Monster Trucks

I appologize to everyone on this threat. Even those who just should have stayed out of it. I am not a big forum poster. You will not see me around much or if i am online you will not see me post much. My negatives thoughts on other peoples work are kept to myself. I do not intend to post something that will make someone one feel bad or start and argument.
Hope you all have a good day.

Apology accepted. Have a wonderful weekend, or what remains of it.
 
Being a hockey fan I thought that ND looked familiar (although it doesn't look like the arena I've seen on TV)... If you're newer to shooting sports it seems like you were able to freeze action and keep the images sharp.

Our local arena gets invaded by monster trucks every year but I haven't gone to the event or tried to photograph it. I've found that when shooting hockey the ice seems to help with the lighting (as it reflects it) and when I have done indoor events in the same arena the lack of ice seems to make the lighting that much worse. Our arena does the same thing for smaller events (like high school hockey), opens up seats on only one side of the arena. Which works for them, for the ushers and security staff, but gives you as a photographer a background that looks like nobody showed up!

Since you were able to accomplish what you wanted the next step might be to start looking at other aspects of your photos. You might want to notice how you're framing shots and make sure everything looks straight. I think in sports there can be a lot of posts, lines, signs, etc. in the background and I usually try to check to make sure those look straight. I often frame it so a post etc. is out of my photo when possible or whatever should be straight is parallel to the edge of the frame (such as posts in the glass, not the curved boards for example). Obviously for this type event you've got the rows of seats and banners etc. to think about.

With your photos if you made copies and did some straightening and cropping it might improve some of the shots that could use it, just a slight bit can sometimes make a noticeable difference; you might also think about if you'd want to crop any of them to elminate some of the background. Next time you photograph something like this you might want to notice how the background looks since you've gotten the subject itself photographed nicely.

I learned to make my eye move around the viewfinder to see if everything in my frame is what I want in my photo. If you can change your vantage point you can move something in or out of your photo, but I don't know how much of that would be possible as a spectator. When I was taking pictures at a game where I didn't have credentials to be at ice level or didn't have the ideal vantage point, I'd try leaning to one side or scrunching down or whatever I could figure out to help me frame my shot better (or go sit briefly in an empty seat!). I have found sometimes at games and events there may be some flexibility in letting you stand briefly in a tunnel etc. to get a few photos from a different vantage point.

If you've been able to get these shots in low light (and I know how much difference that can make in older arenas) you probably will be able to continue to develop techniques and work on composition with practice. You could try Sports Photography and Photojournalism for Professional Photographers and Photography | SportsShooter.com and search articles etc. although I don't think too many people on there shoot motorsports. I haven't been on this board long myself and you've already found out how it can be on here, which seems to be somewhat the nature of message boards. I don't know offhand of a good sports photography site where you can get photos critiqued and get feedback and suggestions, but if you keep practicing you'll probably see your photos continue to get better as you go. Good luck with it.

Thank you for your post
I am not big into sports photography either. I mostly track down abandon or old building around North Dakota for photos. I love the scene those create. But my love for photography had me only shooting in the summer months. Its to darn cold to go looking for old building in the winter and most buildings are a half mile walk to get to it, When its below 0 thats pretty darn cold to do in the winter. There for i bought the 70-200mm f2.8 L lense to start doing stuff indoors. Its been a bigger challange then i imagined it would be. I have not taken any photos of Hockey games but i have taken a few of baskeball games. On those i found alot of mistakes i was makeing and i wanted to correct those on this event. Anyway thanks for your post.
 
Even though you're asking the OP... my opinion is that yes, the purpose is feedback - but are the snarky comments necessary?? can't the opinions and suggestions be constructive? Silence wouldn't be the worst thing, if someone isn't giving constructive criticism then why post a comment at all?
 
Even though you're asking the OP... my opinion is that yes, the purpose is feedback - but are the snarky comments necessary?? can't the opinions and suggestions be constructive? Silence wouldn't be the worst thing, if someone isn't giving constructive criticism then why post a comment at all?

I don't see the initial posts as being snarky.. just honest opinions, with some constructive advice thrown in! The snarkiness start with the OP's first reply to those comments. We are not really a CODDLE and KISS KISS forum, since we try do a lot of teaching here, and for that... honesty is usually more important then the "Feel Good" type C&C some other forums do. You may disagree... you have that right.
 
Even though you're asking the OP... my opinion is that yes, the purpose is feedback - but are the snarky comments necessary?? can't the opinions and suggestions be constructive? Silence wouldn't be the worst thing, if someone isn't giving constructive criticism then why post a comment at all?

If I understood the OP correctly, his complain was not just regarding snarky comments, but criticism/feedback in general .. in a sense of "if I wanted to know, I would have asked for your opinion". I mean, this is a valid point of view, but I just wonder if it corresponds well with the idea of a forum.

Nevertheless I will remain silent now, as "It is over" and we should respect the OPs wish here.
 
Sorry my previous post was related to a comment a few posts back...

I think actually you got some nice photos, I guess I see potential there. Whatever you photograph (I like shooting architecture too) it seems to take trying different techniques and figuring out what works best for you.
 
I am a teacher, and I agree that coddling isn't helpful, but criticism or giving an honest opinion can be done in a more respectful way than how it often seems to come across on here.

It probably would have helped for the OP to mention from the beginning that this was the first time he's done action photos. That might have given everyone a better frame of reference so comments didn't come across in a way that seemed more harsh than necessary.
 
People are prone to interpret direct remarks. given without the grace notes that social workers and teachers love, as being rude or hurtful.

I suggest a set of codes we can use in square brackets to help the OPs interpret how comments are made, something like the following:

[sincere and helpful] this photo is ....... [/sincere and helpful]
[harsh but mean well] this photo is .......[/harsh but mean well]
[direct but tired] this photo is .......[/direct but tired]
[gracious sounding but really pompous underneath] this photo is .......[/gracious sounding but really pompous underneath]
[snarky] this photo is .....[/snarky]
[malevolent and passive aggressive] this photo is .......[/malevolent and passive aggressive]

and of course, the one I use by default.

[I don't give a crap how you take this, it's what I think] this photo is .......[/I don't give a crap how you take this, it's what I think]


You may interpret what I say as unfeeling but my experience for a long time has been dealing primarily with adults who didn't break down in tears when you told them what you thought and didn't interpret a negative response to what they had done either as as a condemnation of their character or as proof of my lack of appreciation of them as an artist.

perhaps I should add
[facetious].....
[/facetious]
 
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People are prone to interpret direct remarks. given without the grace notes that social workers and teachers love, as being rude or hurtful.

I suggest a set of codes we can use in square brackets to help the OPs interpret how comments are made, something like the following:

[sincere and helpful] this photo is ....... [/sincere and helpful]
[harsh but mean well] this photo is .......[/harsh but mean well]
[direct but tired] this photo is .......[/direct but tired]
[gracious sounding but really pompous underneath] this photo is .......[/gracious sounding but really pompous underneath]
[snarky] this photo is .....[/snarky]
[malevolent and passive aggressive] this photo is .......[/malevolent and passive aggressive]

and of course, the one I use by default.

[I don't give a crap how you take this, it's what I think] this photo is .......[/I don't give a crap how you take this, it's what I think]


You may interpret what I say as unfeeling but my experience for a long time has been dealing primarily with adults who didn't break down in tears when you told them what you thought and didn't interpret a negative response to what they had done either as as a condemnation of their character or as proof of my lack of appreciation of them as an artist.

perhaps I should add
[facetious].....
[/facetious]

Not EVEN going there for my C&C! lol!
 

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