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Thread started 09 Feb 2014 (Sunday) 04:08
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First attempt at Men's Gymnastics

 
Christopherm
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Feb 09, 2014 04:08 |  #1

So, I've never photographed men's gymnastics before last night. But with less than 48 hours notice I was asked to photograph the #1 Oklahoma vs #5 Stanford meet.

I did the best I could under the circumstances. Photographing Men's Gymnastics is a lot harder than it seems (at least for a n00b like myself). I would gladly accept any critique and/or tips (external link)since I'm likely going to be asked to do this again.

I had the most trouble with the vault. I got just about nothing. The lighting over the vault, which was in a corner, was a full stop dimmer than the rest of the gym. And heck, it just goes by really fast.

http://www.flickr.com …1/sets/72157640​715121853/ (external link)

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IMAGE: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5512/12404124794_feee68a518_c.jpg
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IMAGE: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/12405052904_019a0caea8_c.jpg
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IMAGE NOT FOUND
HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Redirected to error image by FLICKR
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IMAGE: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7415/12404173624_c66cf8a662_c.jpg
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IMAGE: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3745/12403723815_149e95a200_c.jpg

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RedWingNut
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Feb 09, 2014 21:26 |  #2

Several good shots. I think you did pretty well. Have you tried to open the light up in post yet? Not sure of the settings and all that, but they look like they could take it.

Also, I'd like to see a blank text line in between the images, allowing more space to see the one image.




  
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Christopherm
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Feb 10, 2014 21:06 |  #3

Thanks, I didn't do a lot to them other than a bit of white balance correction. I still have a lot to learn about using Lightroom. I was a bit scared of over-doing it.


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Motor ­ On
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Feb 10, 2014 22:08 |  #4

For your first attempt I'd say you came away with some good images. Things you did right, fast enough shutter speed to stop the action, faces in almost every image and most of your backgrounds are pretty clean considering the venue.

The more you watch the sport the more you'll learn, at the very least arrive early (usually 2 hours or so for the meets I go to) and watch warmups as the teams move event to event, the women go through their whole routine, the tend to practice some skills out of order and bounce around, but throwing those specific skills will help you nail down the timing, which in photographing gymnastics is almost everything. I like to put the camera in single shot for warmups and just try to get the one peak instant, by being able to identify and nail it in one shot in warmups, come meet time with motor drive I can develop consistency as the season progresses. I generally don't shoot Men's gymnastics except on nights they split the gym with the women, so I can't speak too much to how much you brought in the easy stuff (that has it's place in whole event coverage) vs the peak action; the more you understand the more you'll want to be bringing in the peak stuff though.

The gym looks really well lit, I'm usually about 2-3 stops less light than your vault in the better part of most gyms (throw in another 2 for when I go over to the vault), but a few looked a little green near the vault, may need to mind the WB in that area, if one of the lamps is different.

This would be my favorite: http://www.flickr.com …/in/set-72157640715121853 (external link)

Face, you can see his focus, up near the peak of his flight, and the apparatus is still in frame to you can really tell how high up he is.

The P-bars had a few promising images that a vertical crop to cut the side dead space would be good (and the lighting is really showcasing some of the flex muscles), same with the profile handstand (nice lines), on rings you had a few in the horizontal holds, I like the energy in the face of the tight crop, but not at the expense of lost feet, nearly same timing with another gymnast and it's so wide I loose the energy. The handstands are good, just lacking face, not sure if it's something you can see getting lower or if you'll have to go around, which to solve the one problem, may create several more attempting to solve it. Vault is almost entirely an event about the air, even getting to the vault I try and get them in the air before and after, not while on the vault if i can help it, timing will come with practice there, and your images are sound action, just not the peak (though I wonder if you had others in sequence that might be, just not uploaded). The horse is one of those areas, I don't know enough about to comment intelligently, you images are crisp, but how they relate to the skill of the gymnast is lost on my understanding.

Keep at it, looking forward to seeing the results from your next meet, if not more from this one.


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Christopherm
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Feb 11, 2014 22:42 as a reply to  @ Motor On's post |  #5

I appreciate the tips.

Yeah, I really struggled capturing the "peak action" shots. Although I did get several nice amputee shots.

IMAGE: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3810/12472190755_433936560c.jpg

The whole thing was definitely a learning experience.

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Biffbradford
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Feb 12, 2014 00:39 |  #6

Some noise reduction would help. "Click-click" done. How long does it take? ;)


My pictures: John Wilke Photography (external link), Flikr (external link) , Facebook (external link), Fine Arts America (external link), Canon 1D MkII N, 1D MkIII, various Canon and Tokina lenses. :D

  
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First attempt at Men's Gymnastics
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