Another Composite - Basketball

Dreadnote

There a few problems with scale evident in the relative size of the basketballs. I'll have to watch that next time I shoot the basketball teams. But, holding that aside, here is my latest attempt:

The Boys Varsity Basketball team - ages 11-13



And here is the JV Team - same age group, 11-13



I like the ball position on the first photo better but the JV team was quite a bit shorter.

Dooginfif20

Im not a huge fan of the over the top vingette and the light on the sign in the back look really faked. I think it is a good attempt though! Ive only tried once and I still have a lot to learn!

anonymouscuban

I've told you before, I like these. I think the over-the-top contrast, lighting and perspective really works. And as I've also said before, the kids must go bananas over them. I played baseball almost my entire life and I would have loved to have had these kind of shots of myself as a kid.

Oh... and I actually like the second shot better. I like the lighting more and also the position of the kid with the ball.

Dreadnote

Dooginfif20 wrote: »

Im not a huge fan of the over the top vingette and the light on the sign in the back look really faked. I think it is a good attempt though! Ive only tried once and I still have a lot to learn!

Oh the irony. The composite part is that all of the students were shot individually, hence the dark vignette to cover up how goofy the legs and feet looked. The only part of the shot that is real is the lights and the sign.

Dreadnote

anonymouscuban wrote: »

I've told you before, I like these. I think the over-the-top contrast, lighting and perspective really works. And as I've also said before, the kids must go bananas over them. I played baseball almost my entire life and I would have loved to have had these kind of shots of myself as a kid.

Oh... and I actually like the second shot better. I like the lighting more and also the position of the kid with the ball.

Thanks again for the compliments. Although there are a few issues here and there, the kids to indeed seem to like them and the parents usually buy between $350-$600 worth of them at the end of the season party. Though I am learning that the sweet spot for sales is when you have both a team photo AND individual shots of the athletes. I'm trying to up my game logistically, managing the crowd through multiple lighting setups to get the shots that the parents want. I think I'm making progress.

Dooginfif20

Dreadnote wrote: »

Oh the irony. The composite part is that all of the students were shot individually, hence the dark vignette to cover up how goofy the legs and feet looked. The only part of the shot that is real is the lights and the sign.

So the beams of lights coming off the sign are real and not photoshopped? They look really fake to me. My only nit with them is that the lighting from them doesnt match the kids. You dont see any spill over on to them. Im not saying the picture is bad just sharing problems I had before trying this technique.

Dreadnote

Dooginfif20 wrote: »

So the beams of lights coming off the sign are real and not photoshopped? They look really fake to me. My only nit with them is that the lighting from them doesnt match the kids. You dont see any spill over on to them. Im not saying the picture is bad just sharing problems I had before trying this technique.

Good point. When I had used this background previously I did add a bit of background spill which I forgot to do this time around. I need to make a checklist.

coolpinsky

generally great images - I see u took all the persons separately ad put them together in PS - I would prefer to see a real shot anyway then digi-art. It just doesn't look
authentically

Dreadnote

coolpinsky wrote: »

generally great images - I see u took all the persons separately ad put them together in PS - I would prefer to see a real shot anyway then digi-art. It just doesn't look
authentically

In certain respects I think I agree with you. I just haven't figured out how to get 2 coaches 20 kids and a lighting setup onto our campus at 10 p.m. All the same I wish I could figure out how to do location shoots with a crew, that would rock!

Sam

These are very cool. I am sure the kids and parents will go nuts over them. Perfect isn't needed.

Sam

Hackbone

These really rock!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't worry about the nits!!!!! Only photographers do that, not paying customers. Again they ROCK.

jonh68

I like the look. In this day and age of camera phones, you have to do something like this. If you staged this with all the players and coaches at the same time, parents would be taking the exact same shot with their cameras. A parent is not going to be able to do this.

VayCayMom

I like it, I bet the guys LOVE it!

Dreadnote

Hackbone wrote: »

These really rock!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't worry about the nits!!!!! Only photographers do that, not paying customers. Again they ROCK.

Thanks! Yeah, I get a bit over picky myself sometimes.

jonh68 wrote: »

I like the look. In this day and age of camera phones, you have to do something like this. If you staged this with all the players and coaches at the same time, parents would be taking the exact same shot with their cameras. A parent is not going to be able to do this.

Good point and very true. When the yearbook guy takes his photos at a practice, the parents are right there taking shots over his shoulder.

VayCayMom wrote: »

I like it, I bet the guys LOVE it!

Sam wrote: »

These are very cool. I am sure the kids and parents will go nuts over them. Perfect isn't needed.

Sam

Yes, the response was pretty good, so I'll keep on keeping on. Can't wait for summer when I'll have more time to practice a few things.

Gaby617

I think its cool.. I can see where some may not like the whole composite thing or even the extra processed style but some seem to forget that creating certain looks for certain situations isnt a bad thing. Example... if the movie 300 was filmed like any other movie it wouldnt have that hell yeah feeling. Athletes eat up imagery that make them look bigger and badder then what they really are... a nice straight photo wont capture that. I say if its working for you stick w/ it but pay attention to when it isnt needed.

Bryce Wilson

For what it is and its intended purpose, I wouldn't change a THING!

I bet you sales results are telling the same story.

ADMIT Photography

I love these! I don't get to visit dgrin these days as much as I used to but I'm glad to see there is still talent here! Nice work!

BrettDeutsch

I agree that these are very cool. If I'm going to add a nit (because what's the point of posting if you can't nitpick): I don't love how a lot of the kids are leaning away from you -- they almost look afraid. If you pose them leaning slightly toward you instead, I think they'll look more confident and strong.

jonh68

BrettDeutsch wrote: »

I agree that these are very cool. If I'm going to add a nit (because what's the point of posting if you can't nitpick): I don't love how a lot of the kids are leaning away from you -- they almost look afraid. If you pose them leaning slightly toward you instead, I think they'll look more confident and strong.

Thats pretty standard for sports portraits. It gives a don't mess with me, defensive vibe to the picture. I didn't any kind of impression they were afraid.