I had the pleasure of covering Blacks Midnight 7s for Guinness last weekend. The inaugural ‘Blacks Midnight 7s’ celebrated the 50th anniversary of Blacks Rugby Football Club’s (BRFC’s) men’s wing and the 10th anniversary of the women’s wing. There were 58 games by 22 teams spread over 2 days (17 hours). On Saturday, games were held at the CCAB Stadium in Singapore from 2pm until 1am the next day. There were 20 games held under stadium lights. On Sunday, the event ended at 8:30pm which meant that 4 games including the finals were held under the lights. I estimated that under the artificial lights, incident light was 10-12 EV. Yikes! With low ISO and long exposure times, the players would show up as a big blur.

Here is how I dealt with the problem…

My choice of equipment

• Canon EOS 30D
• Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS
• Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS
• Gitzo MonoTrek Carbon Fiber Monopod
• Bogen (Manfrotto) Ballhead

Camera Settings (night photography)

• Tv mode: f/2.8-/f.3.2
• ISO: 1600-3200
• RAW + JPEG (small/fine)
• Auto Whitebalance
• AI Servo Focusing (all focus points)

Post-Processing (high-ISO)

• Bibble Pro 4.8 (with Noise Ninja)
• Adobe Photoshop CS2

My strategy was to adjust the ISO and f/stop to keep a minimum shutter speed of 1/320 sec. However, achieving that minimum speed was not always possible. Even at ISO 3200 and f/2.8, the shutter speed would often dip down to 1/200. I kept shooting and hoped for the best!

I could often get away with using the small/fine JPEG for day time photos. The end use was mostly editorial so high-resolution tiffs were not required. I processed the high ISO images from the Raw files with Bibble Pro for two reasons. First, to allow the use of the built-in Noise Ninja (setting=10 for ISO 3200). Second, to allow the generation of full-sized 8MP tiffs. The large images allowed me to take advantage of the noise reduction that takes place in Adobe Photoshop CS2 during bicubic downsampling.

The photo shown above (clickable) was taken during the men’s finals (Brewerkz Bucks vs Singapore Cricket Club) using the Canon EOS 30D and Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS lens at 1/200 and f/2.8. The ISO was set at 3200. The resulting photo sized for web use or PowerPoint looks ‘relatively’ noise free even without applying Noise Ninja.

The photo on the left (clickable) is a comparison of full size crops from tiffs generated with Bibble Pro. Here the noise (luminance and chroma) is clearly visible in the ‘untreated’ photo. The bicubic algorithm in Adobe Photoshop CS2 averages out a significant amount of noise during downsampling. If you want to work with larger ISO 3200 images or make prints, then applying noise reduction via Noise Ninja or equivalent is a ‘must’.

See more photos from Blacks Midnight 7s here.

Links to Amazon.com:
Canon EOS 30D
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 IS
Gitzo MK2 Carbon Fiber Monopod
Bogen (Manfrotto) Ballhead
Bibble Pro Software

The Philips Singapore Cup was held at the Indoor Stadium (Kallang) in Singapore Aug. 11-13, 2006. I was there courtside on Sunday with a press pass taking photos of the finals for a client. Yikes! No flash allowed, sodium and fluorescent lighting overhead, and blazing fast basketball action*. What to do? Here are some helpful tips if you have never photographed this fast-moving sport.

Tip #1: Bring a dSLR camera and good ‘glass’ (L-series zoom lenses or primes). Stick with lenses that have a maximum aperture of at least f/2.8 such as the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8. To freeze action in sports, you need a shutter speed of about 1/500 sec. Several of the standard Canon primes work well also; the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8, for example. If you can get next to the court, bring a wide angle lens and shoot crouching or lying on your stomach for an interesting perspective.

