Gymnastics composition...

[fugfuggy]

http://images14.fotki.com/v363/photos/1/1034366/4693689/Pictures036-vi.jpg

Hello Pros,

I have finally moved into the world of dslr and now have the ability to shoot from the floor. I would love C&C on the above image and maybe some advice on how to compose various shots for the 4 different apperatice. I find beam to be the easiest and floor to be the most difficult.

Look forward to your comments.

[yosser34]

Nice shot. You got the top of the jump, and with the flag in the frame makes it a real winner.

[sugarzebra]

I really like this shot....the composition is very good and having the camera at the level of the beam maximizes the hight of the jump. Good work.

[GyRob]

that really shows the hight in the jump very well.
Rob.

[fugfuggy]

Nice shot. You got the top of the jump, and with the flag in the frame makes it a real winner.

Thanks! That was what I was afer and really like the results. Unfortunately this is not my daughter or I would blow it up.

[Palladium]

exif shows:

Camera Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Camera Model: NIKON D50
Image Date: 2007:03:02 00:18:56
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 85.0mm (35mm equivalent: 127mm)
Exposure Time: 0.0031 s (1/320)
Aperture: f/1.8
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: shutter priority (semi-auto)

[fugfuggy]

does this mean that I am busted for using the wrong camera? Hope not :P If Nikon had a forum like this that concentrated on sports then I would go there but I like the people and the expertise here. Notice that I only asked about compesition and nothing more.

Just let me know if I am still welcome here :P

[asysin2leads]

Probably one of my favorite sports shots I've seen on here. I love that you captured the jump just right. The flag DOES make it a winner. The flag is just enough out of focus not to distract your attention away from the gymnast. Kudos to you. In my humble (non-professional) opinion, this needs to be made into a poster.

[fugfuggy]

wow, thanks for the kudos asysin2.... Hopefully one of these days I will get a capture like this of my daughter and then it will most certainly be hanging on the wall.

[Scott-JL]

The DoF is perfect. Composition is great. There's one really little picky thing - I want just a fraction more space on the right of the picture (although this may mean a bit more all round to balance). I look at the pic and the flag sits almost on the right edge. Personally I don't really look at the gymnastics stuff much, but this is a fantastic shot regardless of whether you like the sport or not. Look forward to seeing more of the same, even if it is from a Nikon! ;)

[Phil Light]

Beautiful shot. I've shot scores of gymnastics meets and getting that exact shot is tough!!! Great job. Was this a competition? What level does your daughter compete? I hope you get a shot like this of her one of these days.

And of course you're welcome here. Who cares what your weapon of choice is? This is primarily a photography forum and I think it says a lot for us that you enjoy coming here. Show us more!

[Lonnie]

Fantastic timing. That girl really got up!

Maybe I shoulda bought a Nikon?

[Soliz387]

Wow very nice. . .the only fix i'd do is clone out the people on the bottom. .

[fugfuggy]

Hi Scott,

I think you are correct about the right side. I also agree that the people in the background need to be cloned out to make it the perfect shot. Again, if it were my daughter I would be willing to go the extra mile but I can only chalk this one up to a practice shot. I wish I knew who the parents were as I am sure they would love to have this as a poster. Well, too bad.

[fugfuggy]

Phil,

My daughter is a level 4 gymnast. This was actually her very first competition, the last of the season and against 35 gyms that have competed all year. She placed in beam, vault and floor. Her teammate, also first competition, won the all around! Mine is on the left:

http://images22.fotki.com/v723/photos/1/1034366/4693689/Pictures1268-vi.jpg

I did not shoot any of her cause I wanted to watch her compete. So very proud!

[Phil Light]

...I did not shoot any of her cause I wanted to watch her compete. So very proud!

I understand. My daugher competed level 4, 5, 6 and in high school.

Take some pictures of her though, in a few years you'll kick yourself if you don't have any.:)

[GBRandy]

My daughter is in level 7...she heads off to HS next year and most likely level 8.

Take as many shots as you can now....I sold all my Nikon gear & changed to Canon specifically to handle these gyms. The lighting is awful, the WB impossible and the angles insane. Priceless, family stuff though...if I can help, please let me know.......BTW, I started shooting the other kids just cuz....the other parents really appreciate it....something to consider.

Randy

[fugfuggy]

Yeppers, I agree. I shoot all of our kids and some from other gyms when are girls are not competing.

Here is the full gallery from the meet. Fortunately the meet director was so impressed with the shots that she has made me the official team photog and gave me floor access so the angles are not so tough.

I normally shoot tons of my daughter but since this was her very first competition I couldn't for reasons that others may understand, way to emotional! Hard to focus with tears in your eyes. I never knew how much work and dedication it takes for these girls just to get to competition level and to see them finally get there is a proud moment. The fact that she placed in three events was just icing on the cake. I hear the medals clanking around in her bedroom all the time now.

http://public.fotki.com/fugfuggy/friendship-challenge/

[GBRandy]

Good for you...I too live on the floor.....

