I believe I can fly

The previous post (Please stand up. No...) talked about standing up and shooting the photos along the courtside baseline. The outcome was not very satisfying. So I took a sit/squat down to try shooting the game from a different angle.

With everyone concentrating on the basket (or the camera??) while attempting to score, I snapped the moment they jumped. Since babsketball is a pretty fast pace game, I pressed the shutter when they lifted off their feet in order not to miss them taking off and fly to the basket.


Just unfortune that none of us are able to fly and slam dunk! That would definitely be much fun taking those photos!

Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/kcshashin/Basketball4Sep2010

Please stand up. No...

In NBA games, there are many professional photographers sitting along the baseline of the court with their huge, expensive, high end equipment. I could hardly see them standing up to shoot the photos. I did not pay much attention to it as I think it was just courtesy not to block the audience from enjoying the game.

But until I took some photos myself, I realized...


The photos above were taken with me standing up at the baseline. Somehow, these photos did not give the 'magnificent' impact of the usually action packed game. I found photos were very hard to be composed. For the first and third photos, the players were shooting the ball, but the composition was not satisfying. The photos got the legs cut off while the players was jumping up. It could be a better shot if I could capture the whole person into the frame. Maybe it would be better if I had stepped back and shot the photos?

The 2th and 4th photos, I managed to capture the full person in the photos. But the players seem to be shorter in the photos. I guess this is another challenge for taking the photos while standing up.

Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/kcshashin/Basketball4Sep2010

Attempting block shot

After a few games of running and sweating (the weather was so warm and humid, and the air was so still), I took a break and got ready to take some action photos for those who were continuing the game.

Most actions in basketball games occur under the basket. So I just hung around the baseline and wait for some actions. I followed the player with the ball (rule of thumbs: 95% actions always surround the ball) and kept my finger ready halfway pressing the shutter to focus on the player.


Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter: 1/2000 sec
ISO: 200
Focal length: 35mm

This shot was taken when the offensive player was trying to do a layup, and the defensive player was attempting for a block shot (he ended up landing his hand on the offensive player's arm = foul).

This shot managed to capture both players in the air. I think that it could be a better photo if I shot with a shorter focal length (maybe at 18mm) or tilted the camera upward a little bit more, to capture the ball into the photo as well.

Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/kcshashin/Basketball4Sep2010