Good glass is the best thing you can buy for your images…golf or non golf
I’m just a tiny bit “done” with the drone shot. Not a whole lot of variety with those.
1 Like
I think golf shots can get elevated a ton with a drone.
The best glass in the world still leaves you 6 feet above the ground. Try and get a good picture of #8 at Pebble from the ground. #6 and #7 are pretty easy to get a great picture of, but 8 you have to be in the air. Now, can you bring a drone with you to Pebble…no, but I think it holds true that there are many times I would love to be 30 feet in the air to take a pictures versus 6.
Then you get into overhead shots which are another thing.
But you forget that there are TONS of different points of reference that people haven’t shared from the ground of 8. Plus, I’d argue this is the best shot you’ll get…
A lot of what makes a good photo well…good…IMO is finding angles that most people wouldn’t think to get.
I don’t think drones do a lot to stretching creativity in course photos, since it’s the easiest way to get an angle other than “the ground”. I have yet to see a photo from the “crotch” of the cove on 8 showing the fairway AND the green (plus the coastline which would show 9). Take the work of @djpie for example:
No drones needed…but some of the coolest looks at Pebble that most people don’t typically see.
TL/DR: I think drone photos of golf courses are overhyped and overused. Get better glass, use your surroundings, and find a different angle 
5 Likes
I think the shot perspective below is way better. The shot you posted is okay, but you don’t really know that there is a fairway ending at the cliff, or that the hole even plays over the cliff.
If I could take the lighting and color in the ground photo and the composition of the second photo it would be A+.
1 Like
These examples just speak to intent/purpose in my mind.
@sub150 When you said “but you don’t really know that there is a fairway ending at the cliff…”
I saw @TCRBrad photo first and didn’t think gosh if only I was higher and could see exactly what that fairway was actually like or what really happens close to the green. I was way more into the color and lighting and how the composition is so 50/50 split and how it creates a diagonal line down the middle and I thought it was cool the two pin flags work in relation to that line.
BUT I could totally see where if I was on Pebble’s website and I was about to play there, there is 100% time and place for needing to know the layout farther ahead and how useful the extra drone height helps me understand that. I can also see where a bunch of close up or artistic shots could get frustrating if your sole purpose of viewing them is to try and learn about a course.
And I’m not trying to say that drone shots can’t be creative, or don’t have great compositions/artistic. And in a similar light, I am not saying more creative/artistic ground shots can’t also tell you golf specific details about a course.
1 Like
It’s funny that ground level shots now seem like the different angle.
I’ve always been skeptical of drone use, there seems to be this feeling of aerial photo = good photo. But there is some damn good examples of drones used well. Caddie Magazines shots of Barnbougle stand out in particular among golf photos. I think a part of it is people not knowing that higher doesn’t = better. Drones are rarely used 12ft off the ground and I think a lot of the time they should be.
For me personally the below photo by Walter Niedermayr of the EPFL Learning Centre is the one that made me realise there can be drone photos beyond the typical vlogger looking shot.
Simple looking photo, and that’s the idea.
2 Likes
No issues with the clip shifting on the strap at all? I have the same bag, this looks like the play!
None, although need to screw it on tight. It’s the perfect setup
1 Like
Anyone that wants to get more into photography should watch this.
I would argue that golf and baseball are just as romantic as each other, and Steve understands that the venue matters as much (or sometimes more) than the game.
If the link doesn’t work right, start at 19:22
1 Like
I think it’s been mentioned a few times, but I don’t think it can be overstated, buy the most nicest lens you can afford. And if you can’t afford the nice one, save up. Don’t compromise on your lens. Don’t buy two lenses that stretch a really long way, buy one really good one and save for the next. My wife is the photographer in the family (I know just enough to not screw up 1 out of 10 pictures I take). Her pictures really jumped when we started buying higher end lenses.
Need some advice from the refuge photographers. Let me preface this by noting my photography handicap is in the twenties. I know NOTHING! I’m going to Pinehurst at the end of August and would love to capture some mega light photos at the end of the day during my afternoon rounds. Here is the rig I’m working with, the camera is a Nikon D5300.
I know the attached lens is for portrait photos but no idea the purpose of the other.
My questions:
- Is this set up sufficient for golf course photography?
- If so, what resources do you all recommend to learn about photography basics?
2 Likes
So that 15-55 is going to be your friend for the trip (for ease of travel, I’d leave the 35mm home unless it’s an easy pack).
As for photo basics, I’ll send a video to help set up the camera for your trip. Can’t wait to see what you shoot!!!
1 Like
That would be awesome, thanks!
1 Like
So my photography handicap is only slightly better than yours, but my wife is a low cap photographer. So take what I say with a grain of salt.
But I think I would take that 35. It’s going to be more difficult without the zoom, but that 35 is a much better lens and should get some great shots. If it was me, I’d probably take the 18-55 lens with me on the golf course, but grab the 35 for the evening mega light session.
1 Like
Thanks for the info. The mega light sessions will be on Tobacco Road, Mid Pines and Pinehurst #3 so if I mess those up it will definitely be me to blame and not the courses!
-
More than sufficient.
-
Shoot a ton of photos, dump what you don’t like, keep what you do, try to shoot more shots like those you kept.
6 Likes
This is perfect to get you started. Use the 18-55mm on the course, the zoom is your friend and you’ll find that a lot of your shots from the tee box or from the fairway showing the green will be at the longer (55mm) end.
The 35mm 1.8 lens is perfect for after the round, getting shots of your buddies, having a few beers and later on in the evening when light gets reduced.
Just shoot lots and enjoy it, you’ll soon start to get an idea of what works well and what doesn’t. If you need tutorials on youtube look for landscape stuff, as essentially a lot of golf course photography is landscape photography.
2 Likes
Hey @NestEgg sorry for the delay, but here’s some photography tips/brief overview to use for your trip to Pinehurst!
If you have any other questions or if I didn’t cover something, let me know!
(This should post after the video is done rendering lol)
11 Likes
Thanks for the video! I head to Pinehurst next week so plenty of time to watch this a few times and mess around with my camera.
On the Nikon, “A” mode is titled “aperture-priority auto” and lets me adjust the aperture. “S” mode is titled “Shutter-priority auto” and let’s me adjust the shutter speed. I think this matches what you were saying in the video right?
I really appreciate the help!
1 Like
