Tips for shooting golfers !!

Balfey1972

I am taking photos on Friday for my local club golf outing.
Apart from the usual team photos, I am hoping to get a few shots of the guys out on the course.

Any tips and advice on camera settings for the day would be most welcome ffrom anyone that has taken some before?

Camera is a Canon 40d with my trusty 300mm F4

Thanks in advance.

gerardduff

Must be open season...so here goes;

Use a silencer for a quick get away.
Try to do it when they are in the rough so as not to hold up play too much.

Other than that I'd say fire away.

Wa, wa, wa

Nforce

...and watch out for the little round white things that are flying about!:pac:

Thecageyone

4!!!!

You'll want the usual shots, bunker shots with sand and tufts of grass following the swing. One of those view from behind a hill shots, where you only see the golfer's head and the ball coming up over. Golfers shouldn't be hard to shoot, since they play at walking pace. maybe use a filter and slow exposures to get movement trails on the club as it swings?

Balfey1972

Thecageyone wrote: »

4!!!!

You'll want the usual shots, bunker shots with sand and tufts of grass following the swing. One of those view from behind a hill shots, where you only see the golfer's head and the ball coming up over. Golfers shouldn't be hard to shoot, since they play at walking pace. maybe use a filter and slow exposures to get movement trails on the club as it swings?

Cracking me up cagey !!

Thecageyone

Hehe, I was semi-serious! Kinda hard to take shots that haven't been done to death. You have a good lens, so you won't need to get in close at least. And it is true that it's a slow game so shutter speed shouldn't be any trouble. You don't want it to rain, but at the same time you won't want harsh sunshine either, casting shadow. Hope for a mild cloudy day

PCPhoto

if you can get it back to me I can loan you a 600mm f4 IS to take pics of them tee-ing off.... its best to not shoot on the backswing (even if you are a good distance away)....then again - they're amateurs !!!

will drop you a PM with my contact details.

'scorthy

Thecageyone wrote: »

...You don't want it to rain, but at the same time you won't want harsh sunshine either, casting shadow. Hope for a mild cloudy day

Don't worry it's to p*ss rain on Friday so keep you camera well protected. As I take the odd few shots for my own club, especially groups, I always kick myself after for forgetting to ask them to please remove their shades and golf caps :mad:.
Have a glimpse at the GUI website gallery. Their guy is well experience as he follows the amateur tournaments around the Country.

Balfey1972

PCPhoto wrote: »

if you can get it back to me I can loan you a 600mm f4 IS to take pics of them tee-ing off.... its best to not shoot on the backswing (even if you are a good distance away)....then again - they're amateurs !!!

will drop you a PM with my contact details.

Paddy, very much appreciate the offer. tried to reply to your pm but your inbox is full. Won't be able to get it back to you in time but thanks again.

Derek

Balfey1972

'scorthy wrote: »

Don't worry it's to p*ss rain on Friday so keep you camera well protected. As I take the odd few shots for my own club, especially groups, I always kick myself after for forgetting to ask them to please remove their shades and golf caps :mad:.
Have a glimpse at the GUI website gallery. Their guy is well experience as he follows the amateur tournaments around the Country.

Scorthy - thanks for the heads up.

Thecageyone wrote: »

Hehe, I was semi-serious! Kinda hard to take shots that haven't been done to death. You have a good lens, so you won't need to get in close at least. And it is true that it's a slow game so shutter speed shouldn't be any trouble. You don't want it to rain, but at the same time you won't want harsh sunshine either, casting shadow. Hope for a mild cloudy day

Giving a bad day so I have an enclosed golf buggy so I'll be taking cover in that. Thanks to all for their words of wisdom. much appreciated.

dave66

Word of advice, some Golfers can be a tad fussy and ready to blame anything and anyone for a poor shot/drive, so I'd suggest if shooting them while they are preparing or in the process of taking a swing - stay out of their eye line. As for removing caps and sunglasses (may not be an issue depening on weather) for group shots that's fine, for "action" shots, many people really do find wearing a cap very helpful and won't like being asked to remove them.

If you want to be considerate, I'd suggest not taking shots on the first tee, in competitions (charity or otherwise) the 1st tee can be a pain in the ass since there are a lot of people standing around watching you as you tee off, I know I hate it. So if you shoot them at 2nd tee, they will be more relaxed - of course you could serve booze at the first tee to help them relax

Best of luck.