What flash for sports photography?

S

Steven

New member
Hey im a college freshman and just bought a D200 and about to dive headfirst into the world of freelance photography, I am going to start out shooting for newspapers and eventually building my own website and extending my clients. I am somewhat ignorant in terms of equipment, although i do know how to make a great image, and i will have the quickness to shoot sports and am 100% confident in my ethic and skill. But I was wondering what flash i should use for sports photography, and still get use out of it for other assignments. thanks, also any other tips on the world of freelancing will be helpful
I do have a portfolio, i do understand exposure, i have talked to a local editor and has seen my portfolio and will have assignments from this paper, i need tips not bullshit
 
The bigger the Guide Number the better. Perhaps something in the Metz line.

Flash is often used in sports for edge highlighting and for fill work. Good luck on your new adventure.
 
There are many reasons why photographers don't use flash guns for "performance" events (including sports). The two most important reasons being that as the power of a flash gun decreases with distance it'd need to be very powerful, and if that weren't bad enough it annoys the hell out of performers. Instead you'd be looking at using lens with a large aperture, which work well in low light and still allow you to use a fast shutter speed.

I'm not going to pick holes in your dreams, but I'd suggest you talk to other photographers in person. You'll probably find out that the professionals you find make most of their money from the more mundane side of the job.
 
I think that nobody uses flash for sports. Have you already tried to do sports? What were your results? Underexposed images, so you are thinking, wait, I'll use my flash. Well your wrong, I suggest you buy a 135mm f/2 or 180mm f/2.8 or something in that range.
 
Here is a tip on the world of freelancing... You need to know how your camera works, be efficient and highly skilled in use of equipment, have excellent knowledge of lighting, exposure, ISO, aperture, shutter speeds, composition, how to achieve perfect exposure in difficult lighting and circumstances, and an excellent portfolio to show to prospective clients.

You have none of these.

You can not just buy a D200, say you are "ignorant in terms of equipment" and then say (rather naively) that you are going to start shooting for newspapers.

It does not work like that.

You need to spend the next 12 months or so learning how to use that camera, learning about exposure and all of the other things that I mentioned earlier. You then need to build a portfolio and then join the back of a very long and competitive queue with all the hundreds of thousands of other eager and skilled photographers after that job shooting for those newspapers.

Right now you will not have one single image suitable or marketable, and you will not have one for a long time to come until you can effectively use a camera.

Sorry to be blunt, but it had to be said.

.
 
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