I tend to stay with rule of thirds and try to have my shots balance (from side to side).
I also like to have something lead the eyes into the photo. I love the darken the edge of my photos like we did in the "olden days". I have always loved that look. Some don't. I get that comment alot. Eh...I take pics for me...so in it goes...
Cool - Golden proportion or the golden mean when used effectively includes the rule of thirds - but makes it have visual impact more like thirds on steroids. Its worth checking in to sometime. We use it in the dental lab as a guide for building harmonious smiles. It is a formula that can be found or seen in everything from the size, shape and color of a butterfly wing to the perception of beauty in a proportional face - to the correct use of architectural design in buildings. It so permeates everything in nature that to use its principles is almost a necessity in understanding why some things are pleasing to the eye - while other things are not.
I've got this three fingered gauge that you can hold up to stuff and see how much it falls into or out of the golden proportion. Cool stuff! Google "Golden Proportion" sometime and get ready for some mind blowing reading.
Interesting stuff. Need to read about that more thoroughly when time avails.
What is everyone else up to? I need to get my butt out and use this AlienBee here soon - have the puppy for a few days - maybe I'll take some pics of her and post them. It went from really loud to really quiet in here.
Looks like its time to get that sensor cleaned up!
I shot with the 600 and a 1Ds Mark III all day side by side with my 300 and Mark III -I'm one tired and sore old dog. Did anyone notice that a 600 weighs about 400 lbs?
I have 48 gigs worth of cards to get backed up before i go to bed and I'm beat now. Otherwise there is nothing to shoot to except 1 and 2 gig cards - can't do that with these memory hogging Mark IIIs!.
Yeah the sensor looks a little dirty - thus the dark blurs over the mist. Otherwise, I like 4 the best - but a little cropping and post-processing would help it. Try upping the contrast some - the shot could use a little "pop," if ya know what I mean.
Have fun Jon - If ya can, just grab either the 600 or the 1DsIII and bring it back for me. Tell them you lost it
The 1Ds Mark III is nice - but for sports or aviation - the buffer is a little slow. I have yet to compare the shots to see if its worth it. I found myself hitting the buffer, putting the camera down and picking up the next one and repeating that all day long.
I know this - the 600 would be a great lens mounted on a tripod for wildlife photography - but hand holding it for aviation is tough! Its too heavy. The 800 is lighter and better balanced but who has an extra 12 grand laying around. So maybe the 500 is a better choice than the 600. I'll probably try that one today.
Crop, crop, crop. You need to bring the eye to the single point of action in the photo in a sport like FB or BB. With a tighter "portrait" crop #5 is the best of them and #6 has possibilities.
I haven't gone thru my shots from yesterday yet- and I'm still trying to get my swing back. A lot depends on what you have to work with (meaning access to the field). Shots where you can see under the helmet and find the eyes are the money shots when shooting the NFL. Thats what make #1, 5 and 6 the best of the ones you've posted here.
Ok, I'm in. Please remember that these are MY preferences and may be different from your vision.
in general, the shots are too loose. If you can't get any closer I would do some creative cropping to present more visually interesting shots.
For my personal preference I typically shoot football in a vertical orientation, especially where focusing on 1 or 2 players. However, this changes on the fly as the play develops. If I am on or near the sideline and a running play (a sweep especially) develops I switch to a horizontal format. I don't know what equipment you are using but if you have a lens that has a tripod mount on it use it to pivot if it can. I tend to keep my larger lenses on a monopod for field sports and keep the tripod collar loose for rapid rotation.
If you are not in really tight then you need to capture all of the arms/legs etc. It is ok to chop if in real tight but not ok otherwise
Be conscious of your backgrounds and the aperture you are using. The first several shots seem to be shot with a smaller aperture while the last images look like you opened up. The blur in the latter shots help focus our attention on the subject.
If you are going to list multiple pics it helps to number them so that reviewers can easily direct their comments to the right photo.
With that in mind, here is what I think of each of the pics:
1) shoot vertically and crop tight. (you probably have enough resolution to re-crop most of these shots)
2) Please remember, I am using a pretty small laptop but the focus appears to be on the signs in the background.
3) you appear to be behind/on the wrong side of the play
4) good timing but you chopped the leg. This can look a lot better with a good tight crop
5) crop vertically
6) wrong side of the play
7) this is the one picture that I think would be better shot more loosely. Is the entire team stretching or are they watching something happening on the field?
8) crop vertically
9) same again
10) The overall image needs to be a bit to the right to show all of the 2 players talking
Remember I’m using a smallish laptop and have been living in a 100 square foot camper for 4 months so my view points may be skewed...
I think this is more than I usually type in 10 of my posts combined...
Don’t hesitate to put this stuff on the subject specific boards. There are some REALLY good shooters on the sports boards and most everyone there is pretty nice. You (at least I like to think I have) can learn a lot hanging out there.
As a general rule your timing was pretty good and most of the images were well focused.
And, unlike me, you are at least using your camera, Mark
thanks for spending the time on that, these were my first sports shots ever... with that in mind i'm using a 70-200, so can i rotate the lens in the collar to turn the lens vertical? (monopod)
if it is the 2.8 yes you can. Don't know off the top of my head if the 4.0 has a tripod collar or not. Just loosen the clamp enough to rotate but keep enough friction to mostly hold it in place. It has a few little ball bearings in there to rotate it on.
Looks like you guys have had an interesting week! The shots of training camp look great! I am SOO jealous....I would love to make it down there, but I am not sure it will happen this year.
Dave...I have not been to the Falls since I was a small child. You reminded me that I need to add it to the list of places to take my kids! Thanks for sharing. I am looking forward to meeting you at an upcoming outing.
We are getting settled in our new house and I finally have internet on my laptop (but not the desktops, yet). Ironically, we are only about 20 minutes from the house Mark just sold this week We have always wanted to live in the mountains, so with Chuck woking from home, now, we figured we better jump on the opportunity while we had it!
I finally took Mark's advice and switched my e-mail account to my domain, so my new e-mail is [email protected]. Now all I have to do is update my website!
We have always wanted to live in the mountains, so with Chuck woking from home, now, we figured we better jump on the opportunity while we had it!