WSU Football Spring Practice – April 7th – Scotty Anderson Photography

I made plans to get some photos today but I wasn’t sure what I was going to get. I was thinking possibly some sunset shots, but it was far from sunset. I wanted to go to the CUB on the WSU campus for lunch and to work on my column. I figured it would be a great excuse to be on campus and get some photos of some buildings. I would like to get pictures of buildings and views that will be going away. For example the old WSU Fire Station (currently used as a police station) will be razed (partially) for an expansion of the Fine Arts building. The Stadium Way/Main Street entrance to campus was updated with new rock walls and signs. It is very nice.

I digress.

I walked out of the CUB towards the roof of the Terrell Library. It has some pretty nice views and happens to overlook the WSU football team’s practice field. As it turns out they were practicing. I grabbed my camera and started to take photos. After a few minutes a guy shows up and lets me know that I am okay to come to the field and take all the photos I want but they are asking I do not take photos from the roof. Live and learn. The man said they were going to be going to Martin Stadium soon. He gave me a roster and invited me to come on to the field and get some action shots.

I went down to Martin Stadium and started to take photos. This was my first time using my camera to do sports. I was learning as I was there. Due to the lighting on the and the low sitting sun I had to change my settings a lot. My goal for the photos was to have action shots that froze the action. My camera can do 1/8000 of a second for a photo.

Overall I found when I was taking a photo of action taking place in the bright sunlight I had my exposure time between 1/1250 sec to 1/2000 sec with ISO-400. Some of them were taken at with an exposure speed of 1/1000 sec to 1/1250 sec with ISO-640. Most of the photos I took in the shaded areas had exposure settings of 1/640 sec to 1/800 sec with ISO-800.

The majority of my photos were taken using my Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS STM. A couple wide angle shots were taken with my Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM.

The photos in the gallery are a sampling of the photos I captured. I hope that I can get better at getting the good angles for sports shots in the future. Unfortunately several rad shots were ruined because I wasn’t in the right spot when the photo was being taken so I didn’t get the detail I wanted.

Looking East-Southeast from the west endzone of Martin Stadium. Used my Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM with settings of: 10mm, F/4.5.
Looking East-Southeast from the west endzone of Martin Stadium. Used my Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM with settings of: 10mm, F/4.5.

Martin Stadium Pressbox as seen from the field.
Martin Stadium Pressbox as seen from the field.

A view of the scoreboard in Martin Stadium from the west endzone.
A view of the scoreboard in Martin Stadium from the west endzone.

Martin Stadium scoreboard as seen from the opposite side of the stadium.
Martin Stadium scoreboard as seen from the opposite side of the stadium.

Coach Mike Leach with #21 R. Cracraft in the background.
Coach Mike Leach with #21 R. Cracraft in the background.

Coach Mike Leach watches over the Offensive as it runs drills.
Coach Mike Leach watches over the Offensive as it runs drills.

#32 J. Williams makes a move as #51 F. Luvu falls to the ground. #29 P. Henry is in pursuit.
#32 J. Williams makes a move as #51 F. Luvu falls to the ground. #29 P. Henry is in pursuit.

#32 J. Williams got away from #51 F. Luvu, who is on the ground. #29 P. Henry is coming from the backside and #18 S. Luani is attempting to make the stop.
#32 J. Williams got away from #51 F. Luvu, who is on the ground. #29 P. Henry is coming from the backside and #18 S. Luani is attempting to make the stop.

#32 J. Williams sees #18 S. Luani preparing to make a tackle. , #29 P. Henry and #47 P. Pelluer in pursuit.
#32 J. Williams sees #18 S. Luani preparing to make a tackle. , #29 P. Henry and #47 P. Pelluer in pursuit.

#32 J. Williams being tackled by #18 S. Luani. #29 P. Henry and #47 P. Pelluer are closing in.
#32 J. Williams being tackled by #18 S. Luani. #29 P. Henry and #47 P. Pelluer are closing in.

