The "Big Kick"

It seems that lamost every U5 coach uses the same term for shooting.

Here are a few recent "Big Kicks" C&C welcome

#1

The first shot is just great, and the second is very good.

Thanks Jeffrey!

The first photo pretty much defines what POP (or determination) is, but only half a ball is in the pic and I can't tell if that's a berm in the background or if she is really working uphill.

For these to go on my fireplace mantle, I would want the ball in focus as well and the cropping to be some standard small size like 4x6 or 5x7. Also, there is no context to these which may be helpful. It looks like they are simply warm-up or practice shots and not related to competition (note line of teammates in #2). OTOH, you really don't want much else in these portraits to mess up the central idea. It's a kind of Catch-22 situation.

I appreciate the comments.

It is a berm in the background..railraod track on the other side.

These are warm-up pictures. It is an action portrait. I always include these with the traditional portraits when covering a team. It goes really fast and the sell very well.

If I was posting them for printing they would be a standard format. Since this is to produce the best image possible I cropped tight. I prefer shallow DOF on these images. The ball need not be in focus to me.

I got pretty burnt out last year doing nothing but youth sports. Good stuff Matt, after looking at these I'm looking forward to shooting the little kids this summer.

I'm going to try and shoot child #2 (the soccer one, child #1 plays fastpitch softball) in a mimic of the first shot.

I don't care about the berm and the half ball. As the prospective client/parent in this shot they will love the determination in that eye that is telegraphed into every ounce of that tiny athelete body.