Challenge (movement) candidates

[rutt]

Posting here so I can subscribe without getting a deluge of notices.

After shooting so much LL baseball this spring, I'm all primed with technique and equipment. Naturally, last night's game wasn't the most exciting and I didn't really "have my good stuff". Still there are some interesting shots. All can use a little or a lot of "post" work, but there is plenty of time for that if the image is right.

Anyway, please critique, but don't help too much with post processing suggestions; I'm sort of saving that fun for myself. I'd especially appreciate input on 3,6, and 7 which are all sort of stretches of my photographic vocabularly (looking at too much Cartier-Bresson, or worse yet, reading his essay in TDM.)

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/5247881-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/5247914-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/5248064-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/5248072-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/5248202-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/5248254-L.jpg

http://rutt.smugmug.com/photos/5248258-L.jpg

[Wolf]

I love #3 and #6, and yeah #7 rocks too!! This is a really good subject for you!! Just my opinion for whatever its worth! Nice job on all!

[ian408]

5 & 7 are both good shots. 5 because of the determined look in the
pitchers eyes and the motion in his hand. 7's composition is nice. Again,
the runner looks determined.

Both have a nice level of intensity to them.

ian

[ginger_55]

Rutt, I honestly like the first one best. I dragged my husband in here, he is the one who does sports photography. He said on the first one that it needed more to the viewers right, and it might. But I can guarantee you that if you crop it right, it will be just fine. Might work with the rest, too. But I can only guarantee the first one. Crop off the top, I am not looking at it, but crop off the distracting part of the top, then use your clone tool to fill in the distracting light area in the background. The top would be dark, and the bottom would simulate grass (I am just talking about the light area on the background which needs to go). The kid would be cropped a bit to the left in the photo, that gives the illusion that there is more space on the right, leave all of the right side in, but not the top and bottom. End the photo at the bottom just where the grass starts, maybe show a smidgen, just a smidge, of grass to set the bottom.
That would really help. Just a suggestion from another humble photographer, lol. And on boats, I just remembered those boat things, like motorcycles, and speed boats, they move, a lot, and make spray........... and they go on and on for all sorts of different photo approaches as everyone in the family, and friends, wants to give the darn things a spin. Personally, I would, and might, just use a long lens on one, tomorrow, if it is at the inlet.
ginger

[rutt]

Ginger, thanks for the cropping and cloning suggestions. I knew I was going to do something like that, but your husband's suggestions are more advanced than what I had in mind. Thanks again.