Help with immediate post match celebration shoots

[TheMozzy]

Hi all, have been gaining valuable advice here for a while from the wealth of knowledge.

I'm looking for some tips on shooting post match celebrations immediately after the final whistle. I shoot mostly field sports and quite often there aren't any restrictions on entering onto the playing field for supporters once the game ends. Even if there is restrictions for supporters there is a multitude of subs and backroom staff running onto the pitch to celebrate. I would have access to the field in either case but would you suggest getting in there among the players for real close up reactions or hang back and shoot from a little bit further away.

Also with all the movement going on and shooting in any direction (and different light scenarios) at any moment what mode would you shoot at. (I generally shoot manual during the game). As it's at the end of the game the light is often not good especially during the winter season so do people shoot with or without flash. This immediate celebration happens at a rapid pace and is over quite quickly with alot of quality shoots available if able to react quickly enough. In these scenarios I would shoot with either a Canon 6D + 24-70 f 2.8 combination or Canon 6D + 70-200 f2.8 combination. Thanks for any tips.

 

[gibtheo]

Some of the rugby teams I shoot in Australia welcome people on to the pitch at all times the games is not underway. I guess first thing to say is obviously check with someone at the the club about whether you are allowed to go on to the pitch after the game. Presuming that's ok, I personally hang slightly back with a 70-200mm so obviously no flash. You can still get right into what's going on but you have the chance to change your angle and position pretty easily I think.

That's not to say that getting right in there with a shorter lens wouldn't get you some good stuff too, I suppose it really depends on what is happening and how many fans etc are crowding around what you want to photograph.

The only really good but I suppose fairly obvious tip I could give is that I try to predict what might happen. For example, in the case of some rugby I did it was the last game of the season and there was one player who was playing his last game before moving to an NRL club, his team won, securing their place in the finals, so I kept an eye on him and as the players rushed in together got a few decent shots of him with everyone congratulating him before the huddle got impossible to penetrate!

Sorry for a fairly unhelpful answer!