Mini-Challenge #187 - Sports FACT

lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
edited May 25, 2014 in The Dgrin Challenges
Firstly, thank you Alan for selecting my photo in the Plants challenge. There were many excellent images in that well run challenge.

I am going to do something a little different this challenge - the 6th anniversary of the MINI Challenge. It will be a about sports and I will look for some specifics.

Like Alan, I went back to look at previous mini challenges to see if sports was covered. I did find a few minis that covered sports, but this will be a little different.

While sports is not where I concentrate my photography, I do enjoy taking sports photos.

This one will cover sports with a little twist. This is something I learned from a Dgrin post years ago.

FACT - Face, Action, Contact, Toy, - the four components of a great sports photo. Get all four in one sports photo in my limited experience is very unusual, two or three is more common.

Face - obvious - include the players or players' face(s) in the shot.
Action - captured or blurred to show movement.
Contact - with another player; bat hitting ball; grazing the top of a hurdle and more. Contacting the ground while running would likely not count - I suppose there could be a situation where it would.
Toy - ball; bat; hockey stick; football; baseball and more. (People often call this fourth item "ball", but I like the word TOY because it makes the acronym easy to remember.)

So, please submit images from any sport level from grade school to professional. Try to find an image with as many FACT components.

I will not be exclusively looking for FACT components. I will also be looking at: focus, DOF, lighting, color, storytelling, composition and impact.

And according to the guidelines for mini challenges, please give each image a title.

The closing date is just 3 weeks from today - closing 9pm EST May 25th.


OUR UN-OFFICIAL GENERAL RULES
1. Have fun sharing and seeing what others share!
2. The host supplies a topic and YOU POST 1-3 IMAGES. The host judges the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and is not eligible to enter. The 1st place winner becomes the next host, chooses the next topic and becomes the next judge.
3. Any photo you’ve taken is eligible, regardless of when taken or camera used.
4. Any amount of post-processing is allowed. However, it is helpful if you list your camera and lens along with your photo.
5. You may comment on other contestant's images. If you want someone to leave you some critique or criticism, just ask within your post.
6. The winner has up to three days (72 hours) to begin a new mini-challenge, or the honor goes to the #2 finisher and so forth.

Guidelines:
1. Enter 1-3 photos and put them in a single post.
2. Either embed your image in the thread or, if you must, supply a link to it. Keep in mind, however, most people don't want to click to open photos hosted elsewhere (i.e. on your website).
3. Also try and resize your photos prior to posting so they're sized appropriately for viewing without having to scroll (~800 pixels on the longest side works best.)
4. Give each image you enter a title.
5. Enjoy discussion with members about their images, don't let this just be an entry thread!
6. When quoting a post, change the IMG urls to a 200x200 size picture so it is clear your post is feedback and not another entry. (See here for help).
7. Don't be hesitant; share 'em and enter!

Mini-Challenge pointers:
1. Upon winning a mini-challenge round, your first step is coming up with a new theme and starting a new thread using the same format as others have used.
2. Make sure to notify the admin of this thread to update the main thread links with your entry thread.
3. Feel free to watch the thread as it grows or wait to the end time and look at all the entries all at once.
4. After the time/date has passed, then officially close the thread with a single post notifying everyone of the fact.
5. After you're finished judging, start a new thread (again using the prior formats) and post your Winner and runners-up. It is important to have runners up in case the winner does not show within the 72-hour window.
6. PM the winner with this info above and let them know they have 72 hours to set up the next mini-challenge.
7. If the winner does not show/start the next mini-challenge after 72 hours, notify the next runner-up and post a message on the Winner thread of the fact.
8. Remember, if you're the Winner, you run the next mini challenge!

