I was able to shoot my second football game this weekend and I tried to apply some of the suggestions I received after my first attempt, a week ago. Please let me know what you think. I feel like these are better shots, but that could be because the first ones were really bad. Thanks for looking and commenting as I am trying to improve.
Not knowing anything about you, what you are trying to accomplish, and what type of photos you want to produce...I'll still offer my thoughts.
Your first and second photos are decent enough, thought the first one could be sharper. The third and fourth pictures are okay, but the backgrounds are kiling them. These are obviously cropped into quite a bit, and though they might look okay on the web, it makes me wonder what quality the full size images would be.
#5 is a nice moment, but it's out of focus. I try to never show anything out of focus. I'd hate for anybody to think that I struggle to get anythign in focus.
#6 is nice light, but the lack of the face on #37, and the out of focus face on #12 really detract from what could have been a good shot.
Thanks Nick, that brings up another issue I seem to struggle with and I am open to suggestion on how to overcome it. When I go back and look at the point (using a single center focus point) on #5, the single focus point is on the 8 on the front of the jersey. This was shot with 20d, 70-200 IS, ISO 1600, 2.8 1/400 +1/3 Exposure Comp, AI Servo. 1/400 is slower than I would have wanted, but it was the darkest corner of the endzone. I have noticed the same issue, both times I have shot football at night. The 20d is my second body and my main body is a MkIIn. I have put many more frames on the 20d that the 1d in the past, but maybe it is a matter of technique or practice on my part with the second body and lens.
I am open to any other thoughts anyone may have. Thanks