Please critique lax photo

wolfie

I'm getting ready for my daughter's lax this season and am going through last year's photos. They just don't seem to have that "pop". Please critique so that I can learn where I am going wrong. Thanks! (Oh, and I only know how to place one photo per post, so let's start with this one)

Canon 30D
1/1000
ISO 400
3.5
lens canon 70-200 IS
WB auto

KMCC

It's tough to provide feedback based on one photograph.

Here's a link to information on how to link photos rather than attach them, which will allow you to post multiple shots.

http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1083138

Also, take a look at the Tutorials (see the link to Tutorials on the bar above the message window). There are several tutorials on adding "pop" to your photographs.

The only thing I'd add at the moment is to remember the old rule regarding sports photography, "Shoot tight, crop tighter."

cecilc

wolfie wrote:

They just don't seem to have that "pop". Please critique so that I can learn where I am going wrong.

You know, I don't know that you're "going wrong" ... I mean, there's no weird color cast; the shot seems focused (hard to tell at that size!) ....
However, it does look at little underexposed (and that might be my monitor ...).

The "pop" that you're looking for comes from several factors (and this is just my opinions here ... others may chime in with various other aspects, too!).
I find that the more my subject is isolated from the background, the more "pop" there is ....
I find that the better exposed my image is to start with, the more "pop" there is ....

You also can't ignore the effect of post-processing to add or heighten "pop" in an image. In the shot that you posted I can think of a couple of post-processing actions that would probably help that image: cropping; exposure adjustment; saturation; contrast; and sharpening. In your 30D, you may be able to adjust some parameters that would make those adjustments for you as you shoot if you're not comfortable with post-processing them on your own.

Here are a couple of images of mine ... (and please feel free to critique these ...).

thejohnremus

I think the biggest mistake people make in sports photography as they're just starting to shoot is not focusing on one subject.
shooting as tight as possible always makes for photos that really stand out.

In your example image the first thing I would do would be crop it down to focus on the action. Tight, 200mm + images always jump out much more to me. Also try and shoot at the lowest aperture you can - the last thing I usually want in my sports shots is a clear background

SavedByZero

You need to be way tighter in the crop, loose all but the action in the image.

oldtime

Nice snap shot
Get in tight as others have mentioned
Let the action com eto you or position your self wher the action is-- The 70-200 is to short to shoot LAX unless action is on top of you
This was shot from the other end of the field with a 120-300 and a 1.4 TC


Action coming to me on my side of field

wolfie

oldtime wrote:

Nice snap shot
Get in tight as others have mentioned
Let the action com eto you or position your self wher the action is-- The 70-200 is to short to shoot LAX unless action is on top of you
This was shot from the other end of the field with a 120-300 and a 1.4 TC


Action coming to me on my side of field

Okay, I will try getting in closer. If I was looking to buy a tc what would you all recommend??

wmstumme

wolfie wrote:

Okay, I will try getting in closer. If I was looking to buy a tc what would you all recommend??

Although money/new equipment will always help out, don't miss out on Oldtime's other comment--to let the action come to you. Remember--when the pro's cover football--they've got camera's all over the place 'cause you can't get everything from one spot--even with the huge lenses.

So by getting in a good position and waiting for the shot--you can get some interesting shots.

Don't want to compare myself to the shots already posted ('cause theirs are fantastic)--but here are two I took a couple of years ago with a Rebel (300D) and a cheap Quantary 100-300 lens, in "Sports mode." Neither shot was zoomed all the way out at 300mm. In each case, it was when the action was right near me. Was part of my learning process to know what the camera could do and not do... Now when the action is down at the other end--I just relax and watch the game.





Best of Luck...

SavedByZero

wolfie wrote:

Okay, I will try getting in closer. If I was looking to buy a tc what would you all recommend??

You'd be better off staying closer to the corners of field and moving behind the end lines then hanging out around mid field. Wait for the action to come to you, be ready, shoot more verticals then horizontals, watch your shutter speeds to freeze the stick motion and learn the motion and flow of the game and team.

I've found that if you can view thru the camera with one eye and keep the other eye open you'll see more and keep up with the ball movement. Lax is very quick and that ball moves like lighting between players so keeping both eyes open helps you follow it better.

wolfie

SavedByZero wrote:

You'd be better off staying closer to the corners of field and moving behind the end lines then hanging out around mid field. Wait for the action to come to you, be ready, shoot more verticals then horizontals, watch your shutter speeds to freeze the stick motion and learn the motion and flow of the game and team.

I've found that if you can view thru the camera with one eye and keep the other eye open you'll see more and keep up with the ball movement. Lax is very quick and that ball moves like lighting between players so keeping both eyes open helps you follow it better.

Okay, thank you all for the great tips...now if only the season would start I can put them all to the test. Thanks