Tip #2: Shoot with the lens wide open or nearly wide open using Av or Tv mode. In the Indoor Stadium (Kallang), the Exposure Value (EV) on the floor was between 11 and 12. That means, to get 1/500 sec shutter speed at f/2.8 you need to go up to about ISO 1000. The wide aperture also helps to blur the background isolating the player from distracting surroundings. Use AI Servo mode or AI Focus mode (all focus points). You will find it difficult to catch a jump shot without focus tracking.

Tip #3: None of the white balance modes in the Canon EOS 30D can deal with stadium lighting. Using auto white balance, the photos have an ugly yellow cast. I recommend shooting in Canon raw format then correcting the white balance in raw conversion software such as Bibble Pro or equivalent. Also with raw files, you can correct exposure problems (+/-1 stop) and generate 16-bit TIFFs for high quality prints. Most of the newer Canon dSLRs allow you to capture a raw file together with a jpeg. I usually choose ‘raw + small/fine jpeg’. The small jpeg is useful for sorting and selecting images as well as for quick edits.

Tip #4: Use monopod or tripod. If you are stuck in the stands, you can bring a light weight tripod and set it up in front of you. If you have access to courtside, consider using a monopod. The monopod not only steadies the camera but also helps reduce fatigue without reducing mobility. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS is my favorite lens for shooting badminton. It comes with a nifty tripod ring that balances the camera and lens perfectly on a monopod. My favorite monopod is the Gitzo MonoTrek carbon fiber monopod mounted a Bogen (Manfrotto) Mini Ballhead.

The example shown above is a photo of Carlos Delfino (Argentina) trying to wrestle the ball away from Felipe Reyes (Spain) while Emanuel (Manu) Ginobili (Argentina) looks on in the final game of series – Spain vs Argentina (87:66). A great action photo (jump) taken with a Canon EOS 30D and a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 lens at 22mm, 1/320 sec, ISO 1000, and f/4. Click on the thumbnail for a larger version.

*According to Wikipedia – Since its invention in 1891, Basketball has developed to become a truly international sport. Organized league play originated in the YMCA and early leagues were formed in colleges. Basketball eventually became a professional sport and is one of the few women’s sports which developed in tandem with men’s. Even though it was originally an American sport, it quickly spread internationally and outstanding players and teams are found today all over the world.

The elite races of the OSIM Singapore Triathlon 2006 Championship were held Sunday July 2nd at East Coast Park. Australian Bryce Quirk bagged top spot in the elite men’s race – clocking in at 1:49:35, beating defending champion and countryman Chris Hill who dropped to 7th place. Behind Bryce by only 15 seconds was Daniil Sapunov from Kazakhstan. Robert says that was a close finish! Third place went to New Zealand’s Ben Pulham, who clocked 1:50:59.

Bryce said: “The heat is the biggest challenge here in Singapore. It is so close to the equator, so it’s hot and humid, so that makes it a tough race. So the fittest man generally wins and I am happy to win today.” Bryce collected US$3,200 for his winning effort.

Australian triathlete Samantha Beenie won the women’s elite event in 2:5:42 followed by countrywoman Lynne Marie Duthie at 02:11:26. Singaporean Alisa Ng Xinyi nabbed the second spot for the women’s under 23 race while Singapore’s 2005 Manila Sea Games gold medalist Cheng Jing Hean came in eighth from a field of 15 competitors with a time of 2:06:03 in the elite men’s under 23 race.

Robert photographed the event (media access) with a Canon EOS 30D dSLR and a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. For a few shots, I used a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens. Images were captured in Canon raw format and converted to16-bit tiffs using Bibble Pro 4.8 for processing in Adobe Photoshop CS2.

Click on the thumbnail or here to see photos from the event.

Rash Guard Men’s Triathlon Lycra Shortie 2pc SZ M/L/XL

US $88.42 End Date: Thursday Jul-29-2010 23:08:40 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $88.42 Buy it now | Add to watch list

---

Peter Gade won the AVIVA Open 2006 Men’s Singles title at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Sunday, June 11th. He trounced fellow shuttler Dane Kenneth Jonassen with masterful skill that resulted in a final score of 21-14, 21-10. Gade almost totally dominated the match often trapping Jonassen at the net then scoring with his deadly jump smashes. Jonassen could not respond fast enough to Gade’s attack and ultimately surrendered the title he had won in 2004.

