I am going to have an all-access pass to a women's NCAA basketball game next week and I'd like to know if anyone would mind sharing some ideas on how to post-process so that the images really pop? I've seen some posed shots where people blacken the background and create an almost spotlight-like effect around the player, although I don't know how to do either! Any thoughts would be welcome!
Boosting contrast and saturation can make an image pop, but care must be taken not to go too far. The posed shots of which you speak are likely done in a studio with the subject lit but not the background. It is possible to do this on the run, but it means using off camera flash to avoid the dreaded straight-on rabbit-in-headlights look. Have a look at the Strobist site, lots of good info there.
