one gym I have shot in the most in the past year yields a shutter speed of 1/125 with an 80-200 f2.8 wide open. I generally shoot Tri-X pushed two stops to ASA1600 and push process the film. I generally meter once and leave it there.

I know I am late with any info. How have you done using Peter's information?

-- Richard Owen (seagrove@digitalexp.com), September 23, 1999.