Lacrosse

[F15Todd]

I went to my first lacrosse match/game (not really sure what the correct lingo is for this sport), but what a great time it was. Fast pace and action packed. Tennessee has recently sanctioned lacrosse for high school, so soon it will be moving from league play to also being at the schools.

Pair of D500 with either the 70-200mm f2.8, of the 300mm f/2.8 with a 1.4 TC

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

 

[Randy]

Well done, tough sport to shoot

 

[gelliot4]

Good action in those shots Todd. It's a great sport and growing in popularity. Great thing about high school is they are pretty good about letting you down on the field. Hardest part, I find, is getting good goalie shots. When the ball is near the goal - so's the crowd
Gary

 

[DStreet614]

Enjoyed all the pics. Loved the fourth picture.

 

[F15Todd]

Enjoyed all the pics. Loved the fourth picture.

Thank you Doreen, and welcome to the Cafe

 

[DStreet614]

Thank you Doreen, and welcome to the Cafe

Thank you Todd.

 

[ac12]

Well done, tough sport to shoot

Agree
Unlike soccer, the lacrosse ball is so small that it can be easy to loose track of the ball.
Then I have to lower the camera and look for how the players are behaving, to figure out who has the ball.

Scoring shot can be difficult to get, especially in the middle of a pack.
What I find difficult about the scoring shots is, I rarely see the player and score/ball going into the net, unless the player is very close to the net or I am behind the player.
Getting a good pass shot is difficult, as 95% of it is chance, of being in the right place for a line up of passer, ball and receiver. Like the last pic above.

The more you shoot, the easier it gets.
If you shoot the same team, you start to learn how different players play, and can use that to plan shots.

 

[ac12]

Good action in those shots Todd. It's a great sport and growing in popularity. Great thing about high school is they are pretty good about letting you down on the field. Hardest part, I find, is getting good goalie shots. When the ball is near the goal - so's the crowd
Gary

I found lacrosse gets a lot more crowded around the goal net than soccer does, so the goalie shots and close scoring shots are difficult to shoot.

Also the angle to the goalie.
Closer and you normally have a side shot.
Farther to get the front shot, and you need a LONGER lens. The long lens is an issue at night, as FAST long lens are expensive and heavy.
Some of my goalie shots are staged shots, shot during practice when I can get on the field in front of the goalie.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Very enjoyable set. Funny that in the last photo the player seems to have his eyes squarely set on the photographer rather than the ball.

 

[ac12]

Very enjoyable set. Funny that in the last photo the player seems to have his eyes squarely set on the photographer rather than the ball.

He would be looking at the receiver, who was probably near the line between the photographer and the passer.

 

[rick_reno]

Those are very good. I've wanted to photograph that sport here, the neighbor kid who plays warned me about getting hit with the ball. Apparently it's a pretty hard ball.

 

[ac12]

Those are very good. I've wanted to photograph that sport here, the neighbor kid who plays warned me about getting hit with the ball. Apparently it's a pretty hard ball.

It IS a hard ball, and with the sticks, they can whip the ball pretty fast.
So you need to watch the game to see where they tend to throw the balls, so you can avoid being on the receiving end of one of those tosses.
- Example. Being anywhere behind the goal makes you a target for a missed goal shot. Besides the refs may not let you go there.

I also would not go near the field, until you are comfortable shooting the game and can keep yourself out of trouble.

Because the ball is small, you can easily loose track of the ball, and that can be dangerous.
When I loose track of the ball, I lower the camera and observe the play to find the ball.
Like many sports, it is when you are not paying attention to the ball and players, that is when you will get hit.

 

[Mike Buckley]

It IS a hard ball, and with the sticks, they can whip the ball pretty fast.

I just now read that a college or pro player can whip it 100 miles per hour or more. That's the speed of a baseball coming off a major league baseball player's bat when it's hit hard.

 

[ac12]

I just now read that a college or pro player can whip it 100 miles per hour or more. That's the speed of a baseball coming off a major league baseball player's bat when it's hit hard.

That is probably a goal shot.
Which is why you stay away from behind the goal.

I have not see a pass that is anywhere near as fast as a goal shot.
Maybe at the pro level, but not high school.

 

[Commodorefirst]

Todd, missed these when you posted, excellent series and great info from you and the posters. I was wanting a final image to complete our home page and I really liked that first image and the dirt/grass in the air too! Bravo.

 

[Allan]

This cannot be easy. Players going one way, sticks the other. Good job!

 

[JW53]

Ball is solid rubber, not quite as dense as a hockey puck, kinda like a super ball the size of a tennis ball, just not quite as active. Even upper tier high school players shooting on goal (underhand, sidearm or quick stick ) can reach 100mph. Great game to play and watch.

 

[ac12]

Girls lacrosse is a lot less physical, so more technique than crashing into the opponent like the boys do (as in pic #4).
Also the face-off is done standing, which can make for a great shot. IF you can get into the right position to see her face.
And the girls use the yellow ball, which makes it easier to see the ball in the photo.

 

[jirel]

Great captures! It is always nice to get opportunities to shoot some new action sports.