New gymnastics season

Its that time again. We had a critique meet this weekend and will start regular meets in a couple weeks.

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#1 is okay.

#2 delete. Not a keeper, no way.

1. There's too much space around her body. Cropping it closer would keep more of the focus on the subject. Furthermore, though it's a decent action shot, the fact that her back is to the viewer takes away from it.

2. This just looks weird to me. It's good that you caught her in action but the angle of her body in relation to the overall shot isn't very flattering. Her face is mostly blocked and her right leg looks partially amputated.

In both photos the lighting is good and there's no serious/obvious motion blur, which is good. Just keep shooting and try to get frontal shots of your subjects and try to avoid awkward/unflattering angles.

My daughter has her first gymnastics lesson on Wednesday. She's been figure skating for the last two years and I thought the lighting for that was bad enough, but then I walked into the Gym where her lessons are going to be... it's crazy dark. I already told my wife that a used 1DIII, 7D, or 5DII are going to have to be in the near future Not sure if the 5D AF can hold up to gymnastics though. I already know my 40D and 70-200 f2.8L IS probably aren't going to cut it.

You can make your 40D and F2.8 lens work. I used a rebel and that specific lens (OK the USM model) for years. Just takes timing and you setting manual controls properly for the conditions.

I've shot this venue for a long time.

The great shots are all about the faces, eyes & expressions. Get into positions to allow for that and good things can happen.