I was determined to photograph both players smashing the shuttlecock into their opponent’s court. The ‘jump smash’ photo is the ultimate action shot in the sport of badminton. With no flash allowed and diffuse yellow-tinted stadium lighting, it was quite a challenge to catch the players at the peak of the jump. It only lasts a few milliseconds! Fortunately, I had a press pass that allowed me access to court side as I was shooting for a client.

Based on my experience at the preliminary rounds, I chose to use a Canon EOS 30D with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens mounted on a carbon fiber monopod. I set the camera mode to aperture priority (Av) locking the f/stop on 2.8. With the ISO set at 1000, the shutter speed varied between 1/400 and 1/500 sec. To track the moving players, I set autofocus to the AI Servo mode (for moving subjects/objects). Once set to AI Servo, I simply activated the autofocus with my right thumb* to track a moving player. I left the white balance on ‘auto’ and set ‘raw + small/fine jpeg’ as the file format. The raw file gave me more flexibility to correct white balance for the color cast from the stadium lighting.

*I activated Custom Function 4 (CF-4) which transfers autofocus operation from the shutter button to the exposure lock button, the left of the two small buttons on the top right of the camera back.

Confused about AI Servo and AI Focus – how they work and focus point selection? Read Chuck Westfall’s explanation in this classic post on Pro Photo Home.

Click here to see more photos from the AVIVA Open 2006.

The Aviva Open 2006 preliminary rounds were held yesterday at the Indoor Stadium (Kallang) in Singapore. I was there taking some test shots to get ready for the finals that start today.

Yikes! No flash allowed, sodium and fluorescent lighting overhead, and blazing fast badminton action. According to Wikipedia, Badminton champion Fu Haifeng of China set the official world smash record on June 3, 2005 with a shuttlecock speed measured at 332 km/h (206 mph), faster than the Eurostar train. Check out the video.

How can a photographer overcome these issues? Here are some helpful tips if you have never photographed this fast-moving sport.

Tip #1: Bring a dSLR camera and good ‘glass’ (L-series zoom lenses or primes). Stick with lenses that have a maximum aperture of at least f/2.8. To freeze action in sports, you need a shutter speed of about 1/500 sec. Several of the standard Canon primes work well also -  the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 and the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8, for example. If you can get next to the courts, bring a wide angle lens and shoot crouching or lying on your stomach for an interesting perspective.

Tip #2: Shoot with the lens wide open or nearly wide open using Av or Tv mode. In the Indoor Stadium (Kallang), the Exposure Value (EV) on the floor was between 11 and 12. That means, to get 1/500 sec shutter speed at f/2.8 you need to go up to about Iso 1,000. The wide aperture also helps to blur the background isolating the player from distracting surroundings. Use AI Servo mode or AI Focus mode (all focus points). You won’t have a chance of catching a ‘jump smash’ without focus tracking.

Tip #3: None of the white balance modes in the Canon EOS 30D can deal with stadium lighting. Using auto white balance, the photos have an ugly yellow cast. I recommend shooting in Canon raw format then correcting the white balance in raw conversion software such as Bibble Pro or equivalent. Also with raw files, you can correct exposure problems (+/-1 stop) and generate 16-bit tiffs for high quality prints. Most of the newer Canon dSLRs allow you to capture a raw file together with a jpeg. I usually choose ‘raw + small/fine jpeg’. The small jpeg is useful for sorting and selecting images as well as for quick edits.

