My pics from the Texas Tech vs. UMass game

Erbeman

johng

Some really nice shots here.
A few suggestions:

• Ditch the cheerleader shot. You have to be careful which shots you keep and especially post. Any shot highlighting the crotch of a female is not a good idea to post.
• Try shooting a bit in portrait orientation. While shot 12 (Umas #3) works well as a landscape a lot of the others have a lot of dead space while still only showing part of the player. For example, the tackle of 28 - nice capture but a lot of dead space to the right and left which could better be served by including the players' legs.
• The night shots need some definite color adjustment. Looks like your rig had some issues with WB under the lights. The day shots look great but there's a definite color cast to all the night shots.

Overall, a very nice series

Erbeman

johng wrote:

Some really nice shots here.
A few suggestions:

• Ditch the cheerleader shot. You have to be careful which shots you keep and especially post. Any shot highlighting the crotch of a female is not a good idea to post.
• Try shooting a bit in portrait orientation. While shot 12 (Umas #3) works well as a landscape a lot of the others have a lot of dead space while still only showing part of the player. For example, the tackle of 28 - nice capture but a lot of dead space to the right and left which could better be served by including the players' legs.
• The night shots need some definite color adjustment. Looks like your rig had some issues with WB under the lights. The day shots look great but there's a definite color cast to all the night shots.

Overall, a very nice series

All good suggestions. Thank you. The night shots were kicking my butt because I don't have a 2.8 long lens and we can't use flashes.

winger

I have to agree overall very nice set.

I love the one of the UMass Coach, the band, the umass player at the bench dejected, #12 from Texas Tech running the ball and the last one of the field goal.

These are the type of shots that will set yourself apart from your typical sports shooter. They end up telling the story with more impact than your typical football photos. With so many people with digital cameras on the sideline that is what you need to set yourself apart.

That being said your action shots could be a little better (althought overall not that bad), think faces, you want the action moving toward you if possible (sometimes with lighting, end zones, etc that is not possible), but for example the two players running into the end zone, its just their tail end, no football, what makes this photo exciting to the viewer?

But other than that they look great, when people shoot sports I tell them to think of the following:
1) Faces (they tell the story)
2) Keep it close (crop in camera!)
3) Watch the backgrounds

You are doing an excellent job on the 2nd two, you have nice clean or situationally related backgrounds, you are not afraid to be close up in the action. Just a little improvement on the capturing with faces, add into your nack for the sideline photos, which to be honest I think really make the different in telling the story. Being able to look beyond the game play you will capture many fantastic moments that other photographers will miss!

Overall real good set!

Erbeman

winger wrote:

I have to agree overall very nice set.

I love the one of the UMass Coach, the band, the umass player at the bench dejected, #12 from Texas Tech running the ball and the last one of the field goal.

These are the type of shots that will set yourself apart from your typical sports shooter. They end up telling the story with more impact than your typical football photos. With so many people with digital cameras on the sideline that is what you need to set yourself apart.

That being said your action shots could be a little better (althought overall not that bad), think faces, you want the action moving toward you if possible (sometimes with lighting, end zones, etc that is not possible), but for example the two players running into the end zone, its just their tail end, no football, what makes this photo exciting to the viewer?

But other than that they look great, when people shoot sports I tell them to think of the following:
1) Faces (they tell the story)
2) Keep it close (crop in camera!)
3) Watch the backgrounds

You are doing an excellent job on the 2nd two, you have nice clean or situationally related backgrounds, you are not afraid to be close up in the action. Just a little improvement on the capturing with faces, add into your nack for the sideline photos, which to be honest I think really make the different in telling the story. Being able to look beyond the game play you will capture many fantastic moments that other photographers will miss!

Overall real good set!

Thanks for the write up I'll take your advise for sure.