Any better this time? Softball please CC

[Judd]

Just to add that from the composition point of view, subjects in the middle of the photo are not necessary the best option especially when there is action. You could get more information about it, searching for rule of thirds.

I will look into that. All the above were cropped. Last time I had some comments about seeing the parking lot, parents etc. So this time I cropped out everything I thought was a distraction :mrgreen:

 

[LarryD]

I think that you should spend more time on composition... moving your position and camera angle, to mitigate the background subjects.. most of the time your subject has way too many distrctions attached or sticking out of them..

Zoom in if there is too much clutter - you do not need to always see the entire body, just the action areas... When you say that "I know, I cut off the legs", then the solution is not to get more leg in, but to zoom in on that glove and face so they become the subject..

Get that shutter speed up as high as you can, then use DOF as your friend with a wide open lens to soften the background clutter...... you simply don't need the second baseman or outfielder in focus if your subject is the pitcher.........

Spot meter on the subject and point focus on the main subject areas, use amotor drive if you ahve one...

 

[KmH]

Just to add that from the composition point of view, subjects in the middle of the photo are not necessary the best option especially when there is action. You could get more information about it, searching for rule of thirds.

I will look into that. All the above were cropped. Last time I had some comments about seeing the parking lot, parents etc. So this time I cropped out everything I thought was a distraction :mrgreen:

There is a lot more to composition just than the rule of thirds.

At that, there are no "rules", just guidelines that over the last couple of hundred years or so have been noticed as elements that produce visual images that are pleasant to look at.

Look at sports magazines to get an idea of what you should be aiming to produce, composition wise.

For sports, your subject should have some room in front of them in the image frame they could move into. It promotes the sense of motion and action.

I also shoot most sports action shots from a low perspective, like down on a knee or with my butt on the ground. It not only helps get distacting elements out of the image frame, it makes the players look bigger, more regal, and most importantly, more powerful.

90% of all my sports shots are made with the camera in the vertical orientation, or the shots are cropped to a vertical orientation. It removes even more distractions from the image frame.

 

[pbelarge]

"My last set of shots I think I was too focused on getting a play by play, following the ball everywhere. Last night I focused on one spot, zoomed in, and stayed there."



These shots are a big improvement over your first set of photos. Notice the emotion in the faces and how you feel like you are right there with the players. You should be proud of yourself for listening and trying to make improvements in your work.


If you keep up the improvements with all the other comments made, you will be at a much better position for selling your work.

I say congrats and keep up the good work!!

 

[robertwsimpson]

Rent a 70-200mm f/2.8 for a weekend. You'll loveeeee it. Also, you can mess with your in camera jpg settings. I'd bump the sharpness up a little and the saturation up a little. I think this will make a little more pleasing results!

keep shooting!

 

[KmH]

Or rent this one:

LensRentals.com - Rent a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

or a couple of primes with the reach for baseball:

LensRentals.com - Rent a Canon 300mm f/2.8L IS

LensRentals.com - Rent a Canon 400mm f/2.8L IS

 

[robertwsimpson]

caution:
If you rent a lens like any of these, you will want to buy it in the worst way possible.


fair warning!

 

[Judd]

Yeah I have seen the lens rental places. And I googled those lenses. I would have to sell every toy I had to buy one.

Even renting the 400 would be tough. I would have to be at a week long event, and sell lots of pictures to make that work !!!