Congratulations to friscoron for winning Feature Thread of the Week with 2 votes - View Previous Winners
I've always wanted to shoot sports portraits and somehow I just don't have the opportunities. Then suddenly, I got to do this one this week, and tomorrow I'm photographing a basketball player in what should be a really fun shot.
Edit to add: Shot with a 24-70 at 24mm. 1/4000, f/4 and ISO 160. 5 Yongnuo speedlights. Two paired up in front of her and slightly to her right, two paired up behind her and slightly to her right (both pairs in the lane next to hers). They were all firing at 1/2 power, I believe, maybe full power. Then the fifth was camera right shooting through an umbrella.
I wanted the lighting to rim her, both front and back, and then needed the one light next to me to fill the shadows. It all worked out pretty well for me. The hardest thing was getting the timing of her arms right.
Probably should mention the post-processing. I have a HDR preset that I created for myself in Lightroom, and used that, then really kicked up the contrast. Did more of the same in PS. The HDR is not something I normally use in my people portraits, but it works amazing well for athletes.
This is just tremendous, really great stuff. featured thread vote, love this.
The only feedback I have is that I wish the blue garbage can wasn't in the shot as it draws the eye a little, would have been a pain to drag it out of the shot though. I'd be curious to see what this would look like cropped to 16x9, not great for printing but would look great on screen.
dmacmillan wrote:
Nice! You need to market the heck out of this kind of work. I think the Seniors would eat it up!
Thanks, Doug! That's my hope. A shot like this should be a part of every senior session with an athlete. As you know, not everyone is committed to getting a great shot. She had meet me at the track at 8 am on a day off from school.
Vcook wrote:
This is just tremendous, really great stuff. featured thread vote, love this.
The only feedback I have is that I wish the blue garbage can wasn't in the shot as it draws the eye a little, would have been a pain to drag it out of the shot though. I'd be curious to see what this would look like cropped to 16x9, not great for printing but would look great on screen.
Thanks, Vernon. I really thought about that trash can. Went back and forth, finally decided to leave it in. Now... still thinking about it... will probably take it out.
DougVaughn wrote:
I like the sky and almost surreal look of the image. She almost lifts out of the frame. I agree the kids would probably love this style.
Thanks, Doug! I was going for a bit of a surreal look.
I like the trash can in the shot. The athlete is alone in an empty stadium, so the mood comes off as dedication / solitary training. The clean single trash can adds to this theme imho.
Ron, this is fabulous. You've ratcheted up another level. But do take out the trash. The presence of the can is distracting enough but the tilt draws my eye.
Like the mood in the stadium, like the surface on the Ground.
Don't like the light in her face, and the trash can.
the girl looks artificial.
Like it in b/w ;-)
gschlact wrote:
I like the trash can in the shot. The athlete is alone in an empty stadium, so the mood comes off as dedication / solitary training. The clean single trash can adds to this theme imho.
Thanks, Guy. I appreciate the feedback. Still pondering it.
GoodEgg wrote:
Ron, this is fabulous. You've ratcheted up another level. But do take out the trash. The presence of the can is distracting enough but the tilt draws my eye.
Thanks! Lots of angles here going different directions.
