Sports from fall 2007
Here are a few of my favorite sports shots that I took this year. I shot somewhere in the area of 6000 pictures of youth football and cheerleaders. This was across three age divisions both cheer and football in each division. That was also only 2/3rds (or half) of the games. I didn't get the youngest players but a few times and I missed one game totally (all three divisions). I also shot about 2000+ pictures of soccer. That puts about 1000 pictures a weekend. Yes, it was that much fun!
I have the soccer shots archived, so I will have to dig them out for another post. For now, here are the football. Cheer too will come on a later post.
I also have a few wedding shots for later in the week.
When you're shooting sports, it's very important to get several items in the frame to make a great image.
First, it has to be in focus.
Second, you need a face. Great expressions don't just add "face value" it can make or break an image.
If you have a face, you need eyes too. Just a pretty smile doesn't always make the cut.
With all the above, it's important to have a ball in the shot.
While shooting defensive players in a defensive play you sometimes don't have a ball, but w/o a ball the photo lacks that action feel unless you get the great expression.
Lets not forget the background. Youth sports fields often have parking lots and other facilities nearby. Pro fields have big walls, colorful advertising and similar colored fans. There is a difference.
Take all the above and mix it up in fractions of a second and you will have a memorable action shot.
One of the hardest things to do for a sports photographer is to know who will have the ball and any point in the play. So you learn to follow the ball in the viewfinder. As players run in and out of other players, the camera will often lose focus and lock on to other players, or referees. Every sports photographer wants to get results as if they will end up on Sports Illustrated. The problem with that type of photography is that you end up shooting only a fraction of the players. It's very important to shoot every player, all the time.
I do this by keeping a player roster with me. As I shoot a play, I check off the player that was involved in that particular play. Then I concentrate on another player the next play. Or I shoot the same player all four plays and move to another. All the while, I have to be paying attention to other action on the field so I can capture that long throw, or interception when it happens.
Some of these shots are technically inferior, but I liked them. They are not all in my portfolio, but I wanted to share some of them to illustrate certain points above. One thing that just cannot be substituted is equipment. I have some lenses that just do not perform properly so I have to adjust some things to make due.
This player broke his leg in the third game of the season. Luckily, I had several shots of him.
This is a great example of cluttered backgrounds, no face, no eyes and no number. The only thing that lets this be an acceptable image is the action and the ball.
This shot has action, face, eyes, ball. But is too has a distracting background. But I like the look of this shot.
This one has great facial expressions, nice action and of course the number, and ball.
This one too has good action, face, number and ball. The background is nearly perfect to boot.
This one is ALL about the face.
My personal favorite of the whole year. The defender is horizontal to the ground. There are technical issues, but I overlook them....LOL
While this looks to be a near perfect image, it has it's issues. But being able to see the receivers eyes between her fingers as she is about to catch the ball makes it a great capture.
Very possibly my second fav of the year. Three of our boys are staring down the other player. I see a poster in this shot.
I have the soccer shots archived, so I will have to dig them out for another post. For now, here are the football. Cheer too will come on a later post.
I also have a few wedding shots for later in the week.
When you're shooting sports, it's very important to get several items in the frame to make a great image.
First, it has to be in focus.
Second, you need a face. Great expressions don't just add "face value" it can make or break an image.
If you have a face, you need eyes too. Just a pretty smile doesn't always make the cut.
With all the above, it's important to have a ball in the shot.
While shooting defensive players in a defensive play you sometimes don't have a ball, but w/o a ball the photo lacks that action feel unless you get the great expression.
Lets not forget the background. Youth sports fields often have parking lots and other facilities nearby. Pro fields have big walls, colorful advertising and similar colored fans. There is a difference.
Take all the above and mix it up in fractions of a second and you will have a memorable action shot.
One of the hardest things to do for a sports photographer is to know who will have the ball and any point in the play. So you learn to follow the ball in the viewfinder. As players run in and out of other players, the camera will often lose focus and lock on to other players, or referees. Every sports photographer wants to get results as if they will end up on Sports Illustrated. The problem with that type of photography is that you end up shooting only a fraction of the players. It's very important to shoot every player, all the time.
I do this by keeping a player roster with me. As I shoot a play, I check off the player that was involved in that particular play. Then I concentrate on another player the next play. Or I shoot the same player all four plays and move to another. All the while, I have to be paying attention to other action on the field so I can capture that long throw, or interception when it happens.
Some of these shots are technically inferior, but I liked them. They are not all in my portfolio, but I wanted to share some of them to illustrate certain points above. One thing that just cannot be substituted is equipment. I have some lenses that just do not perform properly so I have to adjust some things to make due.
This player broke his leg in the third game of the season. Luckily, I had several shots of him.
This is a great example of cluttered backgrounds, no face, no eyes and no number. The only thing that lets this be an acceptable image is the action and the ball.
This shot has action, face, eyes, ball. But is too has a distracting background. But I like the look of this shot.
This one has great facial expressions, nice action and of course the number, and ball.
This one too has good action, face, number and ball. The background is nearly perfect to boot.
This one is ALL about the face.
My personal favorite of the whole year. The defender is horizontal to the ground. There are technical issues, but I overlook them....LOL
While this looks to be a near perfect image, it has it's issues. But being able to see the receivers eyes between her fingers as she is about to catch the ball makes it a great capture.
Very possibly my second fav of the year. Three of our boys are staring down the other player. I see a poster in this shot.
Labels: sports
posted by Brent Rust at
9:50 PM
<< Home