| Break out that video camera, there is a game | | | | him when going out on assignment. I filled him |
| this weekend! | | | | with stories of times when something or other |
| 1. You bought a video camera | | | | happened and I'll be darned if you didn't need |
| 2. You want to shoot sports of your kid | | | | another tape and there under the seat of the car |
| 3. Here is how to do it right! | | | | was that emergency spare. So anyway he went |
| What a wonderful age of technology we live in. | | | | off to graduate from college and get a job in a |
| You can buy the greatest gadgets now days to | | | | small market TV station. He would send us |
| record video and music and play them in all sorts | | | | progress reports from time to time, which I really |
| of ways on other great technology gadgets from | | | | enjoyed. Then lo and behold one day he sends |
| computers, DVD's, MP3 players, VCR's, and many | | | | me a letter telling me how he got into a jam one |
| more. It is all great stuff. But they all come with | | | | day on a story and needed that emergency tape. |
| thick owners manuals that do not always get you | | | | He had dutifully tucked one under the back seat |
| going the right direction. You may eventually learn | | | | and it was there to save the day. I hope that |
| to use your great new camera for instance, but | | | | what you learn in this book will in some way keep |
| that does not mean you will necessarily take | | | | you from having a video failure down the road. |
| pictures that are worth looking at down the road. | | | | What I learned in my career is that video |
| Rolling tape in your camera is one thing and | | | | production is 80% of it is dealing with the curves |
| creating video that is high quality and interesting is | | | | and problems that are thrown at you and 20% |
| another thing. The goal of this product is to bring | | | | talent. If you can learn to trouble shoot then you |
| you up to speed with using your video camera | | | | will always be successful. |
| (whatever format, and whatever brand) to get | | | | My first suggestion for shooting your kids sports |
| the best results for recording those precious | | | | activities is to go watch TV. Yes sit down put |
| moments of your kid's athletic achievements. | | | | your feet up and watch some sports on TV. |
| We as parents spend plenty of hours out on the | | | | Really watch how they make it interesting at the |
| field, court, pool, or track watching our kids take | | | | top level. Then watch the news and see how |
| part in and compete in youth sports. If you have | | | | they cover the games from a news perspective. |
| a video camera you are going to want to record | | | | Don't pay attention to the content; just watch |
| some of these events for posterity and perhaps | | | | how it develops visually. Now of course you can |
| education. Following the simple steps in this guide | | | | never duplicate what the networks are doing with |
| will help you to capture them in the best possible | | | | just your one camera. However if you can glean |
| fashion so that it is watch able but also usable | | | | anything from watching it should be how they try |
| down the road. | | | | to bring intimacy with the athletes out in the |
| My video expertise stems from two decades as | | | | broadcast. All the new improvements in covering |
| a network television cameraman and as a parent | | | | sports have to do with getting you the viewer as |
| with several kids actively involved in youth sports. | | | | close to the athlete as they can. Bring you into |
| In my years of shooting video professionally I | | | | their world. From cameras on wires overhead |
| have been around the world and seen just about | | | | that swoop along the field to cameras in the net |
| every type of news event. I also spent 15 years | | | | of a hockey game to cameras inside the cars at |
| covering pro sports events for my employer. | | | | Daytona, it brings you into the game. Now you |
| These were the best type of assignments as far | | | | cannot stand on the pitchers mound at your kids' |
| as I was concerned. In my entire career the | | | | baseball game but you can learn some techniques |
| things I have enjoyed most is being able to go to | | | | that can make your baseball video more intimate |
| places where the average person cannot. In | | | | and therefore more compelling to watch. |
| sports that usually means being on the field, next | | | | A side note here, if your task is to capture the |
| to the court, in the press box, or in the pit. I have | | | | whole game or sporting activity for review as a |
| shot football games of all levels up to and including | | | | coaching tool you should focus mainly on getting a |
| NFC and AFC championship games. Living in the | | | | good high view and putting the camera on a |
| Bay Area has allowed me to cover many baseball | | | | tripod. Pan slowly to follow action and don't zoom |
| pennant races and several World Series. I was | | | | in and out. My main goal here is not to teach you |
| right behind home plate the night the earth shook | | | | this skill since it is pretty darn basic. However if |
| in the 1989 World Series. Talk about a shock. I | | | | this is what you are doing you should do it right. |
| had to give up covering a World Series between | | | | Find the right framing to keep as much of the |
| the two Bay Area teams to go and cover a huge | | | | activity in the frame and follow it carefully. Some |
| news event. Baseball seemed small for a while | | | | sports move quickly from one end to the other |
| after the magnitude of the earthquake. The point | | | | and you will have to be smooth. Resist the |
| in this is that I love sports, have been around | | | | temptation to follow the ball on full zoom. You will |
| sports my whole life and I know how to shoot | | | | lose. Those guys that shoot sports on TV are full |
| video of sports. With that in mind I will do my | | | | on pros using much better gear than you will ever |
| best to give you advice on how to do the same. | | | | have at your disposal. |
| Gear | | | | Now in order to get a good video of your child's |
| Now whether you have the latest DV camera in | | | | game you need to find that emotion and |
