Do you shoot with just the LCD screen?

[Ovacheerdad]

So I picked up an R6Mii recently. I used to shoot with a 60D but it was never sports, just family and landscapes so this is a whole different animal. This weekend was the first real time out with it. I know I want the 70-200 2.8 and the 24-105 2.8 just not sure which to get first. So I rented the 70-200 for my daughter's cheer comp this weekend since I'm not as close to the stage. Well it got canceled this weekend due to snow, but I did end up being able to go to a middle school basketball game and shoot some pictures. After watching 2 other full time photographers at this game im trying to figure out how they shoot the way they do. I know camera's that one guy shoots with are both r6miis and he mainly uses the rf 24-105. The guy never used the viewfinder the whole game. Always held the camera low and used the back screen. He posted some of the photos to his page today and they are perfect. 

Does anyone else shoot like that? How do you keep focus like that? Are you always holding down the focus button while taking pictures?  

[ebiggs1]

"...what lens would you suggest for here?"

My recommendation is as I suggested above buy the 24-70mm f2.8L and the 70-200mm f2.8L. I know that is a heavy lift for most of us for an all in one purchase, so I would get the 24-70mm f2.8l first.  It will be your most used lens of any you will ever get. However, will it do it all in your situation, no, I doubt that is why you will need to add the 70-200mm f2.8L to your bag.

At the same time or why not right now go d/l DPP4 and start the learning process. DPP4 can be as easy as you want it or it can be as difficult as you want. That all depends on how deep into the editing process you want to dive. Simple crops or exposure, perhaps some WB adjustments are very simple. You will learn them in a few minutes.

[ebiggs1]

"...camera man along the rail. I could get up there..."

That's where you want to be. As close as possible, right in front of the action. Keep in mind others that have kids in the event so you don't become a nuisance. Most of the auditoriums I shot this type of work in had a sound and light booth at the back of the venue. Most of them were near the top or at the top of the room. This made a perfect place to set up my tripod with my Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens. I was the Arts Dept photographer so I had complete access to these areas. Where you shoot from is so very important so keep that in mind.

[ebiggs1]

"...great image starts with the photographer and camera,..."

I would rather edit a diamond instead of a lump of coal.

[Ovacheerdad]

I have DPP4 already but never have used it. I already have lightroom but never have really used it. The only thing i did with these was change the WB on them and save them as a JPEG. These are a few i shot that i thought the focus was ok on.

[ebiggs1]

If you have taken my suggestions to heart and you are satisfied with the results that you are getting there is little else I can offer. The end product you make is totally up to whether you are satisfied not anybody else.

Personally I see this shot like this .................

A little WB adjustment and a crop with a touch of unsharp mask. The photographer in the background is priceless.

I guess I do have another word for you and that is composition. When you edit and especially when you crop make sure you don't leave distracting items in the shot. The half girl on the right and the half flag on the top left for instance. You don't want things that tend to pull the viewer's eye off the main most important thing in the shot. And you as the final editor make that decision. 

[Ovacheerdad]

Thank you. I'm not satisfied with these pictures. They could have been sharper. That shot was 8000 ISO F4 1/1000 sec. I guess I'm still not used to seeing high iso yet. I feel like these could have been a lot sharper. I need to get out to some more games and practice not using ISO set to auto? I'm at work so i cant really mess with anything but i want as much advice and criticism as possible. When i dive into something i strive to be the best i can be at it. This is something i have great passion for and i want to perfect it.  I will play around with DPP4 this week at home. 

[March411]

LR is a great tool as well as DPP4, I run both.

Depending on lighting you may have no choice but to shoot with a higher ISO to hit the shutter speed you need to stop action and get sharp images. I grabbed the same image ebiggs did and ran it through a denoise program, a bit tighter of a crop and sharped it just a bit in Adobe.

There is zero shame finishing and image in post when you like the original frame but need to tighten things up a bit.

[ebiggs1]

I think the photo I did the little edits on is fine, in fact i really like it. I would be satisfied if I had shot it. But in the end you are the only one that counts not me, not uncle Bob, or the neighbor not anyone but yourself.

When you use Auto ISO you should set a upper and a lower limit. I used to not like or use Auto ISO but lately I have embraced it more and more but with the limits. I still prefer fixed ISO because you almost always know what the lighting is and where the ISO needs to be. If you don't  have that eye for that yet you will as you get more and more experience and  time shooting various conditions.

[ebiggs1]

Nice!

[Ovacheerdad]

Thanks, I appreciate all the help!