First try at surfing

Went and had a crack at some surfing shots yesterday at surfest which is held every year. Used the 70-200 but it just isn't quite long enough so i had to crop a fair bit but i'm pretty happy with them for my first time. C&C welcome.

1.

First up OK. The ships in the background are not the ideal backdrop for surfing pictures, but from what I read in the papers your going to have a hard job finding a place with out a ship in sight off Newcastle at the moment.
A longer lens would have helped for sure, on the last picture have you noticed that the horizon isn't level?............

khall wrote in post #5267407
--- on the last picture have you noticed that the horizon isn't level?............

^^^^^ There's a horizon in the last pic??

But seriously, nice shots.

What horizon?

Since I am close to the colorado mountains, I found the ships in the background added to the pictures. That is something new to me. Then when I saw the first picture with only a surfer and no ships, I thought the picture was more professional. I do like them all. I thought they all captured the sport well.

I agree about the ships, i'd just crop them out, or even clone them out if you can be bothered with the extra work.

Aside from that, all very nice shots. You maybe needed a little more speed on #3, as there seems to be a bit too much movement there, or it could be a focussing issue (hard to tell without the exif).

No one else thinks the ships look cool? maybe just me perhaps.
Good shots Welby. The last one really caught my eye . . . and held it.

I like them all, but seriously, how could you notice a horizon in that last pic...

Nice surfing shots...agree the ships don't do much but distract and a longer lens would work better or get closer. Some are soft if not out of focus but great action...some minor tuning. Seven is nice, goes without saying, but the composition is wrong. Rule of thirds!

Wow, nice shots. That last pic is nicely focused.

Very nice shots for your first try... I agree with the ships except in #5 which I think it is placed in away to compliment the surfer... Also #5 is the best timed capture in my opinion and more of what you'd expect to see in a mag.

nice shots with the 70-200. I've been using longer lenses for my surf shots, and I think that sometime I get too close and don't show enough of the wave. I think I'll carry the 70-200 with me from now on.

welby,

Howdy from a fellow Novocastrian! [Cooks Hill] Nice shots and just to confirm to all; it'd be pretty much impossible to get a surfing shot on any one of our beautiful beaches without getting a ship in the background!

Lucky Surfest isn't held during the month of June [the following was taken in June 2007; it's a ship stranded @ Nobby's Beach just north of Newcastle Beach - the home of Surfest]

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I quite like the ships in the background - helps with a perspective. Good clear photos otherwise as well.