Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda

Sports Corner Rules
Sports Corner Resource

FM Forums | Sports Corner | Join Upload & Sell

2 end

Archive 2016 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

PureMichigan
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

Time for a fun Friday afternoon question … 2017 is just 22 days away. What one thing have you done in 2016 that has most improved or altered your sports photography? It can be a workshop, piece of gear, software, new technique, philosophical approach to your work. Whatever. Share so we can learn from your experience.

Dec 09, 2016 at 01:26 PM

rschroeter2124
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

For me, it was to learn what my camera (Canon 5D Mark III) was doing when I set AF settings. Really understanding what the camera is doing. Secondly, adding a new piece of gear, I've been really dying to get for a long time: Canon 300mm F/2.8 L IS II.

Dec 09, 2016 at 03:33 PM

PureMichigan
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

For me it was finally/grudgingly acknowledging that 80% of people now view my photos on their phones and adjusting how I compose to make my images more impactful in that format. Oh, and a Nikon D5.

Dec 09, 2016 at 05:31 PM

rdalrt
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

PureMichigan wrote:
For me it was finally/grudgingly acknowledging that 80% of people now view my photos on their phones and adjusting how I compose to make my images more impactful in that format.

I am coming to the same realization. Care to share the changes you made in this regard?

Dec 09, 2016 at 09:34 PM

PureMichigan
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

A few things ... and please note that these are not rules but more general guidelines that I keep in mind. But I do break them regularly.

1) I crop a lot tighter. I strive to fill as much of the frame as possible.
2) I do more 1-2 player action. Fewer 3+
3) I go wide a lot less -- and when I do it's usually wide and very close (read artsy)
4) I still shoot horizontally most of the time, but I've at least doubled the number of vertical shots I create. UX experts say that the vast majority of people view pictures on their phones holding horizontally. You get more "eyescape" shooting to that posture.

People can argue with this approach. And that's fine. I just felt I needed to adjust to how people actually interact with the images instead of ignoring it as I have been in recent years,

Dec 09, 2016 at 10:50 PM

AceCo55
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

1) d500
2) getting lower for all of the sports I cover
3) finally accepted xqd as my primary format memory card (they are still expensive in Australia though!)

Dec 10, 2016 at 05:37 AM

Pyrat
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

D500 - though even after 40K shots I don't think I've mastered the AF the way others have. And realizing that most sports images are captured for enjoyment rather than profit. Still make a few $ from shooting, but the financial model continues to erode.
300 2.8 AFSII- bought this as a project, found a brilliant repair shop (Sanford Camera in Arlington, MA), waited for 6 months as they found parts, and now have a great lens for a still bargain price. Loving shooting the prime vs. zoom.

Dec 10, 2016 at 10:19 AM

leewoolery
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

Shooting less and making more money than ever by concentrating more on pre-paid team photos, sportraits, design, banners and senior/post-season appreciation posters...in other words...those areas that are high profit with the least amount of effort and all spec work has been eliminated.

Dec 10, 2016 at 11:50 AM

P Alesse
Offline
• • • • • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

I realized I don't need any of my DSLR gear anymore. 90% of my best stuff this year came out of my camera phone.

Dec 10, 2016 at 12:47 PM

gene2632
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

2016 was my first full year of retirement. After 47 years I now get to use my camera to shoot stuff I truly want to shoot. Travel Logs, grandchild, desert sunsets.. Life is good but I do miss seeing my friends at games.

Dec 10, 2016 at 12:54 PM

PureMichigan
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

One other thing -- I realized that while sports photo journalism-style coverage is still my passion and strength, audiences/viewers are open to more post-processing and hyper-realism/photo-tainment. This is especially true at the HS level where the kid's /parents have grown up with this as a norm.

Note to Self: Improve Photoshop Skill.

Dec 19, 2016 at 11:53 AM

JMDobson
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

I really learned this year to be more consistent with my coverage. My paper's deadline is very close to when night games are coming to a close, so I have had to work more methodically to get all the photos I need in the first quarter/period or whatever. Once I get a photo I like of a player, I have learned to move on to the next. I also take a lot fewer photos because I do not have the time. I now aim for 200 photos per half of basketball, and 250 for football.

I shot all of my sports with a D3S and a 400 2.8 and 70-200, so no gear change.

However, I ordered a D5 yesterday, so 2017 will be a completely different animal!

P.S. I do take more photos than that when I have the time. It's just that this year, Kansas High School sports schedules changed and pushed back night games by thirty minutes. That really made things tougher.

Dec 19, 2016 at 12:23 PM

Trevorma
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

Altered my photography?

