Shooting Wakeboarding in Low Light

I shot a bunch of pictures this weekend right at Sunset in much lower light than I normally shoot in.

Usually, I shoot in aperature priority and adjust it so the shutter speed is around 1/1500 to 1/2500 and go with it. I am usually around f4 to 6.3

In the lower light even at f2.8, my shutter speed wasn't fast enough to stop motion and get clear shots. After reviewing the pictures I think I know what I have should have done...

Go to shutter priority and set it to 1/1500 and then crank the ISO up until I get a properly exposed picture... probably around 1600. Is that right? Any other suggestions for low light wakeboarding? I guess I could have used my 580EX but didn't have it along and am not real skilled with using it yet.

Yes, that's the only thing you can do. You are going to introduce noise at 1600... depending on your camera.

A flash won't work for two reasons. The rider is going to be too far away to have any great effect. But more importantly is your flash sync speed. Cameras have a flash sync speed of 1/200 - 1/500. Too slow of a shutter speed for you if you are trying to freeze it at 1/1500.

It's hard to freeze action without a flash. This is about as low a light level as I've ever shot. 1/1000th, ISO2500, pushed 2/3rds of a stop. I like the mood of these type shots which is tough to get with a flash.

Actually, you can use flash to stop action, and it can be a great tool. But there is a large learning curve. Also, on camera flash will not work(in this situation) without a flash extender(the name escapes me right now, but it's what wildlife shooters use)

I believe the flash extender is called a tube-n-pocketwizarderorlator

The one Arthur Morris is always touting is the Better Beamer.

Better Beamer - I just googled it. What an interesting contraption.


With the lens and teleconverters on this camera, I would say he is shooting very far away. I'm thinking it may work.

This was pretty much taken at night it was a lot darker than the picture looks no flash you can take good shots but they start to get a little grainy at higher ISO's. Wouldn't ever run in a mag because of how grainy it is, but you can get some enjoyable shots for yourself.

the better beamer looks like a normal snoot, just a narrow beam of light on what looks like a canon 580ex flash

Why would you need that with a 580EX? I have that flash and I think it has a range of like 100' or something. I'd think it would put out plenty of light for a rider 80' back.

If you have a chance check out the bird photography of Arthur Morris, he is a wizard with that thing. I got one a while back but have never used it. In that shot above I doubt the guy is more then 40 or 50 feet from the bird. Not sure if it would be very good on a wakeboarder.

Riley - with the D700 you can shoot iso 3600 at midnight and it looks like the middle of the day with no grain.. ;-) Do you have http://www.neatimage.com/ If not, shoot me the original of Bordie's pic and lets see what it can do..

I like the grain in this shot

Hey Rob,

By no means am I an expert in flash, but it doesn't work that way. The 580EX has a GN unit of 190 I think. You divide that by the f stop being used and that gives you the distance it can reach the subject and fully cover them.

So GN of 190 shooting at f/4 will be 47.5 feet.

Hey Steezy Ever use Noiseware or Noise Ninja?

Ho I use Photoshop CS4. Like I said I like the noise in that shot

I'm glad you finally said "noise" instead of "grain", I was going to call you out with "it ain't film dude!"

I'm a big noise ninja fan, I'm sure I probably ran that shot of chris above through it. Between the high ISO capabilities and software we won't need flashes much longer!

I cam sleep tonight now that I have your approval.

wow...i've never heard of anyone being a fan of noise.

i "ninja'd" the same pic above in a previous thread.

If you were to go b&w with it I totally would be fine with the noise in the picture but when it is in color then it just seems too "digital"

Just my opinion.

But even still, you're gonna need to kill some of that noise. There's just too much of it.

same through noiseware

i applied like 1% effort. knowing you, you busted your ass on that fix.

joe - did you watch those tutorials yet?

Come to think of Riley.. I don't like the crop, grain, noise, or the colors, so I made a few changes. (I hope you don't mind..?)

I like to think of this in the same light as what AMG does for Mercedes, Ruf for Porsche, Dinan for BMW, etc.. Just tak'n it to the next level.

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Hahahahhahahaha! Punks!

I bet David's edit would totally run in a mag!

I don't know RT looks a little "Grainy" to me in B&W

I am surprised none of you have said this, but this may just be my film photog teacher shining through.

You cannot rely on post processing to fix a photo that isn't shot well in the 1st place.

If it has a lot of noise you may be able to massage it but it will never be as good as taking a better picture.

Here is my version done in CS4

I don't think anyone here was trying to say that was shot well in the first place.

HAHAHAhahaha. I actually laughed out loud a little bit at scott a's post.

To me, it looks like Brodie's legs are shaved which is a far bigger deal than the noise issue.

Scott knows what it's like to take a bad picture!

I also know when to hit the delete button instead of posting them on wakeworld.

Ouch.

really? because posting on WW means sooo much!



(Message edited by steezyshots on August 04, 2009)

I think the SW needs to be renamed Noisewar!

This place is becoming worse than craig's list...!

I agree with big B on this one... leave the noise -take it out..... but for the sake of all that is Man - keep your leg hair growing my friends.