Sweet shot, it would've been cooler if the stands were actually filled but on the top of the frame, but that is out of your control. This is a great shot and I think you clearly accomplished what you were wanting to with an iconic image.

I'm a little torn on this one. Being not much of a basketball fan, I do know who James is and his caliber of player.

A single instance of time might not tell the story here. I would have preferred interaction with the fans, a hand out to pass along the high-five's in return. Instead I see no emotion in this picture from James.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great shot, I might want to see this shot in portrait mode, and get the full body in with tighter zoom, and lose the people on left and right... The silhouette on the right is distracting...

-Paul

sutegrat wrote:
I'm a little torn on this one. Being not much of a basketball fan, I do know who James is and his caliber of player.

A single instance of time might not tell the story here. I would have preferred interaction with the fans, a hand out to pass along the high-five's in return. Instead I see no emotion in this picture from James.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great shot, I might want to see this shot in portrait mode, and get the full body in with tighter zoom, and lose the people on left and right... The silhouette on the right is distracting...

-Paul


I think that's what I like about it. He's so focused on his game that 12,000 screaming fans don't even factor into his thinking.

Background info: Lebron James is 24, has played in the NBA for 6 seasons, was on the cover of Sports Illustrated at 17 with the headline reading: The Chosen One. Could've gone pro in football or basketball, he chose the latter. Last postseason he put up better numbers than Michael Jordan's best post season numbers(the ONLY 2 members of the 50+ club), won the MVP, but is stuck on a team of perpetual underachievers that don't show up in crunch time. Oh and he's about 6'8, 270lbs, and runs a 4.45 40 meter dash. He's a freak.

Any more C&C is always appreciated! I love hearing multiple takes on it, especially from someone who doesn't follow basketball as you judged it more based on pure photography. Thanks for looking and taking the time to reply!

Definitely lose the guy on the far right. I don't mind him not interacting with fans. I think it's a fairly solid shot overall. I wish the extraneous people on the floor were gone (the dudes on the left and guy in the sweater on the right)

phatnev: It's a cool shot, but I can't agree with your assessment. First off, we all know it doesn't necessarily take 'focus' to ignore a bunch of hands reaching for you. Second, there's nothing in this shot that suggests James is 'focused.' For all we know, he's reading a newspaper, twittering, or signing an autograph. All we can see is that his back is turned to us, he appears to be standing still, and he is looking ahead in a somewhat downward trajectory, possibly toward his hands, which are in front of him. I agree with Paul's suggestion that a vertical crop to eliminate the distractions on the left and right of the frame might be worth a try.

That's how you photograph $43,000,000 a year.

From a photoJ perspective i think that it is a really solid shot.

I like this Idea.

phatnev wrote:

everyone gets the shots of him dominating on the floor

That's what I like about the shot. It takes a step back from the action and shows a different point of view.

That being said, it looks like an "almost" shot. Almost all the elements are there, dramatic lighting, potential for great composition, unique angle/perspective, superstar athlete. The conditions are perfect..........then it kinda hits a flat spot.

The missing element is in the comportment of the subject. He really does look like he's hunched over signing an autograph or some other nondescript, mundane task which does not make for a very compelling shot. That's where the photographic eye comes in. The ability to wait for the split second that can turn a good photo into a better photo. Waiting for him to turn his head, or moving yourself into position , to catch his face with some rim lighting would have been nice. Some interaction with a fan or anyone else would have helped. If those shots did not present themselves then waiting for him to move toward the court would have given you a chance to fire a few frames to try catch something a little more dynamic.

Good idea, everything else is pretty good, I would like to see what other shots the opportunity might have presented.

Marty

This just doesn't work for me from the standpoint it is presented...as an "iconic" image of LeBron James. I don't know how anyone would be able to tell it's LeBron without you telling us. Honestly, it could just as easily be Carmello Anthony in a Cavs outfit for all we know (in fact, that's who I would guess it was if I didn't know better!).

If this is just an image you personally like because you were there and took it, that's all fine and dandy; nothing wrong with that. But as an "iconic" image, the idea was nice, but the execution just isn't there, IMO.

BTW, do a Google images search for iconic sports photos and you'll see photos of what I would consider "iconic" sports images...Namath running into the locker room holding up the #1 finger, Cassius Clay standing over Liston, Lombardi being carried off the field on the shoulders of a player, Dwight Clark's "the catch", the Black Power salute from the '68 Olympics, and so on.

Good idea that just didn't work for me. As Scott pointed out it just cannot be considered an "iconic" image without being able to identify who the player is. And as Russ already pointed out, it's a bit of a stretch to say he's so focused on the game since there's nothing in the photo to suggest that.

However, photography is all about ideas and trying them out and for that I congratulate you. That's the easy part. Being objective about an idea that just didn't work is much more difficult. One person I really do admire for his willingness to give us a peak behind the curtain is Mark Rebilas. He's really good about describing what his thought process was when he took a shot but then readily admits when they fall flat.

