First time shooting basketball

[Sam6644]

some from tonight. Shooting a mens game tomorrow night. Any suggestions, comments?

Thanks!
Go Bearcats!

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More and bigger here: UC Womens Basketball vs. EKU - a set on Flickr

taken on assignment for The News Record.

 

[fiveoboy01]

You're shooting baseline college basketball and you're posting in the beginner's section? LOL. Good shots, but post in the right area.

 

[Derrel]

Nice shots, especially for your first basketball game as a college newspaper shooter. "Beginner" is a relative term I suppose. I watched your school's football team pull off a miraculous come from behind win over Pitt in the snow a few weekends ago--an amazing football season for Cincy this year!

 

[Sam6644]

Thanks gentlemen. I wasn't sure where the thread shoud go. Maybe a mod can move it for me?

I'm really excited to shoot the mens game today at 2:00 EST. I'm not sure if it'll be televised nationally or not, maybe you can see me on tv tomorrow. Hahaha

It will be fun to be bumping elbows with AP and espn folks.

 

[PatrickHMS]

Dang! If these are shots you get as a first timer....

You could be doing this for a living someday.

Composition, lighting, color, final image, everything is of amazingly good quality.

What camera body and lens did you use?

 

[iriairi]

My only comment is that #22 on shot 4 is a bit distracting to me. But that is minor and basically a crop would take care of it... Hey, you did ask for comments... Great work!

 

[Sam6644]

Wow thanks man! I'd like to think I could, otherwise the $9,300/year I'm spending on tuition for a photojournalism degree would be quite a waste, haha.

I was using a D90 with a 16-105 ****ty kit lens and a D50 with a nikkor 80-200 f/2.8
unfortunately had to have them both on 1600iso, so I'm not real happy about the grain in larger versions, but they're good for what we're using them for and hopefully they turn more lights on for the mens games.

 

[Sam6644]

My only comment is that #22 on shot 4 is a bit distracting to me. But that is minor and basically a crop would take care of it... Hey, you did ask for comments... Great work!

I certainly did! Thanks!

Unfortunately, cropping and such isn't my call. My editor is in charge of that.

 

[anel]

what lenses did u use to shoot it? the lighting looks ok, was it hard to shoot? did u need really high iso settings?

 

[Sam6644]

this

Wow thanks man! I'd like to think I could, otherwise the $9,300/year I'm spending on tuition for a photojournalism degree would be quite a waste, haha.

I was using a D90 with a 16-105 ****ty kit lens and a D50 with a nikkor 80-200 f/2.8
unfortunately had to have them both on 1600iso, so I'm not real happy about the grain in larger versions, but they're good for what we're using them for and hopefully they turn more lights on for the mens games.

 

[Graham18ce]

only a minor suggestion and not the easiest to be done of course.
I find it rather off putting in sports to show stands in the background in the shot that are open and empty.
I would say choosing angles where the crowd is behind the frame or getting a few more players in frame to eliminate the sights from behind. narror DOF would help put it out of focus more but with out pro lighting, not going to happen.
Photo 3 is great - empty seats are high up out of they many area of the photo.
Photo 4 could have been improved greatly by cropping at the coach on the sideline.
Photo 5 is great!

cheers and great work.

 

[Sam6644]

Yeah, I agree completely.

Unfortunately nobody comes to see our ladies play. Mens is a different story, but when only 642 people show up to watch the women it's just about impossible to keep empty seats out of the shot. I looked around for ways to avoid it but the one section that is on my photos is the only section that had ANY people on it.

I'll post pics from the mens game I shot today when I'm not posting from bed on my phone haha. They're on my flickr already though.

 

[newbie06]

not bad...love the sec pic

 

[Cheesyman]

for your first time doin this you have some really good shot's here, maybe you could put up the shots from the men's game? when you get a chance of course, would love to see them

 

[Sam6644]

From the men's game 12/19
Men's basketball was a whole new beast... they move much faster, pass more, jump, shoot more 3 pointers, dunk, and on top of all that you gotta make sure you're not getting edged out by people from The Associated Press, Cincinnati Enquirer, and more. hahaha.... they were all EXTREMELY friendly though.

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and just for fun