looking on the bright side - my son the keeper

[Frog Lady]

My son plays for a BU-15 soccer team. They've had a relatively rough season but did make it past the first elimination round of the league cup. But that meant that they would play a couple of teams in higher divisions for their season ending tournament. Not necessarily a good thing for the team (or the mom of a goal keeper). But I took the opportunity to try to capture some good shots of him in goal given that the play was definately on that end of the field the majority of the time.

They played fairly well the 1st game and only went down 1-3. The 2nd game didn't go down quite so easily, with one of our boys red carded very early in the game. Needless to say, you don't want to play a man down when you're the underdog :huh

So here's some of the balls that didn't get past him:

#1 - he likes to punch the ball when the box is crowded and looks like he almost got his opponent's head.
http://colleenbonney.smugmug.com/photos/408490070_crobT-L.jpg

#2 - he really uses his height to his advantage (he's 14 and 6'2"!)
http://colleenbonney.smugmug.com/photos/408487682_DnrSR-L.jpg

#3 - he had to face two penalty kicks today; here's a valient, but unsuccessful effort (a rocket shot to the corner)
http://colleenbonney.smugmug.com/photos/408490212_5kNNW-L.jpg

thanks for looking; c&c welcome and encouraged.

C.

[cadguru]

Nice captures.
Good angles, etc.
If anything, I think the last shot would work better as a horizontal shot rather than vertical.
what were you camera settings?

[Ann McRae]

Hi Colleen

Good shots - keepers (and keepers moms) are special. My younger son has the skills to play that position, but not the mindset!

I would crop your first and last shots as squares, I think.

ann

[SoccerShooter]

My daughter is a keeper and they are so hard to get. When they're in the action...there are so many bodies in the way! Second is my favorite. He clearly has it.

[Frog Lady]

Nice captures.
Good angles, etc.
If anything, I think the last shot would work better as a horizontal shot rather than vertical.
what were you camera settings?

thanks for the comment cadguru. I originally had the last shot in landscape but saw it in this orientation and thought it might work; but I think you're right in this case. I'll probably go back and change it, or maybe square it like Ann suggested.

I was using my 40D w/ the 70-200 set on AV to f/2.8. The sun couldn't make up it's mind, so I was going back and forth between sunny and cloudy WB. I was at ISO between 200-400 (depending on the cloud cover) and a SS of 1/3200 - 1/5000.

cheers,

C.

[Frog Lady]

Hi Colleen

Good shots - keepers (and keepers moms) are special. My younger son has the skills to play that position, but not the mindset!

I would crop your first and last shots as squares, I think.

ann

Thanks for dropping by Ann. I do think I'll go back and play with those shots and see if a different crop would enhance them. Now that his season is done, I only have one other one playing and his team only plays once per week end (but that league will be going on until mid Dec.), so I should be able to get more post-processing time in.

I know what you mean about the mindset. Some days he has it; others he don't. :dunno Given that, I'll be interested to see how long he sticks w/ this position.

C.

PS - tx for the advice on keepers gloves.

[Frog Lady]

My daughter is a keeper and they are so hard to get. When they're in the action...there are so many bodies in the way! Second is my favorite. He clearly has it.

thanks for stopping by SoccerShooter. I know what you mean about all those bodies in the way - don't they know I'm trying to get a picture of my kid :rofl

I like the 2nd as well, just wish a bit more of his face were visible.

C.