C&C College Basketball

[MitchStrp]

I have been shooting sports for my college recently and really enjoy it! The lighting in the gym is terrible! I shot the entire game at ISO 6000 F2.8 @ 1/800ths. Basketball isnt really my favorite sport to shoot just because of the lighting. CC please ! I love getting better, so tear them apart.

 

[rlemert]

I don't have anything to say technically about these, but 'artistically' (i.e. composition) I think they just miss the mark.

On the first one, you've got a lot of potential drama in #3's face, which would suggest that a tight crop might be in order. However, his arm blocking out the defender's face detracts from the image. If you shot this as a sequence in burst mode, maybe one a little bit before this would have been better.

Number two, the two main players seem a little disjointed to me - like they don't really have a strong connection with each other. The other players in the background also add to the clutter. In fact, the way things are sitting right now, it looks like you're using the shooter and defender to frame #15 - like he's the subject.

Again, I think I'd like to see something zoomed in a little bit more, and something more 'frontal'.

Take my comments with a grain of salt because I'm not sure I'd have been able to follow my own advice.

Also, even though I haven't really done any sports photography, I'm guessing that even when you set yourself up in a perfect spot and anticipate everything that's going to happen, that there are probably a lot of great shots you don't get just because you're still in the wrong place.

 

[cmhbob]

I agree with tighter crops on 1 & 2, especially the look on the shooter's face in #1.

I don't think you can improve much on #3. Sometimes you're in the perfect spot, and sometimes you're not. I think it's a good shot for the angle you had. Hard to move around during the game.

And given the lighting you had to work with, they look pretty good. I'm assuming no flash, right?

 

[MitchStrp]

Thanks guys! Appreciate it !

 

[imagemaker46]

Tighter crop will make the first two much stronger images. The action is there. I wouldn't have kept the third one, not having the faces is pretty much always an image killer in sports.

 

[manicmike]

My only negative comment was not seeing the faces.

 

[Iluxa007]

I don’t know, I like these Not #3 though... That just looks wrong

 

[MitchStrp]

Thanks guys! I agree with the critique on #3, I would have loved this image at a different angle! Anyone have any tips for the best shooting locations at these games?

 

[imagemaker46]

From the end, either just beside the hoop with a wide angle lens, or in the corner of the court with a 70-200mm, it is a good lens for players coming at you.

 

[runnah]

From the end, either just beside the hoop with a wide angle lens, or in the corner of the court with a 70-200mm, it is a good lens for players coming at you.

Just out of curiosity when shooting basketball are you following the ball or letting the action come into frame?

 

[MitchStrp]

Runnah, not sure if you are referring to me or Imagemaker but I personally follow the ball.

 

[imagemaker46]

From the end, either just beside the hoop with a wide angle lens, or in the corner of the court with a 70-200mm, it is a good lens for players coming at you.

Just out of curiosity when shooting basketball are you following the ball or letting the action come into frame?

I follow the player with the ball but do watch how things are setting up on the court. Like every other sport being aware of all the movement is key to anticipating what the next picture may be.