Here are some pics I've taken in the last couple of months. I freelance for a small local newspaper. Which means I've got a good camera. Please critque these so I can get better. Thanks :thumb
Nice clean background, nice colors, peak of the action and the photo is in focus and is tack sharp BUT no faces. I like the perspetive of which you took it from, try the same spot but the other side, then you will get her face instead of her ass.
Nice action of the plate, the crowd is a little distracting but sometimes there is nothing you can do. a crop here would make the picture look better, sometimes I like to shoot plays at the plate from a position of the runner heading at you, but if that is on the side of the bench that is running in you may get people in your way, and you may get the pitcher in your way backing up the play. Know your audience, if it was for a media guide, or maybe a feature, or a photo for a parent, its a nice isolated shot (would be better with the ball in her hand rather than an inaction shot because the ball was put in play) but the photo in terms of sports action does nothing for me. Knowing your audience helps you to shoot better photos, if you are shooting for a paper, you are going to want nice shots of the in field plays and you can take safe shots of the pitchers in action as well as the hitters. If the catcher is someone who is featured alot getting stock photos of her is a good idea, but get one of her actually fielding the ball, or maybe with the dust cloud right after the pitcher sends a smoker to the plate, or a photo of here gunning someone down. like this (some of these are dark and not the best example of a good photo but the I am using them to illustate action of a catcher):
Is she going to get a popup? it would be great if you could get her catching it, the background is distracting, if you cant move to get rid of it, try a smaller DOF to throw the background out then. This could be a great photo if you could get them maybe looking at each other, discussing the next play, doesnt look like she is about to do some running, so with no faces, im wondering why the sideview of these two people are important.
Your colors are great, the photos are properly exposed, but think of getting faces, think of getting clean backgrounds, and think of WHO your audience is and what kind of photos they want. And all I can say is FACES FACES FACES. You want some ideas, look at what kind of baseball/ softball photos other papers are running, is that what your editor is looking for? Are there players they are looking to feature in the paper as well.
Bench shots can be great, but again faces, and why am I looking at this photos, WHY is this photo something I should look at and does it tell part of the story.
Hey no problem, I spend alot of time trying to teach myself this stuff, so if I can make the learning process a little quicker for someone else then I am more than happy too.
And I am even more critical of my own work. I always wondered if people get offended but try to say it matter of factly and I wish people had commented and were honest when I first started taking photos. I mean nice photos althought feels good doesn tell me much. You could at least tell me what I did right so I keep doing it, you know?
On number 4 you could have used some fill flash, unless it was a telephoto pic, and then maybe you could have shot her face from a different angle.
www.chase.smugmug.com
I just press the button and the camera goes CLICK. :dunno
Canon: gripped 20d and 30d, 10-22 3.5-4.5, 17-55 IS, 50mm f1.8, 70-200L IS, 85mm f1.8, 420ex
sigma: 10-20 4-5.6 (for sale), 24-70 2.8 (for sale), 120-300 2.8
Please return the afvor and check out my pics (lots of softball and baseball) in my portfolio thread. Pretty please.
www.chase.smugmug.com
I just press the button and the camera goes CLICK. :dunno
Canon: gripped 20d and 30d, 10-22 3.5-4.5, 17-55 IS, 50mm f1.8, 70-200L IS, 85mm f1.8, 420ex
sigma: 10-20 4-5.6 (for sale), 24-70 2.8 (for sale), 120-300 2.8
Excellent advice....
I was advised to see if I could have access to the field during games to get better angles and backgrounds. You might check apparently its allowed by some leagues. With press creds. you may already be doing this....Mereimage
I was advised to see if I could have access to the field during games to get better angles and backgrounds. You might check apparently its allowed by some leagues. With press creds. you may already be doing this....Mereimage
Comments
Nice clean background, nice colors, peak of the action and the photo is in focus and is tack sharp BUT no faces. I like the perspetive of which you took it from, try the same spot but the other side, then you will get her face instead of her ass.
Nice action of the plate, the crowd is a little distracting but sometimes there is nothing you can do. a crop here would make the picture look better, sometimes I like to shoot plays at the plate from a position of the runner heading at you, but if that is on the side of the bench that is running in you may get people in your way, and you may get the pitcher in your way backing up the play.
Know your audience, if it was for a media guide, or maybe a feature, or a photo for a parent, its a nice isolated shot (would be better with the ball in her hand rather than an inaction shot because the ball was put in play) but the photo in terms of sports action does nothing for me. Knowing your audience helps you to shoot better photos, if you are shooting for a paper, you are going to want nice shots of the in field plays and you can take safe shots of the pitchers in action as well as the hitters. If the catcher is someone who is featured alot getting stock photos of her is a good idea, but get one of her actually fielding the ball, or maybe with the dust cloud right after the pitcher sends a smoker to the plate, or a photo of here gunning someone down.
like this (some of these are dark and not the best example of a good photo but the I am using them to illustate action of a catcher):
Is she going to get a popup? it would be great if you could get her catching it, the background is distracting, if you cant move to get rid of it, try a smaller DOF to throw the background out then.
This could be a great photo if you could get them maybe looking at each other, discussing the next play, doesnt look like she is about to do some running, so with no faces, im wondering why the sideview of these two people are important.
Your colors are great, the photos are properly exposed, but think of getting faces, think of getting clean backgrounds, and think of WHO your audience is and what kind of photos they want. And all I can say is FACES FACES FACES. You want some ideas, look at what kind of baseball/ softball photos other papers are running, is that what your editor is looking for? Are there players they are looking to feature in the paper as well.
Bench shots can be great, but again faces, and why am I looking at this photos, WHY is this photo something I should look at and does it tell part of the story.
[
thanks for your advice.
And I am even more critical of my own work. I always wondered if people get offended but try to say it matter of factly and I wish people had commented and were honest when I first started taking photos. I mean nice photos althought feels good doesn tell me much. You could at least tell me what I did right so I keep doing it, you know?
I just press the button and the camera goes CLICK. :dunno
Canon: gripped 20d and 30d, 10-22 3.5-4.5, 17-55 IS, 50mm f1.8, 70-200L IS, 85mm f1.8, 420ex
sigma: 10-20 4-5.6 (for sale), 24-70 2.8 (for sale), 120-300 2.8
Thanks for the time too look. Good idea.
I just press the button and the camera goes CLICK. :dunno
Canon: gripped 20d and 30d, 10-22 3.5-4.5, 17-55 IS, 50mm f1.8, 70-200L IS, 85mm f1.8, 420ex
sigma: 10-20 4-5.6 (for sale), 24-70 2.8 (for sale), 120-300 2.8
I was advised to see if I could have access to the field during games to get better angles and backgrounds. You might check apparently its allowed by some leagues. With press creds. you may already be doing this....Mereimage