New sports shooter

HumdingerHumdinger Registered Users Posts: 6 Beginner grinner
edited November 24, 2010 in Sports
HVW_0047.jpgAttached are a few photos of youth football in my area. I am new to sports photography so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • drodedrode Registered Users Posts: 99 Big grins
    edited November 24, 2010
    The framing is pretty good. Nice shot of football action, the player's face and the ball with no other distractions in the frame. Nice. Lots of people here that know more than I but it looks to me like your shutter speed was too slow. That's what is causing the blur. The focus may be off as well but I can't tell for sure.

    To stop action you want a shutter speed above 1/500 or higher. 1/1000+ is ideal but not always possible. Bump up the ISO and open the aperture until you get 1/500+. A long f/2.8 lens really helps but when I first started out I was able to get some decent captures with a cheap Nikon 55-200 lens. Also, use AF-C (or whatever it's called on your camera) and track the subject, panning with them as they move with a shutter half press until the peak action.
    - Dan Rode
    http:/www.rodephoto.com
  • ZanottiZanotti Registered Users Posts: 1,411 Major grins
    edited November 24, 2010
    You have a good eye and great timing. You need a faster shutter speed and a little closer cropping.

    Z
    It is the purpose of life that each of us strives to become actually what he is potentially. We should be obsessed with stretching towards that goal through the world we inhabit.
  • johngjohng Registered Users Posts: 1,658 Major grins
    edited November 24, 2010
    Yes, you're off to a good start here. The final composition is good and you've got nice action. As mentioned, your shutter speed is too slow - the EXIF data has been stripped so I can't tell what camera and what the settings were but you need to go faster. The image also looks over cropped - which results in the subjects looking flat and loss of detail. With all the MP in todays cameras, people tend to overcrop their images too much - and it hurts sports images. Having that detail and 'punch' is what seperates a good photo from a great one. So, get your shutter speeds up and frame tighter in-camera are probably the two next hurdles - shutter speed is easy, framing tight is tough - it can be scary and you also have to be more patient. But you're definitely off to a very good start. Good job!
  • HumdingerHumdinger Registered Users Posts: 6 Beginner grinner
    edited November 24, 2010
    drode wrote: »
    The framing is pretty good. Nice shot of football action, the player's face and the ball with no other distractions in the frame. Nice. Lots of people here that know more than I but it looks to me like your shutter speed was too slow. That's what is causing the blur. The focus may be off as well but I can't tell for sure.

    To stop action you want a shutter speed above 1/500 or higher. 1/1000+ is ideal but not always possible. Bump up the ISO and open the aperture until you get 1/500+. A long f/2.8 lens really helps but when I first started out I was able to get some decent captures with a cheap Nikon 55-200 lens. Also, use AF-C (or whatever it's called on your camera) and track the subject, panning with them as they move with a shutter half press until the peak action.

    Thank you, I am shooting a high school football game on Friday and I will put your advice to work. Hopefully when I post my photos there will be an improvement.
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