After this summer's drought, I'm loathe to complain, but it was wet and cold. My hands weren't this cold last November.

Anyway, just a few from a local battle of Rivals. Highland pretty well controlled the contest - except for three 50+ yard breakaways that they gave up for scores. Combined with a blocked extra point, they fell to Triad by 1, 20-19.

A few more

and a final couple.

Really like the first two. Can't beat the rain and mud for impact.

Jeff

Those first 2 are awesome!

Good to see your work, Mark. Great set of photos of which #1 is my favorite. Those team entries offer so much promise and I find I never can make it pay off the way you have here. Thanks for posting.

Thanks all. I always shoot the "banner bust", but I have only truly like two of the hundreds of frames that I have shot of them. This is one of the two. The other was two years ago.

Hey Mark, Russ is right on the money about number one. Number 1 is amazing.

When I shoot them, most schools used the old continuous roll of paper which inevitably gets wreapped about the first player's head, neck and shoulders. Have yet to get one that looks anything like this one.... Leads me to this question, is that a vinyl banner with a velcro closure on it?

Quick tech question for you. Manual mode on the D3s --with AUTO ISO turned off I presume? Really like the consistency of your exposures. I've spent a lot of time in AP mode this fall --after primarily being a manual shooter. Just curious. Sure do like the way yours look Mark.

Rick

Great stuff. The marching band shot is mint!

Good stuff Mark, I had another rainy night as well, but I had crappy ISO 12,800 lights with cycles and pure black uniforms to try and focus on......


Matt

Rick, it's a vinyl banner with velcro - they come apart nicely - and predictably. I agree with you about the paper ones. I actually had auto ISO turned on, with 10,000 as the cap. The field is pretty much ISO 10,000 at 1/800 2.8 except for between the 45's where it is about 1/3 brighter and the endzones where you lose about 2/3 of a stop. When my brain functions, I drop the shutter speed down there. But even then, the light stands are on the 20, so the end zone play is entirely backlit.

The elements only add to the impact of this very nice set. I'll join the party on #1... very well executed. Nice tight shots of the ground wars.

GREAT!