I appreciate all the responses everyone. I don't think it's the greatest photo I've taken, or has been taken of Lebron nor do I think that it falls flat on its face. I'd probably give it a 7 out of 10. There are things I would've loved to have changed, but this is what I came home with, and honestly, I'm almost positive it's better than anything anyone else that was there got, I'd much rather this than a photo of LBJ dunking.

On the subject of the ambivalence of "who" the player is, I've shown this photo to about 25-30 friends and relatives, ages 10 to 65, and every one of them knew who the "subject" was, without me giving any hints, so "it could just as easily be Carmello Anthony in a Cavs outfit for all we know" seems a bit rich, as does "For all we know, he's reading a newspaper, twittering, or signing an autograph." because as far as I know professional athletes don't often read newspapers coming out of the tunnel.

Iconic in my eyes may be different than yours, but to compare my getting a photo of Lebron walking onto the floor of an exhibition game to Clay knocking out Liston is a pretty outlandish. I meant iconic as in a photo representing
An iconic photo is different than being fortunate enough to be present to make a photo of an iconic moment, just food for thought.

On another note, the reception of this photo on the People Forum is a complete 180 from the reception on this forum, and with the track record of the People Forum that surprises me. Keep the C&C coming. Next year when I get to shoot the Cavs again(they only come to Pitt once a year) I'll see if I can come up with something better. This IS an "almost" shot, but it's still a pretty decent grab in my opinion.

Well...uh...hmm...okay then. It would seem that not only does "iconic" image mean different things to different people, so does "C&C".

I stand by my comments and certainly won't delete them, but it's clear now that had I known that "C&C welcome" doesn't seem to mean what I thought it meant, I would have not posted at all.

Best of luck with your sports photography.




CPQI

I dissagree with the others, I don't think a vertical crop would add to this shot, though I feel that a tigher horizontal oriented crop (maintaining the same orientation and ratio) would be better suited. It would allow you to eliminate some of the empty stands and the silhouette on the right. Again...I agree that it is to each is own but I think this is a better shot than most people are giving it credit for. I being a basketball fan would've told you it is Lebron immediately just based on the back of the head and the headband so I dont think the lack of a face detracts. However I do think if this was the same shot except you had been firing strobes or something from the tunnel and had him silhouetted coming out of the tunnel it would've been a better shot, but that wouldn't be a photojournalistc shot as much as it would be a portrait or promotional shot, not something for editorial use.

It's great that you feel as strongly about your image as you do. I also applaud you for thinking outside the box and trying something different. It's a cool shot. But what does it tell you that responses in the sports corner are very different from those in the people forum? It's a sports image. You've received responses from quite a number of very good sports photographers, some of whom have been doing this for a long time. Listen. Believing might also be helpful. You're attached to this shot. Understandable. Those of us who weren't there, didn't take the shot and don't have the emotional connection to it you seem to have appear not to see it as you do. You state: ".....seems a bit rich, as does "For all we know, he's reading a newspaper, twittering, or signing an autograph." because as far as I know professional athletes don't often read newspapers coming out of the tunnel." and this highlights just one area in which your photo does not tell the story. He does not appear to be "coming out of the tunnel." There is no movement implied by your photo. The guy with Cleveland on his back is just standing there, as are the people to the right and left, who, by your criteria, are just as focused as he is.

I hope you do get another crack at this next year because I'd like to see what you do with it. Keep posting.

Get a few more hands reaching on the right, get rid of the guys standing around in the tunnel, center LeBron in the tunnel and looking up a bit more and I think you'd be onto something.

Nice "almost got it" shot that I would be more than happy with.

Need to straighten it a little...kind of distracting with a slight tilt

I was just providing the other side of the coin, why I like it. I can feel strongly about an image I don't think is a 10/10.

Iconic is defined as:

i⋅con⋅ic
–adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of an icon.

Iconic does not equal best shot ever or shot of an iconic moment.

This isn't really a "sports" image, rather sports related, there is no "sport" going on. It's a PJ feature shot, not Lebron skying over someone for a dunk, the only reason its relevant to sports is because the subject is one of the greatest athletes in the world. I think there in lies the difference in opinions between Sports and People forums, after reviewing a lot of the work of the people who've commented in this forum, most of them are Sports photographers, and good ones at that. However most of the portfolios are filled with images from long lenses and with creamed backgrounds and tight crops, or portraits, both of which are a stark contrast to the type of photo I've presented here.

I like to get different opinions, and I've certainly got a mix here, and I appreciate all of your time, I did not mean to sound defensive as I'm certainly open to learning but you can't control the environment you shoot in, only make the best of it.

Glad you like the image. Guess that's what matters most in this instance.

Hopefully, you will be posting some action from the game? I would be anxious to see more of your NBA or other sports photography.

Yeah, I will continue to post. Think I might be shooting Pitt ND football next weekend, which is probably my weakest sport. But Pitt basketball is gearing up quickly and I'll be covering a few of those games, this was my "warm up" for the season. I mainly shoot weddings these days to pay the bills, but I work for the school paper too when I have time which is how I shot this.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cneverman/sets/72157622505526463/