Youth Soccer Leagues

Used to shoot a lot of games with an Olympus 740 Ultra Zoom, but wanted more control... now I just need to get it down (too many years away from my 35mm SLR)
I welcome your critiques.

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Welcome Yukon.

I'm new here too so my opinion may not count for much but here goes anyway.

First off, both images could be sharper but maybe that got lost when you downsized to post on the web.

The boys look a bit underexposed and the picture isn't level. Also the girls' picture has a yellow cast and needs tighter cropping.

You mention that you've shot a lot of games so you probably realise that images of players just running toward the ball are kind of boring unless they contain spectacular action, drama, humour or they're your kids. I think the urgency of the boys has enough drama to make the picture interesting but the girls look like they could easily just be having a run in the park, which isn't so interesting.

Hope that doesn't sound too critical but you did ask for a critique. You're most welcome to pay me back and criticise my pictures. You'll see I don't practice what I preach, in fact I'm glad just to get my 20d to focus on the right player.

Chris
http://mwfaction.fotop​ic.net/

Thanks Chris!
I do appreciate your input! This has been an interesting transition... the Olympus is so "point and shoot" friendly; which the Canon can be.. but, I wanted to do more with the camera and images, and like I said; It's been quite a while since I shot with a 35mm SLR
If I can get the hand to do what the eye sees...
Here's a couple of my shots from last summer...
Hope to hear from you soon!
Greg

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Not bad at all, especially the first one. So if the pictures you posted first were taken with the Drebel and these were taken last summer with the Olympus then I understand your desire to "get it (the Drebel) down", unless you're an Olympus salesman.

I'm more comfortable lurking than posting. I've recently been reminded that the standard of my pictures doesn’t qualify me to give advice but I might not cop too much critism if I just pass on some POTN forum advice that has helped me when shooting football with my 20D. By the way, we've started to drop the S word in Australia and just call it football, but still at that confusing stage where nobody knows which code you’re talking about. Just so you know what I mean by football.

• Take lots of pictures, carry extra CF cards, spray 'n pray if necessary and delete later.
  
• If you have an L lens or similar, use it wide open.
  
• Fast shutter speed (say 640+) but drop it down rather than underexpose with a high ISO.
  
• The forum explained why shutter release priority in AF servo causes my first hurried shot to usually be out of focus unless I've been tracking with the centre focus point locked on the player. Actually, if my camera was a gun, the spectators in the distance would have a lot more to worry about than the players.
  
• Out of camera processing (especially for RAW) can fix under exposure, usually.
  
• Servo AF mode with centre focus point selected and custom function 04.1 to enable AF with * button. (Sorry if this only applies to the 20D).
  
• Some personal advice: never look at Gmen's pictures. They'll just make you envious and bitter.
  

Thanks Horse!
I can see by reading the other posts in different forums; I'm not the only one having "issues" with operating my Drebel. It is a learning curve to say the least...
I understand the dropping of the "s word". Only problem here is; too many Yanks don't understand or appreciate futbal. The only football they know is brown and tapered at both ends!
Oh, and gmen's photography? Yes, I understand... that's why I won't quit my day job... ha ha!
Talk with you later!