HELP with taking action pics

[etjoyride]

I'm not completely sure that anyone here will be able to help me, but i thought i would try. For sometime now i have been thinking about making a setup so that i can take action pictures of games going on while actually being out on the field. So i was wondering if anyone has seen people do this or if they have done this themselves, and what they have used to make sure their cameras don't get shot.

Oh and if it is any help i will be either using a sony digital camera, or a nikon SLR digital.

Thanks everyone

[mag88888]

Maybe you could duct tape it to your leg? But seriously, I've seen people with those little cylinder cameras attached to their helmet. I know you dont have that kind of little camera but just saying...Otherwise i don't know how you can do this.

[psychowarden]

I use a rebel when I do it, but I just stand on the sidelines with a refs shield and refs vest, and I dont really get shot much, sure it happens, but never really intentional. But playing and taking pics at the same time, sounds a bit more difficult.

[etjoyride]

well, i know that it's possible because once or twice in magazines i have seen people with setups during scenario game susing full size cameras. Sadly i can't locate the magazines in my large piles.

[buzzboy]

Playing rec. I just leave my camera out of the field and get it after the games. I think it is more effective thought to just not play the game you are tryin to shoot.

[etjoyride]

I guess i didnt make myself completely clear . i wasnt planning on playing at the same time as taking pics, just one at a time. however i want to mkae sure i have something protective so i don't ruin a several hundred dollar camera.

[govnamac]

Borrow or buy a refs clear plastic shield. You could get a nice zoom lens and take pics from the sidelines, which is what most people do.

If you are talking about rec ball, I'd be very careful. Most people playing woods ball will shoot at anything that moves.

[etjoyride]

i tihnk that i'm going to end up going with the refs shield idea...does anyone know where to buy them and how much they cost???

[craltal]

look up "lexan shield" or "riot shield" in google and you should end up with a bunch of options.

Mine is actually used East German riot gear

[etjoyride]

alright thanks, i'll look into them a bit more after i talk some more to the field owner where i'll be taking the pics

[CaliMagFan]

keep it simple...

i have done a lot of on field action shooting. i just wear an orange shirt and drape a towel over the body of my camera. its really simple to avoid being hit in the lense even if you are in a lane or shooting over the shoulder of a player. forget trying to hold a shield or something else, cause you're going to need two hands to shoot properly.... when i get my camera, i'll try and take a pic of what i have found to be the best placement of the towel.... but basically just fold it over on its width several times to make it narrower.. the only thing that will be exposed is the lense, but that is a really small target. I would suggest, if you dont alraedy have one, get a simple UV filter for the lense. they are inexpensive and do nothing to your light level so far as F stops are concerned. generally they cost the same as a lense cap, so i use one in its place for the most part...

good luck.
the rest is just practicing shooting with the mask on, a little tricky, but not impossible.

[doc_Zox]

http://www.aquapac.net/

[etjoyride]

thanks cali and doc, i dont have 100 bux to drop on a case right now, so i think i'll try out the towel idea.
THanks for all the ideas and keep the gelp coming.

[psychowarden]

You know those dish like snow sleds...exactly the same as a ref shield, just doesnt have "REF" painted on the side. Thats what I use when Im reffing, or an Umbrella.

[Rather]

Problably the easiest and cheapest ways to make one is to get zip ties and a cardboard box. Poke a couple holes in the box and make yourself a couple of loops with the zip ties. If you use a folded box it should hold up well enough to serve its purpose for a day of photo's, and will be easy to carry since you can just slide it onto your arm. Make sure you have at least 2 layers of cardboard because if one area gets shot from a lcose enough distance it may break through the first layer of cardboard.

I did this all the time when reffing because I hated carrying around those heavy plexiglass sheilds. Sure i couldn't see through it, but i could run MUCH faster to check people when using it.

and one thing I tried when doing 1 vs 1 games i cut out a section of cardboard and made a hole big enough to fit thefront of the lense through, so I wouldn'ttake any direct front shots to the camera. You can play around with how to cut it so you can protect more sides of the camera than just the front. I'd say cut it out to where it looks a bit like a cross and fold longer segments so you can fold and tape them together and havea nice little expendable protective box.


Also be sure to have some kind of lense filter or cover so should you actually take a shot to the lense... all you would have to replace is the filter and not the actual lense.