In April my wife and I had our second son...... that combined with the changing face of photography made me focus on my day job and stop photography all together.

I still have a D800 some lenses and flashes but sold off everything sports related and just take pictures of my family as it continues to grow.

The fight vs the return just wasn't worth it anymore. The fight took the fun out of it for me.......

Trevor

Dec 19, 2016 at 12:52 PM

Weasel_Loader
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

I shoot rodeo and made a few changes during 2016 that made huge impacts for me.

- Switch from 300/2.8 to a 200/2
-- Made a big difference in making ugly backgrounds disappear. Also helped
reduce weight and I ditched the monopod which really help improve my
mobility to shoot inside the arena during rough stock.

- Switched shooting from kneeling to laying flat on my belly
-- Such a small difference in shooting height, but make a HUGE difference. Some
events, I still keep kneeling (rough stock) so I can quickly get on my feet
and move to keep from getting run over, but other events, I'm down on my
belly just trying to avoid any "green colored" dirt.

Dec 19, 2016 at 02:53 PM

SFIND
Offline
•
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

I bought a Color Checker Passport Black Friday 2015, and while I did start using it last December, this year I've really grown to use it more. It makes a big difference in some gyms, but in others I've found it's useless -- Adobe's profiles better replicate how the color looks to my eyes in those instances.

Oh, and I added a D3s and D500 and shoved the D300 and D7200 into the backup bag, so that's a big difference.

I started freelancing for a new publication in football, which I enjoy. But it's really affected my photography for the worse. The deadlines are so early that I was only able to shoot the first half of football, and right now I'm doing only the first quarter of basketball. Really limits the time I have to shoot... I basically just get a few keepers and call it a day. (I also write articles for every game I cover).

Dec 19, 2016 at 04:58 PM

acoll123
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

I shoot a lot of high school football games and other sports under (crappy) lights - I got a 1DX II with anti-flicker. It has made a huge difference on the amount of time in post-processing to color correct. Absolutely worth the cost of the upgrade alone for me.

Dec 19, 2016 at 05:11 PM

wgulker
Offline
• •
Upload & Sell: On

p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

A few things significantly impacted my photography this year.

First, I tried to complete a 365 project. I lasted about 6 months and learned a lot during this time. I learned my cameras and equipment very well. I also learned a lot about composition and black and white photography . I may try a 365 again in 2017.

Second, I purchased a Nikon 200-500 lens in 2016. Huge bang for the buck. I am still debating if I want to keep my 80-400 lens since the 200-500 has become my go to long glass. Makes big race tracks much smaller.

Lastly, I purchased Photo Mechanic. This program makes culling the 1000's of photos my D500 can produce a lot easier than Lightroom. PM makes Lightroom seem like a snail.

Dec 19, 2016 at 10:21 PM

CW100
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

P Alesse wrote:
I realized I don't need any of my DSLR gear anymore. 90% of my best stuff this year came out of my camera phone.

the cell phone camera is a "game changer"

But I wouldn't mind a new 1DX2 and a couple of nice L telephoto lens ... wait, that's a Christmas wish list

Dec 20, 2016 at 08:24 AM

Marty Bingham
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

Trevorma wrote:
The fight took the fun out of it for me.......
Trevor

Me too.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/snaptie2002/989copy.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/snaptie2002/Project_20140419_0001_zps4f21f946.jpg

Finally woke up and smelled the coffee. Still love to shoot. Just not scratching and clawing for the chump change anymore. I shoot weddings for money, sports for fun. Shoot both to keep growing as a photographer.

Marty

Dec 20, 2016 at 11:10 AM

Trevorma
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off

p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Looking Back on 2016: What "Changed the Game" for You

Marty.......

My hope is that as my 2 sons grow I can continue to take pictures of them and everything they do (sure I am Canadian and hoping for hockey).....

I shot 2 (one hockey and one ringette) tournament early this year. I had to provide insurance to the league and a background check to prove I wasn't a criminal in order to get access to the benches (not shooting through the glass).

Once there I was fighting for space with parents who had no insurance and no criminal check. When I brought this up to the league no one seemed to care, even though we had a cut of the profits agreement. one parent told me to get the*censored* out of his way......

That was it for me...... When I work out my hourly rate from my day job and compare it to what I was making at sports it was not much of a decision. I also vowed NEVER to be that parent when my kids play. I have no issues with Parents taking pictures I am at trying to make money, but if the league makes me jump through hoops to get a premium spot I am not fine with every Tom, Dick and Harry getting the same access.....

Dec 20, 2016 at 11:41 AM

1 2 end
FM Forums \| Sports Corner \| Join Upload & Sell 1 2 end

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.