| your hands or an old VHS format camera there | | | | excitement that exists in any game. Think of it as |
| are basic things you will need to keep in mind if | | | | capturing a few of the things that occur and |
| you are going to shoot sports. As we say in the | | | | making those golden. Does the team do a pre |
| video business your camera is only as good as | | | | game cheer? Get up close, stick your camera |
| the glass that you hang in front of it. The better | | | | wither way up high over their heads looking down |
| the lens the better the results will be no matter | | | | or get underneath looking up and shoot it in a |
| what kind of recording format you use. Now you | | | | way that takes the viewer where they can't go. |
| already have a camera in hand and may never | | | | Capture an at bat in baseball by taking a full pitch |
| have heard this particular bit of advice so it is too | | | | cycle in close-up of the pitcher, and then one of |
| late to factor it into the equation. However if you | | | | the catcher and then as close as you can of the |
| have camera in hand and it has any limitations on | | | | hitter. Show their face if you can. If they get the |
| what it can do due to the lens being less than | | | | big hit don't go crazy rushing to zoom out. Follow |
| wonderful there are things you can do to mitigate | | | | the runner down the line. It will be almost |
| the situation. We will discuss those things in more | | | | impossible to follow the ball so stay with the |
| detail later on. | | | | runner. Look for the angles that will give you |
| The key factors before setting out on your | | | | these emotional shots. |
| game day video assignment are to make sure | | | | Some sports are more of a challenge due to the |
| you know the operating functions of the gear, | | | | size of the field and the amount of movement up |
| have a tape supply in hand (soon to be DVDs | | | | and down the field. Take soccer of instance, if |
| with the revolution in gear design that is taking | | | | you follow the ball the camera is moving all over |
| place right now), and batteries fully charged. I | | | | the place and the viewer gets queasy. To capture |
| know these may seem like the simply obvious | | | | some good video of your kid playing you need to |
| things but even the pros have to constantly | | | | focus on specific shots and not try to follow the |
| remind themselves to check and double check | | | | play. Look for moments such as throw ins, free |
| these items. | | | | kicks, kick offs when things are predictable and |
| A little aside here about preparation. Over the | | | | you can get closer to the action. Walk down the |
| many years of covering news I learned lots of | | | | sideline and wait for the action to come to you. If |
| little tips from other photographers in the field and | | | | you child is playing right forward then get ahead |
| applied them to my work regimen. In the early | | | | of the play and when you see the ball moving |
| days of video we always had to carry around a | | | | towards you then you can find you child and roll |
| portable hair dryer because the record decks | | | | tape in anticipation of them playing the ball. Be |
| would seize up if the moisture levels got to high. | | | | sure to get some shots of the crowd cheering, |
| So in the winter time if you came in from the | | | | the coach watching (not yelling I hope) the goalie |
| cold outside into a nice warm building the air would | | | | waiting in anticipation. |
| condense inside the machine and cause moisture | | | | Hold your shots steady for 6-10 seconds at a |
| build up. The warning light would come on and | | | | time. If you are taking a shot of someone |
| bang we were dead in the water. One of us | | | | watching the game actually count it out in your |
| would have to run to the car and get the hair | | | | head (thousand one thousand two...) This will |
| dryer, fire it up and chase the water away from | | | | ensure that you get good solid shots and that |
| the record heads of the deck. It caused some | | | | you don't run on and on with the shot. Brace your |
| very funny moments in public places I can assure | | | | arm against your chest for stability and use your |
| you. (This by the way can still be a problem even | | | | other arm across your belly underneath to create |
| today with electronics/VCRs/lenses. Too much | | | | a stabilizing platform. This is in lieu of a tripod of |
| moisture can cause havoc. So just remember a | | | | course. If you have a tripod it can always be a |
| portable hair dryer can save your day) | | | | good thing to use if it does not get in the way. |
| Another thing I learned from others is the value | | | | Use creative angles as much as possible. Get |
| of backup. A few years ago I was out on | | | | down low and wait for the action to run by you. |
| assignment and we had a young eager college | | | | Don't pan with it but rather let the action race |
| intern along with us in the field. This young man | | | | through the frame. At a swim meet get the |
| wanted to learn all about what we did in our job. | | | | camera down on the deck for more of a |
| He was very interested in how to take pictures, | | | | swimmers perspective of the action. Of course |
| unlike most of our interns who only wanted to | | | | you may not want to stay there when the |
| become reporters or anchors. He asked many | | | | swimmers approach for a turn. Digital electronics |
| questions and after seeing that he was really | | | | do not like water inside them. I was getting the |
| paying attention I decided to take him under my | | | | most awesome low angle shots of some open |
| wing and really fill him up with information. One | | | | water ocean swimmers one time and the boat |
| tidbit that I shared with him was to always have | | | | lurched on me and salt water sprayed over the |
| an emergency stash of tape in his car when out | | | | camera. I had a cover on the camera but salt |
| on assignment. He didn't quite understand the | | | | water seeped into the crannies and it caused us |
| importance of this at first since I had already | | | | much grief getting it cleaned out so as to avoid |
| drilled him about always bringing tape stock with | | | | damaging the electronics of the camera. |