Photographing Gymnastics

[Krysta]

I love photography and I'd like to start photographing a friend of mine, for practice. She's a level 8/9 and is doing some advanced skills.
Does anyone have any experience or advice to share?

 

[gymgurl]

Ok well gyms are notoriously famous for bad light and needing a super fast shutter speed. doesn't help and i would refrain from using flash as it may distract the gymnast. So the only things to do is to have a good lens with a super low f stop and then crank up the iso (i know grainy photos are not ideal but at least you can clean that up using an editing software, if it is too dark you can't fix it) you also need a super fast shutter speed look at the speed these gymnasts go at if you want a snapshot of the move you will need a very quick shutter speed. Try different angles aswell there are oh to many pictures of back handsprings from the side, maybe try a really low angle (i.e. looking up at the gymnast) just experiment with a bunch of things

 

[ryantroop]

I guess the best answer is to consider your experience and the style you are into.

There is room for macro, photojournalism, documentary... If you are going for a certain look, maintain it.
The big rules - no flash, no reflectors. Don't be afraid to ask to be on the floor, but if told you cannot be then respect it. if you are on the floor, keep your eyes open around you and not stuck in the frame. A lot goes on around you.

Fast glass is important,but some very artsy photos have been taken at slower speeds. However, I remember reading that even olympic lighting is staged for f/4, which is why photogs get away with telephoto lenses @ 2.8. In highschools I struggled to hit 1/800 @ f/1.4, but that was back when iso 3200 was unacceptable in terms of grain, so your milage may vary based on the camera body you have.

Know your equipment, watch warm-ups, and find something that makes you go 'wow' and catch those moments - but they go by fast.

Good luck!!

Ryan

 

[Gymdad2]

all very good advice - I have found that many larger meets will have a contract with a professional photographer which may excude amatuers from using a camera from near the floor (shots from the bleachers are usually permitted but NO FLASH at any time). However, at these meets I have usually been able to shoot from the floor area during warmups. I realize that these are not the actual competition photos, but the skills are the same and are often being repeated so you can do multiple shots of a skill and select the ones you want.

 

[MamaofEnS]

As a parent photographing my child, I have to say that the biggest advantage I had was that I knew my DD's routine really well. That way I could prepare the camera, and catch those leaps, jumps, and skills that were the most exciting. Good luck.