MS girls BB

[Zivnuska]

C & C appreciated. Thank you. All pictures taken with the 70-200 f/4.0, ISO 800

1.
.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2052-1.jpg
2.
.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2055-1.jpg
3.
.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2092-1.jpg
4.
.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2114-1.jpg
5. 200mm
.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2141-1.jpg
6.
.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2147.jpg
7. It turns out the ref is a Canon fan. He noticed that I was shooting the refs and stopped by to talk at a timeout. He used to shoot a D30. Asked about the lighting equipment, PWs and took my card to see pics.
.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2158-1.jpg
8.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2163.jpg

[Jerrymjj]

Do you mind me asking what was your lighting source? I can see two highlights in the girls' eyes. Fabulously clear and rich photos. Did you do much post processing? Jerry

[Zivnuska]

Jerry,

I was using two Alien Bee B800s in the corner of the gym on light stands. The roof was hemispherical in shape and painted very light. Minimal post processing. Some cropping, clarity at +50, sharpness at +25 in Lightroom 2. That's all. Shot with AWB, 1/250, and Pocket Wizards. Three stops over ambient. No color correction. I learned a lot shooting ambient last year but using the Bees is far easier (except for setup) with a greatly reduced workflow in post. I just need to improve my captures since I can't 'machine gun' the action at high fps.

Z.

[40Dude6aedyk]

Once again, good stuff. Some of the horizons are too perfect, so I have to assume that PP included rotation. I have found that rotating really destroys the original sharpness so I think I need better software than I currently use. Did you use LR2 for the rotation or have you really got your hand-eye-brain coordination down pat? Thanks!

[Zivnuska]

Picture #3 was the only one that was rotated (in Lightroom 2). My horizons are typically off with the camera (1D Mark III) rotated slightly clockwise. Why these few are better I can only attribute to luck.

[HighPixel]

Great lighting you came up with. Very clean.
HP

[Zivnuska]

Once again, good stuff. Some of the horizons are too perfect, so I have to assume that PP included rotation. I have found that rotating really destroys the original sharpness so I think I need better software than I currently use. Did you use LR2 for the rotation or have you really got your hand-eye-brain coordination down pat? Thanks!

Here is #3--Pre crop and rotation in LR2

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2092-2.jpg

[Dan-o]

Damn you have that lighting thing down, can't find any shadows anywhere. Good job Z.

[Sauk]

The lighting looks very natural, nice job.

Only CC I have is your horizons. #3, 4 and 7 need a fixin.

I like the colors, action

[Zivnuska]

Thank you all for the comments. It helps a lot to have your input.

An alternative crop for #5:

I'm concerned that by eliminating the other players, I might lose the basketball context but I figure a parent will want it more. Yea or Nay?

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/_D3E2141-3.jpg

[40Dude6aedyk]

Nay, I wouldn't pay for this. But then again, I've never paid for any photos. There is no context. This could be basketball, field hockey, wrestling, whatever. It could be taken at a practice session. Also, I can't even see the team name. And the subject will say, "Gee, I look like such a dork with my mouth open staring into space." Not flattering.

[Sauk]

What I try to do when taking pictures of people at the free throw line is include at least their upper half so people know that they are at the free throw line. Or I take one vertical instead.

Example:

http://matthewsauk.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p1040110170-5.jpg

Vertical
http://matthewsauk.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p587243141-5.jpg

[johndevane]

Ziv,

First, can we call you by an actual name? We're all friends here! :)

Great shots. My critique is on composition... #2, 5 and 6 miss, IMHO. It's tough for me to tell who's the subject. In #2, if the subject is the defender, she's too far left. Vice versa with the ball carrier. #5 needs to be one or the other. #6 should be more to the camera right.

As far as the crop you asked about, I say Yea. The mom would know the sport, and would be happy to have such a nice close-up of her kid. Keeping the other player in the shot doesn't add anything. I think 40Dude is right about the player thinking she looks dorky, but the player doesn't have money. Mom will like it. Crop it even more to the camera right for composition sake.

John.