swimming shots

jm94085jm94085 Registered Users Posts: 122 Major grins
edited August 23, 2010 in Sports
Here's a few from my first time trying to shoot a swimming event that my niece and her friends were participating in. Trying to find somehwere to get a clear line of sight was almost non-existent ;-)

Anyway let me know what you think for my first time out by the pool.

Thanks,
John

#1 "Praying to go faster" LOL

969819910_a8acd-L.jpg

#2

969829305_noLtN-L.jpg

#3
969847268_V8jEC-L.jpg

Comments

  • time2smiletime2smile Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    sharp, man it is so nice to be able to do outdoor events...

    I really like the comp in the first, you may want to crop out the top and bottom.

    thanks for sharing
    Ted....
    It's not what you look at that matters: Its what you see!
    Nikon
    http://www.time2smile.smugmug.com
  • jm94085jm94085 Registered Users Posts: 122 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    Ted, thanks for looking and commenting...yeah I should crop out that head at the bottom and tighten up the top :-)
  • SeefutlungSeefutlung Registered Users Posts: 2,781 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    Nice, especially since this is your first attempt. #2 and #3 are tight and better than #1. When I shoot swimming I move to the deck at waters edge. So far nobody has said anything. In #2 the floats are tilted ... looks like he's swimming uphill, so maybe a slight rotation. #3, I'd lighten up the face a bit with the dodge tool in PS (seems a bit dark on my monitor).

    Once again good job. Here's a gallery of swimmers ... just to show how tight cropping helps and a few different angles.

    SMCHS Swim

    Gary
    My snaps can be found here:
    Unsharp at any Speed
  • jm94085jm94085 Registered Users Posts: 122 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    Tahnks Gary...don't know about the face lighting that you're seeing but I've checked on two monitors and my iPhone and across all the lighting seems good on that one?? Unfortunately at this event I could not get anywhere near the deck...this was a huge event where they even had to do chase starts from opposite ends of the pool to keep on schedule and all four sides of the pool were lined with canopys so I had to shoot from the stands and find small openings between the canopys to get a shot (thus some funky angles). Callenging but fun to have to think on your feet and make the best of the situation.
  • SeefutlungSeefutlung Registered Users Posts: 2,781 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    To clarify my face lightening ... I'd hit the face with the dodge tool set on highlights to give it a bit of pop/contrast. Just a bit (brighten the teeth and give the goggles some highlights).

    The challenge is half the fun.

    Gary
    My snaps can be found here:
    Unsharp at any Speed
  • kidzmomkidzmom Registered Users Posts: 828 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    They look great and really pop! Nice and sharp! Super work :)
  • jm94085jm94085 Registered Users Posts: 122 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    Thanks Kelly :-)

    So here's the set again...#1 cropped (hopefully better), #2 rotated to straighten out and #3 applied dodge tool to the face area set for highlights with 0 hardness and 10% exposure.

    #1
    974313576_pK25u-L.jpg


    #2
    974316021_LCXr9-L.jpg


    #3
    974322664_2aGru-L.jpg
  • jm94085jm94085 Registered Users Posts: 122 Major grins
    edited August 18, 2010
    BTW since I neglected to note before...shot with a Canon 7D and Canon 70-300 f/4-5.6.
  • rstwoheerstwohee Registered Users Posts: 49 Big grins
    edited August 20, 2010
    jm94085 wrote: »
    Thanks Kelly :-)

    So here's the set again...#1 cropped (hopefully better), #2 rotated to straighten out and #3 applied dodge tool to the face area set for highlights with 0 hardness and 10% exposure.

    Nice shots for a first time swimming event. You might try cropping more on #1 to get the coach out of the way - the focus should be more on the swimmer. Breaststroke is tricky to shoot - I find that the best shots come when the swimmer has begun the recovery portion of the stroke (the pushing forward with hands) and is really pushing water.

    #3 - be careful with the dodge tool - sometimes in an attempt to lighten up some shadows, we make the skin color a little unnatural compared to the rest of the body. The face seems a little too light compared to the rest.

    #2 - funny about this one but I liked the original. Sure it may have looked like the swimmer was going uphill but it had a feel I liked. Opinions... we all have them :D

    Don't sweat that you couldn't get on deck. It just means you get creative finding angles, lighting, etc. to make it. Sometimes the best shots come up in the stands anyway. I've taken relay takeover shots that could not be done on deck properly -- being up high gave me a nice perspective on the shot.

    Betsy
    Well done is better than well said. - Benjamin Franklin
  • time2smiletime2smile Registered Users Posts: 835 Major grins
    edited August 21, 2010
    love the pp
    #1 - I like the coach in it
    #2 - dead on
    #3 - a little much, the skin tone seens a little off
    Ted....
    It's not what you look at that matters: Its what you see!
    Nikon
    http://www.time2smile.smugmug.com
  • John HayesJohn Hayes Registered Users Posts: 116 Major grins
    edited August 21, 2010
    On shots with the swimmer coming towards you I would try and shoot lower. It will make the image more dramatic.
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  • jm94085jm94085 Registered Users Posts: 122 Major grins
    edited August 23, 2010
    @Betsy @Ted...thanks for the feedback! :-)

    @John...yeah it would have been great to shoot lower unfortunately this was not an option at this event, thus I had to make due with what was available to me. But thanks for the feedback and taking a look.

    Regards,
    John
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