I need help...C&C please!

Hello all,

Will you please critique this picture I took during soccer practice? My kids' team has a game this weekend and I would love to be able to get better shots that would be good enough to share with the other kids' parents. Thanks!

I hope the photo looks alright...I really suck when it comes to saving for web.

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I like it really much, they are so real, and happy, great shot!

White_Marten wrote in post #2053037
I like it really much, they are so real, and happy, great shot!

Thanks so much! I'm trying to work hard on my PP skills. The contrast may be a little bit much. Sometimes I don't know when to stop!

Very very nice photo, It is sharp, has great bokeh, framed nicely, with rich colors...

It was recently suggested to me, that I focus on the face or Eye...

Since they are running toward you ,that makes for great action portrait shots...It's when they are running across in front of you that you will need to use a fast shutter speed...

Take pictures of controlled action, usually with the ball on the ground...It is most desirable to show ones soccer skills as controlled and in command of the ball...wild bouncing balls and non directional heading of the ball will look sloppy to a keen soccer eye...

Trapping the ball , is a good time for taking a picture too...There are several ways to trap the ball, it might be worth while observing the methods in the pre game warm ups or an earlier practice...

Ask the coach about the players to watch...Sometimes the Refs know too...

Find out who the best players on the field (either team) are and follow the action around them for a while too...

Which lenses do you plan to use?

Good Luck

Well done! I hope I can get the same kinds of shots when I shoot my first soccer game this weekend.

johnstoy wrote in post #2054295
Very very nice photo, It is sharp, has great bokeh, framed nicely, with rich colors...

It was recently suggested to me, that I focus on the face or Eye...

Since they are running toward you ,that makes for great action portrait shots...It's when they are running across in front of you that you will need to use a fast shutter speed...

Take pictures of controlled action, usually with the ball on the ground...It is most desirable to show ones soccer skills as controlled and in command of the ball...wild bouncing balls and non directional heading of the ball will look sloppy to a keen soccer eye...

Trapping the ball , is a good time for taking a picture too...There are several ways to trap the ball, it might be worth while observing the methods in the pre game warm ups or an earlier practice...

Ask the coach about the players to watch...Sometimes the Refs know too...

Find out who the best players on the field (either team) are and follow the action around them for a while too...

Which lenses do you plan to use?

Good Luck

Thank you, John! I really appreciate all the advice you've given. I surely do need them! I will definitely make sure that the ball is in the picture and going towards a certain direction that makes sense.

As for the lenses, I plan to use my Sigma 70-200 w/1.4 TC. Should be appropriate enough, right? Or is it too much? I may not need the TC.

PhotoScout wrote in post #2054436
Well done! I hope I can get the same kinds of shots when I shoot my first soccer game this weekend.

Thanks! I'm sure you'll get some great results...probably even better than mine.

Very nice work.

One comment, needs bring up a tad more midtone.

lostdoggy wrote in post #2055415
Very nice work.

One comment, needs bring up a tad more midtone.

Thanks! I'll work on fixing the midtone.

johnstoy wrote in post #2054295
Take pictures of controlled action, usually with the ball on the ground...It is most desirable to show ones soccer skills as controlled and in command of the ball...

wild bouncing balls and non directional heading of the ball will look sloppy to a keen soccer eye...

Good Luck

Regarding "non directional heading," ...I'm meant, heading the ball with the head, in no specific direction...Heading is infrequent ,if at all in youth soccer...however just in case...it looks mostly out of control, besides being somewhat painful...

If you are confident the 1.4 TC won't affect Image Quality, (if it's a good brand of TC it shouldn't) than it might be ok...

Test it out at the field before the game... focus on the opposite corner flag, and check your shutter speed...if the distance is satisfactory than you'll be OK...If you stand on the sideline, in the middle of the field, you might be able to catch a lot of center field action in front of you, than you wouldn't need the TC...you have a long game with lots of time to take pictures with and without the TC...

If you go over to the goal on either side and take pictures for close up action , no TC... However, if you want to capture action clear on the opposite half of the filed than you would need to put the TC on...

Walk around along the sideline and follow the ball action while taking pictures, you might have to run to get there...just don't go onto the field...