My first time ever shooting sports, how'd I do?

[Vicelord John]

Thanks for looking. I am pretty happy with my pictures but what do y'all think?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 

[reznap]

I think you did pretty good. In some of them I'd like to see up closer.

#2 for example, the catcher doesn't add much for me.. cropping some off the top and a lot off the left would be my preference.

On all of the others I'd like to see up closer, the players' faces mainly. #1 is a great reaction (did he get hit by a pitch? looks like pain on his face) but all the grass on the left - I'd bring it in almost to his shadow on the left and cut the guy out of the top since it's not the pitcher.

But I'm very new to this stuff, and I've also never paid much attention to sports photography and never tried it myself, so keep that in mind.

#5 is my favorite, and would look even better closer up, imo.

 

[cnutco]

I like them as they are...

1. Looks as if he got hit. Would have been sweet to see a tight shot of him so you could see the pain on his face. Great shot through the net though!

2. I agree with reznap. I think if you are going to get the catcher in there you need to shift to the right and get the ump too.

3. I like as is.

4. I like as is.

5. Again, I agree with reznap. Needs to be closer. I still love it as is too!

 

[Vicelord John]

yeah, looking at those I can see what you mean.

I had no idea what I was doing, and being in the dugout with real professionals kind of humbled me and made me afraid to really jump in and get it done at the same time.

 

[lucypaddydog]

would you mind me asking, what lens did you use and what were your settings? I think they are pretty good and so crisp

 

[gsgary]

Sport is all about timing and i'm afraid you missed it, non have peak action both pitching shots you were a fraction too early
This is peak action http://gsgary.smugmug.com/Sports/Robin-Hood-Rally-2008/Image00035/263786843_dNAgW-L.jpg

 

[Jeremy Z]

Were you shooting with the lens wide open? If not, they would be improved by opening the lens all the way. (to blur the background and make it less distracting)

The one with the guys around the mound could've been closer. If not from your lens, then from cropping.

As for peak action, I agree to some extent, but in a pitcher's throw, any of several moments are still peak action. For example, shots of pitchers would get pretty boring if they were all only at the moment when he has just released the ball.

Or boxers when the glove is hitting the other fighter.

Or rally cars upside down, midair. (one could say that peak action is when it just hits the ground, or at some other point in the air)

To improve those shots, open the lens, and maybe shoot in continuous shooting and have the choice of shots during a sequence. (maybe you already did this)

 

[Vicelord John]

would you mind me asking, what lens did you use and what were your settings? I think they are pretty good and so crisp

80-200 f/2.8

and the lens was wide open or close to it on all those shots. I also noticed how slow the d90 is on continous shooting. The guy next to me with a d3x was sssssooooo fast.

Those pros were actually able to follow the action and focus on the fly. I could not so i just picked someone to shoot and waited or them to do something.

 

[Rosshole]

Sport is all about timing and i'm afraid you missed it, nonne have peak action both pitching shots you were a fraction too early
This is peak action http://gsgary.smugmug.com/Sports/Robin-Hood-Rally-2008/Image00035/263786843_dNAgW-L.jpg

I wouldn't say that he missed "it"... maybe what you consider "it".

I like the anticipation for the pitch in the two pitching shots. Alos, good comp and exposure too!

 

[Vicelord John]

Also not o sound arrogant, but gsgary you shouldnt be giving me timing advice on the two pitching shots when there is only one pitching shot. Know what i mean???

 

[gsgary]

would you mind me asking, what lens did you use and what were your settings? I think they are pretty good and so crisp

80-200 f/2.8

and the lens was wide open or close to it on all those shots. I also noticed how slow the d90 is on continous shooting. The guy next to me with a d3x was sssssooooo fast.

Those pros were actually able to follow the action and focus on the fly. I could not so i just picked someone to shoot and waited or them to do something.

Why could you not focus on the fly, you must have had your camera set up wrong

 

[gsgary]

Also not o sound arrogant, but gsgary you shouldnt be giving me timing advice on the two pitching shots when there is only one pitching shot. Know what i mean???

Bloody hell your splitting hairs now but because your are a biker i'll let you off

 

[Vicelord John]

would you mind me asking, what lens did you use and what were your settings? I think they are pretty good and so crisp

80-200 f/2.8

and the lens was wide open or close to it on all those shots. I also noticed how slow the d90 is on continous shooting. The guy next to me with a d3x was sssssooooo fast.

Those pros were actually able to follow the action and focus on the fly. I could not so i just picked someone to shoot and waited or them to do something.

Why could you not focus on the fly, you must have had your camera set up wrong

No im just not fast enough to keep up. Im a noob. And i wasnt splitting hairs. A pitcher and a 3rd baseman are completely different.

 

[Jeremy Z]

gsgary is abrupt at times, but you did ask for constructive criticism. He even had the guts to post an example from his own archives to illustrate his point. Take the good with the bad. Even if you don't agree, you have to admit that you will keep TIMING in mind next time you go out, right?

There are a lot of shots posted here for criticism that are technically not good, but they serve their purpose, make girlfriends happy, etc.

I, for one, am glad to see some shots here that aren't posed from time to time. Candids and capture the moment shots sometimes my favorites, despite technical shortcomings.

 

[gsgary]

gsgary is abrupt at times, but you did ask for constructive criticism. He even had the guts to post an example from his own archives to illustrate his point. Take the good with the bad. Even if you don't agree, you have to admit that you will keep TIMING in mind next time you go out, right?

There are a lot of shots posted here for criticism that are technically not good, but they serve their purpose, make girlfriends happy, etc.

I, for one, am glad to see some shots here that aren't posed from time to time. Candids and capture the moment shots sometimes my favorites, despite technical shortcomings.

Sometimes Americans don't get british humour and a better example
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/Sports/Sports-Portfolio/print0351-after/568919139_yHLs4-L.jpg