Collage of four photos showing #32 J. Williams running. In pursuit are #51 F. Luvu, #29 P. Henry, #18 S. Luani, #47 P. Pelluer. #18 S. Luani is making the tackle in the lower right-hand box.
Collage of four photos showing #32 J. Williams running. In pursuit are #51 F. Luvu, #29 P. Henry, #18 S. Luani, #47 P. Pelluer. #18 S. Luani is making the tackle in the lower right-hand box.

The O-Line is preparing to do battle!
The O-Line is preparing to do battle!

#23 G. Wicks is looking for the hole the O-line is working to create.
#23 G. Wicks is looking for the hole the O-line is working to create.

#23 G. Wicks finds the hole provided by the O-Line.
#23 G. Wicks finds the hole provided by the O-Line.

#25 J. Morrow shows intensity as he works to get past #49 T. Brock. Photo color desaturated to better highlight #25 J. Morrow's intensity.
#25 J. Morrow shows intensity as he works to get past #49 T. Brock. Photo color desaturated to better highlight #25 J. Morrow's intensity.

It ain't over 'till the whistle blows.
It ain't over 'till the whistle blows.

#4 L. Falk waiting for the football after the snap.
#4 L. Falk waiting for the football after the snap.

#4 L. Falk grabs a high snap.
#4 L. Falk grabs a high snap.

#3 T. Hilinski throws a pass.
#3 T. Hilinski throws a pass.

#4 L. Falk watches his pass caught by #38 K. Fossum as #3 T. Hilinski looks on.
#4 L. Falk watches his pass caught by #38 K. Fossum as #3 T. Hilinski looks on.

#83 K. Sweet tries to outrun #29 P. Henry for the corner of the endzone for a TD pass.
#83 K. Sweet tries to outrun #29 P. Henry for the corner of the endzone for a TD pass.

#83 K. Sweet and #29 P. Henry in one of their many battles throughout the practice. #83 K. Sweet wins this one.
#83 K. Sweet and #29 P. Henry in one of their many battles throughout the practice. #83 K. Sweet wins this one.

#83 K. Sweet pulls down another pass with #29 P. Henry playing defense.
#83 K. Sweet pulls down another pass with #29 P. Henry playing defense.

#83 K. Sweet goes up for a pass with a defender on his back.
#83 K. Sweet goes up for a pass with a defender on his back.

#29 P. Henry successfully defends #83 K. Sweet. Incomplete pass!
#29 P. Henry successfully defends #83 K. Sweet. Incomplete pass!

#21 R. Cracraft reaches out and pulls in a pass one handed.
#21 R. Cracraft reaches out and pulls in a pass one handed.

With great concentration and speed that pass will soon be in the capable hands of the Cougar receiver.
With great concentration and speed that pass will soon be in the capable hands of the Cougar receiver.

#83 K. Sweet catching a pass while the QB's are warming up at the beginning of practice.
#83 K. Sweet catching a pass while the QB's are warming up at the beginning of practice.

#21 R. Cracraft walks on thin air. How in the world are the other teams supposed to defend him?!
#21 R. Cracraft walks on thin air. How in the world are the other teams supposed to defend him?!

#15 R. Lewis in full stride as he watches the football prepare for landing in his outstretched hands.
#15 R. Lewis in full stride as he watches the football prepare for landing in his outstretched hands.

Why do football players practice? Practice makes perfect.
Why do football players practice? Practice makes perfect.

Field goal practice. "Just Do It" comes to mind.
Field goal practice. "Just Do It" comes to mind.

#49 B. Schafer practices kicks.
#49 B. Schafer practices kicks.

Author: scotty

Cameras: Canon 6D Mark II; Canon 70D (glass: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM; Canon EF 2.0X III Extender; Canon EF Lens 50mm 1:1.8 STM; Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-135mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS STM; Canon Compact-Macro Lens EF 50mm 1:2.5 with Canon Life Size Converter EF; Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM) Nokia Lumia 920 (glass: Random binoculars) Kodak Z612 View all posts by scotty