Basketball!

[Kethean]

I'm new to the site and thought I'd post some of my photos for a critique by the members. These shots were with my older setup (Sony A300K with Minolta 50mm f/1.7) that I don't use as much now that I have my canon.

Other than the watermark, none of these images are PP and some are very slightly OOF (thank you slower AF) but now I have my canon and I should be posting some basketball shots from those later (they will be Division II NCAA basketball).

C&C welcomed!

 

[rtracyphoto]

They look slightly over exposed on my computer but Im on my laptop and the color/ exposure isn't 100% on here. You already mentioned my biggest concern with would be the slight OOF on #1 and #3. Action is pretty good but could use some cropping.

#1 is a decent shot of a player driving towards the basket but there is way too much dead space above the player and the partial body of the defender on the left is distracting. If you cropped that down to just the player it would make it better. Same thing with #4 if you cropped a little off the top and the left it would make it a better shot IMO.

 

[Robin Usagani]

They let you in with a DSLR?

I think i would push the ISO a stop or two higher and get a better shutter speed.

 

[Kethean]

Thank you guys for the input so far!

@rtracyphoto: I totally agree with the cropping on 1 and 4, and am considering cropping down 3 a bit as well but wasn't quite sure how or how much on 1 and 3. And as I said, that was my slightly older setup which doesn't quite produce the same brilliance that the new camera does.

@Schwettylens: This was a preseason game with very little photographers and such at it and I had some connections that got me in. But on the other side...everyone I've seen in pro sports shoots with a DSLR of some sort or another so I don't see why this would be a problem? And I thought I was shooting pretty quick with these shots, but on the Sony pushing the ISO gets REALLY grainy really bad so I don't like to go above 800 on that thing...but at ISO 800 and f/2.2 I was usually shooting b/w 320 and 500. But that camera has no burst speed so you only get one shot!


I'm on my laptop so the colors seemed decent to me, but if you think they're off, I'll play around with them in PP, as I said, none of these have any PP done to them yet other than putting on a watermark! And thanks again for the input!

 

[Robin Usagani]

Well if you come in as a photographer, of course you can bring a DSLR. They usually won't let you bring a big camera. But it is hit or miss. Don't be afraid with pushing the ISO. I rather have grainy picture than motion blur.

 

[Kethean]

Oh I see what you're getting at! No I had gotten a press pass and was sitting on the court! But I did see those without a pass using a DSLR so maybe...but then again this was a preseason game at a small arena so maybe for real games it would be different.

 

[rtracyphoto]

Im on my desktop now and I retract my previous statement about being overexposed. The exposure isn't bad at all.

Oh I see what you're getting at! No I had gotten a press pass and was sitting on the court! But I did see those without a pass using a DSLR so maybe...but then again this was a preseason game at a small arena so maybe for real games it would be different.

The rules vary from venue to venue but I pulled this off of Oklahoma City's website

Point-and-shoot cameras are allowed. However, flash and video recorders are not permitted. If a Guest’s sightline is inhibited by another Guest’s camera, please contact the nearest Guest Relations Desk to handle the situation. Laser pointers are also not allowed​

The rule doesn't ban DSLR cameras but I guess they could use the part about guest sight lines to make you put them away.

 

[kassad]

Wow you got those with Sony a300. Impressive

 

[Kethean]

Thanks, that minolta 50mm 1.7 is really nice. By far my fav lens I have on the sony!