My skin is quite thick so let me have it.

I shoot youth sports and I'm trying to take a step beyond just catching the action. I would like to offer an "action portrait" to parents. I'd like it to be kinda sorta classy looking.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm no artist and I don't consider myself particularly creative. As such, I enter this forum with hat in hand to solicit any suggestions.

If the idea is dumb, tell me so and I'll never darken the doors of this forum again.

If the idea has a little promise, suggestions about B&W conversion appreciated. Also, about B&W, are there any general rules about what makes a good B&W picture? Or, perhaps, the first rule is, there are no rules!

Thanks for reading and looking.

I would prefer to see more context and motion. This kinda just sits there ya know? I personally hate it when someone captures me making the "ugly" faces while I play tennis and wouldn't want a portrait of it. but different strokes for different folks.

Thanks for replying, Patrick.

Good points. If I go down this road and a parent likes the idea, I might be wise to offer several pictures and let them select which one to use.

Thanks again!

I like the image and the conversion, others may not. As you said, there are no rules and a lot of this comes down to personal taste; what one person loves another may hate, so in the end what matters is what the parents (or subjects) think of the images. What you're showing here is emotion, grit and determination so I think a lot of people will love it. I would even consider cropping a bit tighter on the right--try making the cut just to the left of the elbow. If that doesn't look right try cropping in tighter on both sides to remove the dead space. In any case I would remove the thin white strip--top of the logo on his shirt--at the bottom of the picture, it's distracting. Now show us your changes...

I like the concept and I think the conversion is fine, and I'm a fan of b&w from film days. I agree the bottom needs to be cropped slightly. Also cropping a tad on the right side making more dead space on the left would compose the shot better IMO.

Other than that - I like the concept and it will set you apart from the standard shot.

I would kill for a shot like this of me 30 years ago when I ran track - this type of image speaks more to the athlete than the observer. Nice work.

Keith, Rob

Thanks so much for responding and especially your encouragement. With that, I believe I'll give it a go this fall and see if any parents "bite."

Agreed, I need to look at my crops more carefully. Thanks!

Way too cropped for my taste. As others said, you need to show more context; at the minimum, both of this hands!

Lots of expression, but does not tell a story or give you a context, and it desperately needs to do so. Unless you already know what's going on you don't understand it.

So, a somewhat wider view might be better.

From a technical viewpoint the b&w is very good, nice range of exposure.

Seth, Gene

Your comments are very helpful! Not the first time I've received a comment about cropping too tightly.

Thanks for responding.

My photography mentor always told me that if you had to explain what was going on in the print, then it isn't good enough to show...but as you said, this speaks to the athlete not the casual observer. I remember all too well when I used to shoot hunters & jumper horse people. Shots I thought were beautiful or story tellers they hated, the ones that looks like should be in an instruction manual were the ones they loved coz they showed the form that they were trying so hard to achieve.

Keep shooting, offer them options and I applaud you for trying tight croppings and different concepts with photography, that's the best parts of being a photographer!

pontmercy wrote:
...if you had to explain what was going on in the print, then it isn't good enough to show...

EXCELLENT advice! Thank you.


pontmercy wrote:
Shots I thought were beautiful or story tellers they hated, the ones that looks like should be in an instruction manual were the ones they loved...

Yes. In the limited time I've been shooting youth sports, I'm amazed at the pictures the parents want. Go figure, right?

Thanks again for your input.