Sport shooters: Stool or no stool?

redmonkee

redmonkee

Suspended / Banned
Messages
2,653
Name
PHILIP
Edit My Images
No
Hi again guys.

As the footy season is underway I'll soon be trying my hand at shooting with two cameras.

My current set up is 300 2.8 on monopod, with second body attached to a 70-200 2.8.

Now at the moment my second body has the standard canon strap, which I hate and I have recently been looking at the BlackRapid R Strap (currently have a thread on this in the equipment area)

My current preferred way of shooting sports is to sit on the floor so I can get as low as possible. The problem with this is the Black Rapid wouldn't work as well as the 70-200 would hit the floor when bringing the camera up to shoot.

Therefore should use a stool to enable me to use the BlackRapid? or would you stick with sitting on the floor?

What's your preferred seating position at footy games?
 
It's not a matter of what the preferred position is in many cases. It's a matter of what's allowed and what's not.

Every venue is different, some you are forced to sit on your bottom, some you can sit on a stool/case, and some you can even stand up at! (Some you NEED to stand up at in fact!).

A three legged fold up camping type stool is about £5, buy one and strap it to your bag, if you can sit on it great, if not.. then stick your laptop on it so it's at a good height whilst you're on the floor!
 
I usually sit on my peli case and sit my laptop on my 400MM hard case.

As Phil says though, some places your have to sit on the floor, also it depends if your allowed to shoot infront of the advertising boards and what height the boards are.

I like the peli case because it gives me 3 different heights to sit at.
 
Both andy and phil make a good point. It can be very dependent on the setup of stadiums and their advertising hoardings. I've noticed two trends emerging; stadiums with lower seating than pitch level,and those with seating higher than pitch level.

Bath rugby is one of the former. The executive box stand has a seating area at pitch level and in fact the first 3 rows are lower than the pitch. This means you have to sit on the grass. No way will the fans let you sit on peli cases or stools.

It's as well to be flexible generally...not least because they can alter the dimension of your photos as well. Sometimes for the better.
 
I used to have cheapo £5 three legged stools, but after a number of collapse incidents which greatly amused the crowd behind me, I've gone for a long and a short "Walkstool". These are far more robust, more comfortable, and generally much better. Highly recommended.

There are occasions when you have to sit on the grass or perimeter (QPR being one) and I always have a plastic bag with me to sit on to avoid getting covered in mud.

If you're on the floor, it's much easier to just put your 2nd body on the floor next to you, grip uppermost, and dont bother with a strap.
 
A stool would not be practical at Track & Field as your moving from track to long jump then high jump back to track and then off to pole vault, nor would it be possible at most canoeing events as the river bank is too steep for a stool. At the cycle speedway the fence would be in the way if sat on a stool, and they would not let you have one trackside at a velodrome.


OH! hang on I read your post wrong , you have a thread heading Sport shooters: Stool or no stool when you meant Football shooter.
 
whiteflyer said:
A stool would not be practical at Track & Field as your moving from track to long jump then high jump back to track and then off to pole vault, nor would it be possible at most canoeing events as the river bank is too steep for a stool. At the cycle speedway the fence would be in the way if sat on a stool, and they would not let you have one trackside at a velodrome.


OH! hang on I read your post wrong , you have a thread heading Sport shooters: Stool or no stool when you meant Football shooter.
Click to expand...

Well clearly Mark...a stool would be impractical for American Football, Basketball or Ice Hockey. I know that, you know that, Phil knows that...however I didn't feel the need to point it out.
 
whiteflyer said:
A stool would not be practical at Track & Field as your moving from track to long jump then high jump back to track and then off to pole vault, nor would it be possible at most canoeing events as the river bank is too steep for a stool. At the cycle speedway the fence would be in the way if sat on a stool, and they would not let you have one trackside at a velodrome.


OH! hang on I read your post wrong , you have a thread heading Sport shooters: Stool or no stool when you meant Football shooter.
Click to expand...

He says in the first sentence of his opening post that it'll be for football :shrug:

I shoot football, but have shot athletics, swimming, cricket, rowing... so I consider myself a sports photographer :p
 
Last edited:
I sit at most.... inc the ones listed as wouldnt need to sit... american football -sit, basketball -sit, Ice Hockey -sit

on a side note..I was going to list all the diff sports I ahve done.. but it would get thrown out of sports pic section and look daft in talk photography...we need a talk sport section guys...
 
Byker28i said:
Knee pads for the wet grass days?
Click to expand...

Standard piece of kit in my bag now after shooting models in the tunnels underneath the Victoria Baths in Manchester for 3-4hrs. Dirty dusty concrete really does your knees in.

They definitely make kneeling (on any ground) much easier if you get good quality ones. Just hit up B&Q or the Screwfix website.
 
Kaouthia said:
Standard piece of kit in my bag now after shooting models in the tunnels underneath the Victoria Baths in Manchester for 3-4hrs. Dirty dusty concrete really does your knees in.

They definitely make kneeling (on any ground) much easier if you get good quality ones. Just hit up B&Q or the Screwfix website.
Click to expand...

Likewise American Football where you're running the lines, it's a good plan to have kneepads. Gets very sore otherwise!
 
Cheers guys. The juniors have moved to full pitch this year so it's a different ball game (so to speak).
 
jamesb84 said:
Likewise American Football where you're running the lines, it's a good plan to have kneepads. Gets very sore otherwise!
Click to expand...

Yes indeed. See here where I plug some combat trousers with removable kneepads
 
Cheers for the replies guys. I was asking from an amateur point of view as opposed to a professional one, I understand you pros will have limitations depending on the venues you're shooting at.

I think I'm going to stay sat on the floor for the time being, as I don't have to worry bout falling of my stool, also it's quicker to move about. Once I get my waterproof trousers i'll be sorted.

Also I've decided to get the Black Rapid and see how I go about using it whilst sitting.
 
I'll answer from the amateur angle then. I take my stool to football and rugby and sit pitchside but as I tend to follow the game up and down the pitch, I only stay on it for about 5 minutes!!!

I got myself a little fishing stool from the range for a tenner and it's even got a coolbox thing underneath :lol::lol:

Also, if I'm on the stool as oppose to on the floor, if we have any spectators, I can move around them when they stand in front of me a lot easier than them trampling on me when I'm sitting on the floor :D
 
From another amateur point of view..

I have a small seat/rucksack that I use when fishing on riverbanks.

The rucksack part is great for flask, biccies etc as well.

As the seat part doesn't have single legs it's doesn't sink in to the ground in winter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top