If it's friday night it must be Bantam Hockey

Today's theme is carrying the puck.

Took me a while to get them posted.

1.

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

HTTP response: NOT FOUND | MIME changed to 'image/gif'

Nice job David. Only crit would be to crop down further in PP. For example in number five, I noticed the ref before I even figured out what great timing you have on the shot. Take out anything that isn't necessary for the composition.

Other than that, great exposures, timing, and action!

All nice! I like 2 the best. The kid’s on the edges and looking where he's going. I see little difference in ISO settings myself. I had to know which was which to see anything. If I where to just have a look at them, with out you saying the ISO was different, I probably wouldn't have noticed. In fact, 6 looks like it has the most noise. Probably just a tighter crop?

Nice stuff.

Haven't shot much hockey lately. We didn't even have a game last week. I'll be busy this weekend though. Hockey double-header on Friday. Sunday will be my Daughter's first gymnastics meet of the year! If you think youth hockey rinks are dimly lit, you should see some of the dungeons they hold girl’s gymnastics in!!! Time to bust out the 85 1.8 again!

I like #2 - the lines in it are all flowing nicely

Ok, coming from a city where it's snowed once in the past 100 years and that record is somewhat dubious as it is... how do people not get their fingers cut off and whatnot playing ice hockey when they fall over?

Spearin - thanks, I think you're right about the tighter crop.

Lacks - yes, indeed I think the degree of crop is more important for the noise level than the ISO.

Jim - thanks. despite padding there are injuries. never saw a severed finger, though.

I guess me being a Canuck, I'd leave the linseman in the picture - he belongs there.

Glenn, linesmen everywhere thank you.

Just to clarify on the linesmen:

Twenty years ago I was the president of a minor hockey league (what we called Tier One or some call Rep hockey); as such all major infractions had to be reported to me that same day to be dealt with - minor hockey rule - only two minute minors weren't reported.

It soon became apparent (I was also a hockey dad and coach at one time) that when a referee made a call on a major penalty that it was generally right on the money. This didn't stop the coaches from believing that their players were angels. Ever heard of a 15 or 16 year old boy angel playing hockey?

These on ice officials earned a great deal of respect from me. The only thing in the game I dislike is players (from kids right up to the NHL) that complain about every penalty they get. If I was a ref, I'd give them an automatic ten minute misconduct if they even opened their big yaps to complain. Rant over.

By the way - nice pictures - well done. I've tried many times and they never turned out even close to those.

Do you have some pointers for me?

Glenn -

I've ump'd little league, so I can sympathize. Hockey goes by so fast the refs have to work hard. You gotta credit that they mean well and are trying. I did pick the crop to keep the lineman in. Sounds like you've contributed lots to youth hockey - thanks.

Pointers? a fast enough lens (2.8 usually does it), manual exposure & white balance, high ISO to keep shutter speed around 1/500, servo focus, take hundreds of shots, and hope some come out.

I think your shots look great. Especially the white balance. MOst Hocky shots I've seen are yellowish. Nice job.

I have been through your posts, and I am impressed with the "faces" of your players, they are all very clear! Do you crop, or are your pict almost at the original size...I did not know hockey was that popular in North Crolina! yu have to come to Quebec you would be in heaven!

I vote to keep the linesman. I think he adds to the shot.

Never heard of a severed finger. I'm amazed at how few skate injuries I've seen. I do have a numb spot on the side of my thumb from a skate cut but it had nothing to do with hockey. She sure was cute