Shooting in poor light, anything else I can do?

Twizzel

Twizzel

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Rach
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I cover a local equestrian centre's events and the feedback has been fantastic. I have been covering their events since May when I first approached them. People love the photos, the owner is chuffed that more people are attending and checking the website/facebook (a selection of photos are uploaded each week as per agreement). This was in a superb outdoor arena, only built last year. The lighting is great, background is rolling countryside and this is the kind of photo customers get week on week

IMG_8547 by Twizzel88, on Flickr


IMG_1480 by Twizzel88, on Flickr

They have moved inside now for the winter and the indoor school is diabolical. It's small and very poorly lit. They have made it worse this year by putting solar panels on the roof so any natural light coming in through clear perspex roof panels has been blocked out. The owner keeps telling me to buy a new camera! But I am seriously struggling and have said so far I just cannot shoot in it. To give you an idea this was back in August, note the blurred hooves and legs, this was only slow dressage not even jumping! and was one of the better photos.


IMG_5675 by Twizzel88, on Flickr
Is there anything I can do to tweak my settings and try to shoot in this arena? I had a quick go at photographing jumping in there the other week, cranked ISO up to 2500, exp compensation +1, f2.8 and still legs were blurry, whole shots were out of focus. I'm using a 7D and Canon 70-200 f2.8 non IS version. People know the light in there is bad but seem to think super quality photos can be produced from such poor lighting... help :(
 
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I've never used a 7D so I don't know what the iso capabilities are like but I'd expect you to be able to get away with a lot more than iso2,500. I'd suggest putting it up to iso6400 if you can get away with it.

I'd suggest shooting in Av mode at f2.8. Auto ISO with the max set at 6,400 and a minimum shutter speed set at about 1/160th or whatever it takes to freeze the action sufficiently at the speeds the horses are moving.
 
Forget about Av or any other automatic mode indoors and expecially with that whit wall behind the horse. You should have reasonably level lighting indoors so manual mode will probably suffice better.

The ISO at 6400 on the 7D I would imagine is horrific but a quick Noise Reduction sweep in LR or something and it should print reasonably fine.

If you can't get 1/320th (the absolute minimum I would recommend for jumping) at ISO6400 then I would suggest trying panning. WHen done right you will get some great shots. Takes a bit of practice but try 1/60th and follow the horse over the fence shooting at 8fps.

Another option is to buy an 85mm f1.8 to give you a bit more light.

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this, apart of course from buying a 1Dx!!
 
iso 2500 is low for indoor work.. especialy for a 7d .. crank up the iso is the immediate answer
 
Is is a problem with horses moving as fast as they do and they move horizontally and vertically at the same time which adds to the issue. As mentioned above, turn up the ISO, dial in some plus comp and switch off all in camera sharpening. Your camera should be set to 'neutral'. Using a monopod helps sometimes too. With light coloured subjects you'll have a chance but dark subject can be a nightmare to lock focus.

This was taken last Saturday night, normally the lighting is good in this place but the powers that be decided to use half the arena and most of the lights that were on were above the part of the arena that wasn't being used. :bang:
This worked against me as it was like shooting into the sun!

This image has been through noise reducing software and lightened up a fair bit in PP.

1D IV and 16-35mm f/2.8
ISO 8000
1/500th
f/4.5
16mm


sshlj.jpg
 
also try shooting the horses coming more directly at you rather than across you.
 
Twizzel said:
I had a quick go at photographing jumping in there the other week, cranked ISO up to 2500, exp compensation +1, f2.8 and still legs were blurry, whole shots were out of focus. I'm using a 7D and Canon 70-200 f2.8 non IS version. People know the light in there is bad but seem to think super quality photos can be produced from such poor lighting... help :(
Click to expand...


Try exp comp of -1 instead, this will keep the shutter speed up. By increasing it you are forcing the camera to slow it down to compensate. Even if your images are slightly darker, the shutter will speed up and you can up the exposure in post. You really want to be shooting at 3200 though. The 7Dshould be well capable at that level? My old D90 was. Sure, I got noise, but it wasn't much bother to clean up.
 
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