Tip #4: Use monopod or tripod. If you are stuck in the stands, you can bring a light weight tripod and set it up in front of you. If you have access to the floor, consider using a monopod. The monopod not only steadies the camera but also helps reduce fatigue without reducing mobility. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS is my favorite lens for shooting badminton. It comes with a nifty tripod ring that balances the camera and lens perfectly on a monopod. My favorite monopod is the Gitzo MonoTrek carbon fiber monopod mounted a Bogen (Manfrotto) Mini Ballhead.

The example shown above is a photo of shuttlers Gail Emms and Donna Kellog of the UK paired off against Mingtian Fu and Lei Yao of Singapore during the preliminary rounds. A great action photo (jump smash) taken with a Canon EOS 30D and a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS lens at 105mm, 1/400 sec, Iso 1250, and f/3.2.

Click here to see more photos from the AVIVA Open 2006.

One of those last minute calls to fill in for a photographer brought to me a Singapore Triathlon 2006 Training Clinic at East Coast Park this past Saturday. A celebrity shoot was planned with Li Lin Wong, a local actress who first gained popularity with the role of Elaine Tay, a female inspector, in the hugely popular local police TV series ‘Triple Nine’. She went on to do dozens of TV shows, telemovies, magazines covers, etc. Married with two children and with a very hectic schedule, Li Lin has managed to stay in superb physical shape.

East Coast Park is one of my least favorite places in Singapore for a photo shoot. The light is terrible even on a nice day. The choice is either dark shade or bright sunlight with yellow cast from the reflected light off the beach and bare patches of soil where there should be grass. In addition, Li Lin was a bit under the weather with a cold. Still we managed get the shots that we needed.

My choice of equipment was my trusty Canon EOS 30D mounted with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS. I wanted the quality bokeh that you can only get from a Canon telephoto lens packed with L-glass. To open up the shadows a bit on some shots, I used a Canon Speedlite 580EX flash in the fill mode (Av or Tv). For the actions shots, I used the AI Servo auto-focusing mode.

Several of the photos will appear have appeared in the Thursday, May 25 ‘Urban’ section of the Singapore Straits Times. Click on the thumbnail to see a few of the photos.

Many thanks to Dora and Lynda from IMSG for superbly managing the shoot. Li Lin was a pleasure to work with as usual!

Note: This was my second time covering an event featuring Li Lin. I did a editorial shoot for FHM last November when Li Lin made a guest appearance at the F1 Powerboat Race at Marina South. She was featured on the cover of FHM ’s Singapore October 2005 issue.

Saucony Wmn’s Triathlon Compression Run Cycle Shorts S

US $12.99 (1 Bid) End Date: Friday Jul-30-2010 8:45:20 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

---

I was at the Powerboat Races last Sunday (3rd Round of the U.I.M. F1 World Championship) as a freelance photographer for FHM Magazine. I might better title this post – “A Muddy Mess and a Crash”. Morning rain turn the event site at Marina Bay into a swamp. Exhibitor’s tents seemed to scattered about with no rhyme or reason. The FHM tent was accessible either by cutting through the Fiat tent or by walking around the side of the encampment through the mud.

Still, it turned out to be quite an exciting day. After a restart caused by a boat with a faulty motor, Scott Gillman (Boat No. 1) and Guido Cappellini (Boat No. 43) were in the lead almost side-by-side for the next seven laps when Gillman finally took Cappellini by a nose as they approached the turn. Then suddenly with neither driver giving ground, the 8-time World Champion had no where to go except over the top of Gillman’s boat that went barrel-rolling violently to a stop upside down, while Cappellini ended his day with a violent barrel-roll in front of a horrified audience of thousands of spectators. Benefiting from the mishap was Italian Francesco Cantando (Boat No. 15) who won his first victory of the season. The native of Milan, Italy took home his 11th career win.

Note: For more photos click on the thumbnail or here. The crash sequence is here.

1 Thai Magazine FHM with Free Calendar 2010

US $23.99 (0 Bid) End Date: Thursday Jul-29-2010 22:56:02 PDT Bid now | Add to watch list

---