| But the one thing all cameras of any size or brand | | | | always use the widest, most open aperture that the |
| share is a thirst for light. Most consumer cameras | | | | lens offers. The camera must respond by selecting |
| come with lenses that are more than adequate for | | | | the fastest shutter speed that the lighting will allow in |
| standard picture taking. However shooting indoor | | | | order to make an exposure. By using faster shutter |
| sports is not standard by any means. | | | | speeds we have the best chance to stop action blur. |
| There are two key problems when shooting in a gym. | | | | The last thing to do is to turn off the flash. A built-in |
| First, though a gym may seem brightly lit to our eyes | | | | flash has a range of only 10 feet, it's not doing any |
| it's actually quite dim to a camera. The second problem | | | | good and the flash slows down the camera as it |
| is distance; we have to sit at some distance from the | | | | recharges after each shot. |
| action so our zoom lenses get a lot of exercise. | | | | Some words of warning: Not every camera has an |
| Unfortunately this is where indoor sports hit its biggest | | | | Aperture exposure mode. Many of this year's ultra |
| photographic snag. We start out in light that is barely | | | | compacts are an example. Next, by using the setting |
| enough for the camera to operate and then we zoom | | | | described there is no guarantee that your images will |
| the lenses out reducing the light even further. | | | | be successful; each gym's lighting is different. The |
| The best way to handle this is to fool the camera. This | | | | photographer may be able to use a lower ISO or be |
| trick works on most digital compact cameras and all | | | | forced to accept grainy pictures by using an ISO |
| DSLR's. The first thing to do is set the ISO (film speed) | | | | setting higher than 400. |
| up to about 400. This will help increase the camera's | | | | A pro photographer with a thousand dollar lens |
| sensitivity making the most of the light that's available. | | | | standing court side expects about a 35% to 40% |
| The next step is to set the camera in Av or Aperture | | | | success rate, with our consumer cameras and |
| exposure mode. On Nikon digital cameras the Av | | | | equipment hitting 20% to 25% success is considered |
| mode is activated either on the top command dial or | | | | very good. The best tip is to over shoot; the success |
| by using the menu system on compact cameras. This | | | | rate doesn't increase but the number of successful |
| is the mode that controls aperture settings and we | | | | shots will. |
| want the widest the lens allows. Remember, this is the | | | | As a next step, learn about capturing moving subjects |
| smallest number on the aperture scale often around | | | | at the peak of action to help prevent even more |
| 3.5. By making this setting we are telling the camera to | | | | motion blur. |