Suggestions for lighting an ice rink

[backseatpilot]

Wasn't quite sure where to put this - hopefully this is the right forum.

I don't do a whole lot of sports photography, but I have an opportunity to go a little nuts so I'd be interested in getting some feedback on some ideas. One of my other interests is curling, and I've kind of established myself as the club photographer. We held a bonspiel last summer which I shot, and the images came out... fine. The club was very happy with them, but I'm kind of a perfectionist so maybe I'm being overly critical. I did the "action" part of the event with available light (overhead flourescents) only, because I was told the players would be very sensitive to strobes going off. The light's about what you would expect from a bunch of industrial fluorescent lighting. (This is what I shot last year - Flickr album). Generally kind of flat and unflattering light, darkened faces.

I'm going to shoot the same event this year, and I know I can do better. I want to do better! I have several months to think this through (and many league nights to experiment ahead of time). I've read through Strobist's old posts on shooting local basketball, and I'm thinking a lot of the basics would be pretty similar with the one added wrinkle of trying to make the strobes as unobtrusive to the players as possible. I'm thinking either clamp a strobe to the glass at either end of the rink or some tall light stands, pointed down at the ice and then... flag the light so it doesn't carry down the rink?

I'm willing to put some money and effort into this.

 

[cliveh]

I think you should stick with the existing available light, but perhaps change the type of colour film you are using and/or make sure you have the correct filtration for colour balance.

 

[Michael Howard]

Is this the same lighting as a typical hockey rink? And are you shooting film or digital? If digital, hockey shooting tends to underexposed so I shoot +2, works every time. Never shot hockey on film, but I would think a typical film camera meter will also underexpose the same amount.

 

[backseatpilot]

Is this the same lighting as a typical hockey rink?

Yes, we play in a hockey rink. I'll be shooting digital to get images out quickly.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Wasn't quite sure where to put this - hopefully this is the right forum.

I don't do a whole lot of sports photography, but I have an opportunity to go a little nuts so I'd be interested in getting some feedback on some ideas. One of my other interests is curling, and I've kind of established myself as the club photographer. We held a bonspiel last summer which I shot, and the images came out... fine. The club was very happy with them, but I'm kind of a perfectionist so maybe I'm being overly critical. I did the "action" part of the event with available light (overhead flourescents) only, because I was told the players would be very sensitive to strobes going off. The light's about what you would expect from a bunch of industrial fluorescent lighting. (This is what I shot last year - Flickr album). Generally kind of flat and unflattering light, darkened faces.

I'm going to shoot the same event this year, and I know I can do better. I want to do better! I have several months to think this through (and many league nights to experiment ahead of time). I've read through Strobist's old posts on shooting local basketball, and I'm thinking a lot of the basics would be pretty similar with the one added wrinkle of trying to make the strobes as unobtrusive to the players as possible. I'm thinking either clamp a strobe to the glass at either end of the rink or some tall light stands, pointed down at the ice and then... flag the light so it doesn't carry down the rink?

I'm willing to put some money and effort into this.

I don't even see a problem. You have the great advantage that the ice is acting as a great reflector, bouncing light into the shadows from the overhead lighting. I think,you've done the best one can do in this situation!

 

[Pieter12]

I don't even see a problem. You have the great advantage that the ice is acting as a great reflector, bouncing light into the shadows from the overhead lighting. I think,you've done the best one can do in this situation!

And shoot RAW so you can open the shadows if necessary.

 

[MattKing]

Sometimes, the venue can turn up the lighting! You should ask.
They may also be willing to turn down the lighting on some of the sheets, which might improve the backgrounds.
There may be parts of the rink where the lighting direction is better - try to find them.
Unless people are willing to essentially practice for the camera, I truly can't see anyone wanting you to use flash!
Other than for high level competitions on TV, I don't think I've ever seen a curling rink where the lighting made for good photographs!
So I would concentrate on getting shots like this one of yours - an excellent example:

 

[koraks]

I think you should stick with the existing available light

I don't even see a problem. You have the great advantage that the ice is acting as a great reflector, bouncing light into the shadows from the overhead lighting. I think,you've done the best one can do in this situation!

And shoot RAW so you can open the shadows if necessary.

Agree with all of the above.

I'm thinking either clamp a strobe to the glass at either end of the rink or some tall light stands, pointed down at the ice and then... flag the light so it doesn't carry down the rink?

Problematic. And no matter how you slice it, strobes will be strobes and will therefore be a distraction. I'd not even bother.

Besides, it's an unwieldingly large area you'd have to illuminate, and you'd have inherent balancing challenges as the players move in relation to the strobes.

Last year's photos look fine. I'd focus on raw processing to make the most of your captures, and especially on composition & framing. Personally I'd try to stick to a somewhat longer lens, open up the aperture and stay close to the ground.

 

[loccdor]

Instead of lighting I'd focus on catching people in dynamic moments with tension on their faces, like this shot that worked very well:



It also helped that you were able to minimize and simplify background distractions in that shot.

 

[koraks]

like this shot that worked very well:

That's a really nice one, yeah. I find it also works very well compositionally.

 

[backseatpilot]

Appreciate all the feedback. I'll take the advice and leave the lights off the ice; maybe I'll set up a little portrait area for team shots.