My full collection from the last event is here: DoorCty (http://www.ymcagymstars.com/2006_07_events/DoorCty/DoorCtyJalbum/DoorCounty2007.html)

I built the website as well...click "back" and on the events tabs for more picture options

My two cents? Get closer

be well, Randy

[fugfuggy]

My two cents? Get closer


This was my first outing with the 85mm f1.8 and as you can see, some of the girls are jumping out of the frame. In other cases, some of our girls were competing on beam, one side of the gym, and others on bars, other side of the gym, so I had a lot of cropping to do with some of those images. All in all, I am happy with the results.

[cevad]

Hey Fuggy.... I love the shot too. Gymnastics is a great sport and I wish your daughter well in her career.

But the reason I'm posting is that I too am a Nikon user and I'm very proud of that. There is a forum on Nikonians.org that is especially for Nikon users and they DO have a "sports" forum as well. You can check it out if you like. The site has endless posts of very useful information and I have learned a lot there. Canon users might want to visit as well.

However, I always give credit where credit is due, and THIS Canon sports forum is the best I have found so far on this topic. It seems that Canon has dominated the sports market and more posts can be found here. I've learned more about shooting sports here than on the Nikonians. Both cameras are great though and I love the diversity of advice.

Wishing peace and brotherhood between Canonians & Nikonians! :grin:

Cevad

Nikon D80, Nikon 18-55mm kit lens, Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8, Nikon 85mm f/1.8, Nikon 18-200mm pending

[gymdad]

Randy & fugfuggy,

Those are some great galleries, guys. I, too, have daughters in gymnastics and love the challenge of trying to get some decent shots of them. Could I add to the discussion by sharing a gallery of shots of my girls? [ fugfuggy--you might recognize the leos :-) ]

http://flickr.com/photos/gymcritters/

Hope this is OK--thanks!

[fugfuggy]

gymdad,

those are some great shots! What lens did you use?

And yes, the leos look familiar. In fact, your oldest daughter looks familiar. Did we compete this season? By the looks of the shots, I would have to guess that the youngest is L5or 6 and the oldest is L7-8? They look very lalented!

[gymdad]

fugfuggy,

Thanks. Those are all taken with the 70-200/2.8, 135/2, or 85/1.8. The 70-200 is my favorite, but I sure don't get to use it very much in most of the dark gyms we're in.

My youngest daughter is a level 6, and my oldest a level 9. We're in Oklahoma, but they competed in the Friendship Challenge. (I stayed home with our son while my wife brought the girls out to sunny CA.) If I remember right, the very first shot on your site is of one of the girls from our gym.

Congrats to your daughter--hope she continues to do well! Save those L4 photos--she'll love seeing them when she's a level 10!

[fugfuggy]

If I remember right, the very first shot on your site is of one of the girls from our gym.


Oh ya! Now I remember clearly. I was trying to get used to my 85mm while I took this. We have something else in common, 2004 Orange bowl :p

http://images22.fotki.com/v724/photos/1/1034366/4693689/Pictures006-vi.jpg

[fugfuggy]

Gymdad,

I just looked at the exif from one of the pics on your site. Wow! You are one lucky man! What kind of gym are you in when you can shoot at f/2 and get 1/640?!?!?!?! The friendship challenge is the best lighting I get all year due to the hotel lighting and I still shoot at 1600, f/1.8 and lucky to get a max 1/500! No wonder why your shots are so good! I am one jealous gymdad!

[gymdad]

fugfuggy,

Funny, but I don't seem to remember that Orange Bowl :-)

Those shots with the better shutter speeds were taken in our gym. It has opaque skylights around the top perimeter of the walls, and several windows down around ground level. During bright, sunny days the light in the gym is good--I can even get by with iso 800 at some meets! [the main problem I have then is with some pretty vicious backlighting, but I know that no gymnastics photographer should ever complain about too much light :-)] When the day is overcast, or we have a night session, the lighting drops down to pretty much the same lousy levels we all know and love!

p.s. we may have some good light, but we also have some of the same horrible, cluttered, unavoidable backgrounds every other gym has!

[fugfuggy]

Gymdad,

Is that called selective memory or are you the only family in Oklahoma that does not follow sooner football :P

How would you like to have this background as your home gym!?

http://images14.fotki.com/v371/photos/1/1034366/4391240/Pictures010-vi.jpg

[gymdad]

lol...you got me there....that's a challenging background....hey, that might make a good thread someday: post the worst background you've ever had to shoot against.

And...yes, it's definitely selective memory. I teach at that university, so it's pretty hard to not follow football. It's much easier to just conveniently forget games like that one!