Mens Soccer (Football) - Critique Please

[Inspired Photography]

Hi All,

I don't shoot much sports, but was asked to last weekend. I was covering some events that evening, so they figured they would get me to cover their sports day they were having too.

So, here are some pics I got. Crit is appreciated. I know my framing is a little off on some, still getting used to shooting sports stuff.

Some of them could do with a little sharpening i think. They are straight out of lightroom.

1.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-6.jpg

2.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-9.jpg

3.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-11.jpg

4.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-15.jpg

5.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-23.jpg

6. I know there is probably a ball around somewhere.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-39.jpg

7.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-45.jpg

8.
http://www.inspiredgraphix.com.au/downloads/soccerforPOTN/menssoccer-52.jpg

Most shot with my new 300mm f4 IS i think.


Thanks for looking.

Rob

[cdifoto]

1. Crop tighter.
2. Toss it. No faces.
3. Crop tighter.
4. Toss it. Action is out of focus and too far off.
5. Toss it. Nice and tight (actually a bit too tight), but misfocused and the ball isn't complete.
6. Toss it. No ball. Unless it's an emotion or otherwise sideline/crowd shot, there needs to be a ball.
7. Crop tighter.
8. Not bad. You cut off his hand and foot, but it's decent otherwise.

[Inspired Photography]

Thanks for the run through CDI. Much appreciated.

A quick question for you... How would you crop something like no 7? I usually try to keep to 2:3 aspect ratio for print production. Would you try and crop to a vertical and cut off some of the two guys at the back?

Thanks again for the crit, I am learning that no ball and no faces means no shot. I usually do portrait work, so a nice pic of a player with good DOF seemed great to me even without a ball. But now i know, i will keep it in mind.

ALL CRIT WELCOME, DON"T HOLD BACK! :D

Rob

[cdifoto]

Actually when I crop sports, I ignore ratios and just crop tight. At least for the web. If I'm printing then I rework the original.

For #8 I'd just concentrate on the guy out front. He's the only one in focus anyway.

Usually, you want to wait until someone gets out front and isolates him/herself, or when there's contact being made between players.

198531

[Inspired Photography]

Thanks for the info CDI.

Again, much appreciated.

I have lots to learn!

Rob

[cdifoto]

Apologies for the different sizes, but these were immediately available. This is the contact I'm talking about.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/forums/2006-11-04-046sm.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/forums/2006-11-04-116.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/forums/2006-11-04-119.jpg

Here's a solo:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/forums/2006-11-05-035.jpg

I think the biggest thing I eventually learned to do was wait for the action, rather than go after it. When I first shot sports I thought I had to capture everything that happened and that was the wrong approach. The good stuff will come to you.

[Inspired Photography]

Wow, some great shots!

I think I am doing exactly the same. I shoot alot of theatre too, and it is all about getting "everything" that happens as well as a few money shots. So it is just a different style of shooting.

This is the first time i have felt that a Prime was more use to me than a Zoom also, which was a big shock for me. Just a very different discipline. One that i look forward to working more with tho. Need to find some excuse to buy 10fps :D

Rob