First outing with new 400mm II on Canon 1Div.. Sitting on small stool, hand-held. Thoughts?

f/3.5 1/3333

Ed: Colors look good. Definitely lots of sun!

#1 Solid shot. No eyes but players fighting, good background.
#2 Solid shot. No eyes, ok background.
#3 Doesn't do anything for me.
#4 Shot would be much better if one player looked as though they controlled the ball or was looking up field. Just doesn't seem like much is happening.
#5 Safe Shot. Better if you had more room above the head.
#6 Alright action but tough background.

After looking thru them it just seems as though the talent on the field was rather low. Not much ball control, headers, etc. This makes it tough to get good action photos. Thanks for posting!

Ben

How many shots did you take during the game? How many were technically OK and were these your best images?

Handholding a 400 mm lens for a full game would leave my knuckles dragging & when my arms get tired I hae trouble keeping up with action --- I suggest borrowing or renting a suitable mono-pod to see it's easier to keep up

Hand held! Holy cow you are the man. I just had one a month ago on loan from CPS to check out and while it is lighter than the version 1, it is still heavy. I used with a monopod.

Pictures look good but I bet you could have more keepers if you had a monopod - no way you kept that lens up in your hand on the action all the time like you can with a monopod . . .

I like #1 best - interesting, overlapping composition but I wish you had some space above the girl on the left's head.

I don't know how much you post process, but you might try lightening the shadows and darkening the highlights especially on the last few.

Andy

1- slightly unbalanced, room at bottom but too tight at top
2- Ok, next frame might have had more action, note something on the far left side should be cloned out
3- No faces, bit bucket IMHO
4- Light action, maybe if you crop via portrait and tighter
5- unbalanced for me, no room at the top, would have been better with ball coming off the foot
6- Background too messy, action not peak