4 Components - Face, Action, Contact (player blocking) and Toy (football)
i-8QpzwXQ-XL.jpg

3 Components - Faces, Action, NO Contact and Toy (baton)
i-Mt9bHQ3-XL.jpg

3 Components - Face, Action, NO Contact and Toy (rod and reel)
20130716%20AuSable-1575-XL.jpg

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http://www.PhilsImaging.com
"You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
Phil

Comments

  • jwearjwear Registered Users Posts: 8,005 Major grins
    edited May 4, 2014
    Now I ask her after the capture and she said it was just for the fun of it [a sport] not for a life or death meal headscratch.gif what do you think ne_nau.gif:D It is fishing
    Jeff W

    “PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”

    http://jwear.smugmug.com/
  • lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
    edited May 4, 2014
    jwear wrote: »
    Now I ask her after the capture and she said it was just for the fun of it [a sport] not for a life or death meal headscratch.gif what do you think ne_nau.gif:D It is fishing

    I am happy that a photographer has kicked it off and I got a good laugh out of it. Thanks.

    Let me add - Face - check, Action - check, Contact - nope; Toy - maybe the fish. Three out of four is very good.
    http://www.PhilsImaging.com
    "You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
    Phil
  • grandmaRgrandmaR Registered Users Posts: 1,942 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    Would the horse's face count?

    00000993-1.jpg
    “"..an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." G.K. Chesterton”
  • lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    grandmaR wrote: »
    Would the horse's face count?

    After thinking about for a bit, I don't see why not. Especially considering we could have a photographer submit an image of a dog race. My intent though was images of people engaged in a sport.

    Take care,
    http://www.PhilsImaging.com
    "You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
    Phil
  • CavalierCavalier Registered Users Posts: 3,030 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    I don't take many sports shots, but thought I would enter the few I have.

    Amgen Tour Lead group - one of the King of the Mountain climbs near Mariposa, Ca : Face, Action (sort of), no contact, toy (bikes)
    IMG_3570%20Topaz%20signed-L.jpg

    Rafting on the American River outside of Auburn, Ca. Seven sisters taking their raft to the put-in spot. Face, Action (walking or lugging?), no contact, Toy (raft or paddles)
    IMG_5882%20bw-L.jpg

    Not sure if ballooning is a sport (some think it is), but couldn't resist posting this silly one. Face (lots of it), no action, contact with other balloons, toy (balloon, basket, or the pilot).
    IMG_0803%20Tadj%20signed-L.jpg
  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    1 - The Pitcher
    1D2_7175-X2.jpg

    2 - It's a hit
    5D3_4417-X2.jpg

    3 - The Cross
    IMG_3625-X2.jpg
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • grandmaRgrandmaR Registered Users Posts: 1,942 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    After thinking about for a bit, I don't see why not. Especially considering we could have a photographer submit an image of a dog race. My intent though was images of people engaged in a sport.

    Take care,

    THere IS a person in there - it is just that most of the photos I have of jumping horses were either taken with a cheap point and shoot camera or the rider's face is hidden in the mane or on the other side of the horse's neck. Except this one where the rider's back is to you (I can't find the original of this which was in color)

    00001836.jpg
    “"..an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." G.K. Chesterton”
  • Alans GrinAlans Grin Registered Users Posts: 346 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    jmphotocraft - Great photos

    Alan.
  • Alans GrinAlans Grin Registered Users Posts: 346 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    Unfortunately my sport of choice to photograph is extreme skiing and wont fit the requirements.
    Alan
  • grandmaRgrandmaR Registered Users Posts: 1,942 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    Yes - I have very little to do with team sports and the only photos I have of them have been taken when visiting grandchildren. One of my grandsons runs track and cross country but the pictures I have of him that are good do not have any faces. Also some of the boys play baseball, but almost all of those either don't have the face, or if they have face and action, you can't see the ball because it is out of the frame.

    This is the only one I have that remotely qualifies. It has faces, action and toys (ball) but not contact. (And my granddaughter was the goal keeper so she's not even in this one.) I do have one that illustrates contact (girl writhing on the ground with two referees and two teemates) but in that case there's no action and no toys. This is the only one of these that was shot originally with a digital camera

    100_9042.JPG

    Title - Girls Chasing a Goal

    Most of my photos are of horse sports or sailing. Sailing as a rule when you see the action you can't see people's faces very well, and Contact is to be avoided.

