Football Photo Question

[Rob4bama]

I've been reading on here about C&C and it seems that the pros want specific questions and so forth. I'm a noob and don't really know a specific question to ask other than "How's this look to your trained eye?" I'll be shooting some football games for the high school I teach at. They are just for fun. But another high school wants me to shoot some of their games for their 5 seniors (small school). I took this shot earlier this year and I guess I just really like the look (running through the crowd, the guys leapfrogging in the back) I used Topaz labs denoise to cut out some of the noise because of the poor lights and our games are always at night. Does this picture look fake? It does somewhat to me. It looks "plasticy" to me a little. I should get a lot more practice this season since was really my first football game.

Thanks for any feedback.


Sample by rob4bama, on Flickr

 

[MLeeK]

It's a great image. You have captured the face and the action. That's the goal! Wish his foot weren't cropped off, but that happens in action shooting.
I can see your noise removal, but it doesn't destroy the image. As long as you are happy with the result of the noise removal and it's a good representation of your look and style you are fine with it.

 

[imagemaker46]

I have to agree with everything that MLeek has said, it is a very nice image.

 

[Rob4bama]

Thanks! There's hope after all!

 

[KmH]

FWIW, I shot most of my action sports shots with the camera in the vertical/portrait orientation.

Frame in the viewfinder rather than relying on post production cropping, if the auto focus module in your camera can handle tracking moving subjects (Like Nikon D300 and up).

 

[Rob4bama]

KmH - I like your idea about the vertical pictures. If I do that, should I change the center focus point to one of the upper focus points. I have a canon 60d with 9 I believe.

 

[MLeeK]

FWIW, I shot most of my action sports shots with the camera in the vertical/portrait orientation.

Frame in the viewfinder rather than relying on post production cropping, if the auto focus module in your camera can handle tracking moving subjects (Like Nikon D300 and up).

Can you come teach me that trick? I have a HELL of a time shooting in portrait for sports and the only time I seem successful is when I am shooting kick off. Western NY is still warm... Vacation?