Swim Meet (56k caution)

[LightShadow]

A friend of mine asked me to go take pictures at one of their swim meets, obviously I agreed for the practice, and I tried... but I don't think my pictures turned out very good- I didn't know it was so hard to take action shots in that amount of light.. these are some of the better ones, what do you think?

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

6)

7)

Critique and suggestion is ALWAYS welcome..
Blake

 

[PlasticSpanner]

It would be easier if you were to number each image as a reference when replying about it.


No 1 seems like the camera focussed on the lane markers behind the swimmer, making her slightly out of focus.

What camera were you using and did you use a tripod?

 

[LightShadow]

I'm using a Canon D20, and I didn't use a tripod...

 

[PlasticSpanner]

Just said they seem quite dark then my monitor screen flickered & they looked OK! Sorry!:thumbup:


How's that for timing! :blushing:

 

[LightShadow]

Most of them were dark.. and I have an LCD that makes the pictures look darker to most people that I know with CRTs.. but with that being said. CAn you give me any advice on how to make them lighter, and more in focus when I take the picture initially. And on the full sized pictures, they look really grainy~ and I couldn't figure out why

 

[PlasticSpanner]

No 2 is quite nicely composed with an effective DOF.


A few of the images are a bit too centered on the subject though.

No 3 might have looked better with a polarizing filter to remove the overhead lights reflectomg in the water & hiding the swimmer.

Looking through again I definately prefer No 2!:thumbup:

 

[PlasticSpanner]

Most of them were dark.. and I have an LCD that makes the pictures look darker to most people that I know with CRTs.. but with that being said. CAn you give me any advice on how to make them lighter, and more in focus when I take the picture initially. And on the full sized pictures, they look really grainy~ and I couldn't figure out why

You could lighten them in Photoshop with the levels tool.

If the camera is on auto then you have to be carefull to show the camera what to focus on. You could reduce the apeture to get a longer DOF but this will mean you'll have to use a longer exposure which isn't good for action sports!:er: I only shoot manual focus and as such can only blame myself if it doesn't work!

As for the pics looking grainy, do you know what speed ISO you were using? A high ISO to combat the low light will result in a lot of grain and digital noise.

 

[LaFoto]

SWIM MEET??? SWIM MEET???

For those I MUST come to this thread, aren't swim meets part of one of my family-member's life? And a big part? Unfortunately I am now no longer welcome to accompany her to her meets, but I used to - and used to always have my camera - later cameras - in tow. Therefore I know how hard it is to get good photos, mostly so if it is an indoors meet! A good many of mine turned out to be bloopers, ha, and I remember my first attempts years ago, when I tried and tried in vain to capture my daughter while breathing during her breaststroke race (she was only sooooooo little at the time!) and I took four photos, and in all four of them she is under water .

Sorry, I can't give you any technical advice, but PlasticSpanner is doing that for me already, as I can see, thanks PlasticSpanner . But I can say what I like, and that is the captured atmosphere of a swim meet in the second photo! Or in the fourth. The lone swimmer, all pumped out and too weak to leave the pool... that is the impression it gives, since no one else is there with him.

The turn is also ok - how on earth did you get there to take that photo? Cannot have been during the official race, eh? The judges would need to chase you away then!!

If you are interested, I might dig out my swim meet pics for you...

One site (all in German, I'm afraid) FULL OF swim meet pics taken with a D20 (not mine, sniff-sniff) is here, by the way: www.swimpics.de . If you there go to "Norddeutsche Meisterschaften", you might come across a photo of my daughter somewhere .