    This one has Face, Action and Toys - he has contact with the winch, but not with another person. It is my husband winching up a sail on a charter boat (captain in the back) taken from the cockpit in 1997 with a point and shoot film camera

    000000590002.jpg

    Title - Sailing CSY Whisper in the Virgin Islands

    And I think I will include this one - it has action and toys (if you count the horse as a toy) and a face if you count the horse's face, but hopefully not so much contact. This was taken at the Essex 3 day event with a film camera (I think a Canon) in 1982. This is not my daughter or her pony.


    00000993-1.jpg

    Title - Cresting Fence #8A Essex 3 Day Event
    “"..an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered." G.K. Chesterton”
  • lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    Alans Grin wrote: »
    Unfortunately my sport of choice to photograph is extreme skiing and wont fit the requirements.
    Alan

    Alan, these challenges are for fun and experience as you know. So, please enter.
    http://www.PhilsImaging.com
    "You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
    Phil
  • CHANDLERJACHANDLERJA Registered Users Posts: 400 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    1.
    _mg_2253e-XL.jpg

    2.
    R96C8021c-XL.jpg

    3.
    r96c7949e-XL.jpg
    Jeromy
    http://snaptx.smugmug.com/
    Light is everything in life and photography.
  • Gary752Gary752 Registered Users Posts: 934 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    1.Crash Test Dummy
    i-xmdBX62-L.jpg

    2. Look out UMP!
    051912-189-L.jpg

    3. Ooops! That one got away from me!
    060312-13a-L.jpg

    GaryB
    GaryB
    “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it!” - Ansel Adams
  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited May 5, 2014
    Alans Grin wrote: »
    jmphotocraft - Great photos

    Alan.

    Thanks!
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • FergusonFerguson Registered Users Posts: 1,339 Major grins
    edited May 6, 2014
    Didn't even know these challenges were here. Thanks for the reminder in the sports section.

    Here are three:

    #1: Ouch!

    This was at Michigan State vs Villanova, and when I read the FACT description about "Face" and "Contact" I remembered this shot. The ball is there as well (plus gloves and such), but the "Contact" here is not about the ball.

    Taken with a D4 , 200-400/F4 @ F4 @ 200mm, 1/3200th ISO 640, as the runner arrived at first, and was a bit unhappy the ball was there, and I guess was trying to force a dropped ball. The lady had an ice pack on her face the rest of the afternoon but was playing the next day. Surprisingly there was no penalty or call for the runner (nor did she apologize or seem interested); I thought she should have been ejected.

    Michigan%20State%20vs.%20Villanova%20-%2020130224%20-%20376-L.jpg

    #2: Surrounded, and coming up from below

    This was FGCU vs Iona in December 2013, and Bret Comer (player in white) not only had some of the more athletic moves, his face was always expressive, so the topic reminded me of this one also. This was shot just before he let go with an underhanded shot past those reaching arms that amazingly went in off the backboard.

    Shot with a D4, 85/1.4 @ F2, ISO 2500, 1/800th.

    FGCU%20vs%20Iona%2012-1-2013%20-%2020131201%20-%20038-XL.jpg

    #3: Stretch!

    I'm not a huge fan of tennis shots as there's rarely conflict in them, but the rules here were that FACT's "C" was Contact not Conflict, so here goes. This was FGCU vs. Albany in March 2014. The player is Candela Munoz, who was just named to her A-Sun all tournament team. The school uses a very thing 400x1000 format for their web site, so I am always looking for long, thin shots, and this fit right in.

    Shot with a D4 and 400/2.8 @ F2.8, ISO 110 and 1/2000th second.

    FGCU%20v%20Albany%2003-23-2014%20-%2020140323%20-%20009-XL.jpg
  • puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited May 9, 2014
    Sports related pix aren't something I usually take - so I'll let others decide on how many of the acronym characters are involved here ...

    pp

    _X1C8669mod.jpg
  • lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
    edited May 9, 2014
    Sports related pix aren't something I usually take - so I'll let others decide on how many of the acronym characters are involved here ...

    pp

    I dare say that there are many things that could be said, but ..... rolleyes1.gifDmwink.gif

    Thanks for posting!
    http://www.PhilsImaging.com
    "You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
    Phil
  • GSPePGSPeP Registered Users Posts: 3,728 Major grins
    edited May 9, 2014
    First time I enter a challenge. Let's try to share some images

    Three times baseball of our local team (in Belgium). "Face" is the main subject here.

