2nd take on youth soccer, C&C welcome

Shot my second game on Saturday and this time I experimented with using AV mode exclusively. I think it worked out pretty well. I had to bump down the exposure a 1/3 stop in the camera because right in the middle was leading to some blow outs.

Was actually nice not having to worry too much about the settings, let me concentrate more on the shots themselves.
Was hotter than hell on this day, mid 90s and high humidity, got to love Florida... I was worn out after an hour and a half.

The league was doing team photos this day too and that reminded me how much I never want to do that again... I will stick with the action shots. I brought some prints that I printed out off my home printer of my friends kids and my friends wife was showing them around to everyone and they got good reviews. Heard people saying they liked them better than the team photos that the company was doing. Felt nice to hear. Handed out some more business cards but still no hits off my site. Need to work on that.

My biggest fear when I started this (me being new to this) was worrying that the parents would question why I was taking photos of their kids, I am not seeing that this is not a problem at all and that parents dont really mind. Not including the team photos, I think I was the only one there trying to shoot for profit. Lots of parents and their Rebels and 300mm lenses though so I think I am blending in a little too well. Need to work on that as well, but short of wearing an Event Photographer shirt, not sure how else to separate myself...

Anyways, Here are some shots, as always, C&C appreciated. Exif data should be in the file...

1.

No pictures.

it appears zenfolio is down...hopefully it will be back up real soon

Ok, looks to be back up. I can see photos now.

Watch your back grounds. Also in #1 you shooting from quite high position. Sit on your butt for kids soccer, it will give much better pictures. Also use the longer end of your lens, that will help with blurring the bg.

bobbyz wrote in post #5508684
Watch your back grounds. Also in #1 you shooting from quite high position. Sit on your butt for kids soccer, it will give much better pictures. Also use the longer end of your lens, that will help with blurring the bg.

Thanks for the tips, the whole time I was either on my butt or knees shooting. But with number 1, I might have been trying to get out of the way too. DOnt remember. Backgrounds I am aware of just not much I can really do. This place is crowded with multiple games and parents lining every inch of the field. Not sure how to get around that... If anyone has tips on that, would be appreciated. There were also 5 coaches that were on the field as well...tough trying to keep them out of the shots...Not sure what they are really doing either...lol

Not sure what you mean by the Longer end of my lens...Using my 70-300 4-5.6, Cant go any wider...Can you explain that? Thanks

cory1848 wrote in post #5508839
Thanks for the tips, the whole time I was either on my butt or knees shooting. But with number 1, I might have been trying to get out of the way too. DOnt remember. Backgrounds I am aware of just not much I can really do. This place is crowded with multiple games and parents lining every inch of the field. Not sure how to get around that... If anyone has tips on that, would be appreciated. There were also 5 coaches that were on the field as well...tough trying to keep them out of the shots...Not sure what they are really doing either...lol

Not sure what you mean by the Longer end of my lens...Using my 70-300 4-5.6, Cant go any wider...Can you explain that? Thanks

He means stay zoomed as much as you can. the DOF at 300MM is smaller than at 70 MM so it helps to blur out the background more...it may work differently given that your lens doesnt have a constant aperture.

cory1848 wrote in post #5508839
Not sure what you mean by the Longer end of my lens...Using my 70-300 4-5.6, Cant go any wider...Can you explain that? Thanks

2 of the pcitures are at 70mm while all others are < 150mm. Your lens goes to 300mm so shoot at 300mm. This way you will get better back grounds.

bobbyz wrote in post #5509621
2 of the pcitures are at 70mm while all others are < 150mm. Your lens goes to 300mm so shoot at 300mm. This way you will get better back grounds.

Sorry if I am still a little confused... Its not a constant app lens...at 300 it will be 5.6f, at 70 its f4. F4 gives me less DOF... See why I am confused? Maybe I just dont understand how the lens works technical wise.. Are you saying that 300mm at f5.6 is a less DOF than 70mm at f4?

Also, in this situation I am kind of limited to space, at 300m I would be getting shots of body parts only and not the whole person... The field is about the size of a basketball court.

cory1848 wrote in post #5509888
Sorry if I am still a little confused... Its not a constant app lens...at 300 it will be 5.6f, at 70 its f4. F4 gives me less DOF... See why I am confused? Maybe I just dont understand how the lens works technical wise.. Are you saying that 300mm at f5.6 is a less DOF than 70mm at f4?

Also, in this situation I am kind of limited to space, at 300m I would be getting shots of body parts only and not the whole person... The field is about the size of a basketball court.

You will have shallower DOF at 300mm @5.6 than you will at 70mm @4.5, but if you don't have the room, you don't have the room.

The best solution if you're planning on shooting on small fields like this for awhile is to get a 70-200/2.8 or even a 135/2 and move around a little or just shoot what you can, damn the ball!

Sigma 70-200/2.8 is about $700-750 new and $100-200 less used. I think it would have a great impact on your photos.

Gene

kini wrote in post #5511029
You will have shallower DOF at 300mm @5.6 than you will at 70mm @4.5, but if you don't have the room, you don't have the room.

The best solution if you're planning on shooting on small fields like this for awhile is to get a 70-200/2.8 or even a 135/2 and move around a little or just shoot what you can, damn the ball!

Sigma 70-200/2.8 is about $700-750 new and $100-200 less used. I think it would have a great impact on your photos.

Gene

That I didnt know...I will have to do some research on that to learn more...

I am sure the Sigma 70-200 would be great, unfortunately its not in the budget yet... Hopefully soon, I hear its a great lens.

cory1848 wrote in post #5508839
This place is crowded with multiple games and parents lining every inch of the field. Not sure how to get around that... If anyone has tips on that, would be appreciated. There were also 5 coaches that were on the field as well...tough trying to keep them out of the shots...Not sure what they are really doing either...lol

Not sure what you mean by the Longer end of my lens...Using my 70-300 4-5.6, Cant go any wider...Can you explain that? Thanks

Welcome to Soccer, fun isn't it. I find soccer one of the difficult sports to shoot, not imposable but really challenging. Save for the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 you won't regret it, or save a bit longer and get the Canon version.