    1. Surprised
    1D3_6742-XL.jpg

    2. The tongue
    1D3_6759-XL.jpg

    3. Contact
    1D3_3677-XL.jpg
  • nitewagnitewag Registered Users Posts: 31 Big grins
    edited May 11, 2014
    My first season of shooting football and I lucked into this one. player lost his helmet 2 times that night but didn't seem any worse for the wear. Shot with a Canon 7D and Sigma 70-200 2.8 at 1/400
    1. Going
    2011%2008%2026_Page%20vs%20Independence_0157-L.jpg

    2. Gone
    2011%2008%2026_Page%20vs%20Independence_0158-L.jpg

    This one may only qualify with the face aspect, but the look my son had after he got hit in the face was priceless

    3. I'm mad now
    IMG_7702-L.jpg
  • Mike JMike J Registered Users Posts: 1,029 Major grins
    edited May 12, 2014
    I'll try something a little different here. All of these were shot with a D300 and a 300mm F/4 lens. All of these athletes are 16-18 years old.

    #1 Eyes Ahead
    This one was captured at 1/4000 so the motion of the bending pole is stopped.
    i-KGNVfww-960x960.jpg

    #2 Out of My Way
    i-Z45QQ7N-960x960.jpg

    #3 Pole in Motion
    Shot at 1/1250 so there is motion in the pole
    i-mF4JjwT-960x960.jpg
    Mike J

    Comments and constructive criticism always welcome.
    www.mikejulianaphotography.com
    Facebook
  • jmp2204jmp2204 Registered Users Posts: 197 Major grins
    edited May 15, 2014
    1 - The Pitcher
    1D2_7175-X2.jpg

    2 - It's a hit
    5D3_4417-X2.jpg

    3 - The Cross
    IMG_3625-X2.jpg

    Outstanding !!
  • wmstummewmstumme Registered Users Posts: 466 Major grins
    edited May 18, 2014
    Ok--here are my attempts--all are from this past spring season. All were shot with a Canon 70D + Sigma 300mm f2.8

    1. "Coming Around Left-handed"

    IMG_7191a-X2.jpg

    2. "Stop Quickly"

    IMG_5553a-X2.jpg

    3. "Not Coming Thru"

    IMG_4961a-X2.jpg

    PS: I really like Mike's Skiing pictures!!
    Regards

    Will
    ________________________
    www.willspix.smugmug.com
  • OldGuyOldGuy Registered Users Posts: 301 Major grins
    edited May 18, 2014
    Fun Challenge, Here are a couple of mine.

    1. Bad Hair Day!
    DSC_8912-M.jpg

    2. Keep Your Eye on the Ball!
    DSC_3078-M.jpg

    3. Speed Bump!
    DSC_7794-M.jpg
  • OldGuyOldGuy Registered Users Posts: 301 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2014
    Mike J wrote: »
    I'll try something a little different here. All of these were shot with a D300 and a 300mm F/4 lens. All of these athletes are 16-18 years old.

    #1 Eyes Ahead
    This one was captured at 1/4000 so the motion of the bending pole is stopped.
    i-KGNVfww-960x960.jpg

    #2 Out of My Way
    i-Z45QQ7N-960x960.jpg

    #3 Pole in Motion
    Shot at 1/1250 so there is motion in the pole
    i-mF4JjwT-960x960.jpg

    Nice shots Mike!. I like #2 the best. My only comment based on my ancient ski racing experience
    is the kid in #1 seems to be leading with the wrong shoulder...ne_nau.gif. #2 has perfect form mwink.gif.


    Regards,
  • lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
    edited May 23, 2014
    Closes May 25!!
    Only a few days away from closing this challenge! Lots of great images!
    http://www.PhilsImaging.com
    "You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
    Phil
  • lifeinfocuslifeinfocus Registered Users Posts: 1,461 Major grins
    edited May 25, 2014
    This mini challenge is closed. I will be posting the results by the end of Monday May 26.
    http://www.PhilsImaging.com
    "You don't take a photograph, you make it." ~Ansel Adams
    Phil
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