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Intensity

TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
edited June 27, 2014 in Sports
I'm not a pro photographer, so I can go for interesting shots
instead of the type of shots that the parents want to buy.

Yesterday's game provided a couple showing the intensity
of the pitcher. Flawed shots, to be sure, since the focus
isn't real sharp in the first and the player behind the pitcher
distracts in the second, but keepers for an amatuer.

2014-04-05-081-XL.jpg

2014-04-05-051-XL.jpg
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/

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    johngjohng Registered Users Posts: 1,658 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2014
    Tony - nothing wrong with going for types of shots that interest you. There are some subtle things that can make these shots better and then some more difficult things. First thing is exposure - these are both over-exposed with hot spots on skin and washed-out colors. On the computer you can correct that to a large extent but it's something to pay attention to when you are behind the camera. Second - framing: Generally with a full body shot of a pitcher you want them slightly to the back of the frame so the MOTION has some room in the frame to move into. First shot is a bit too centered while second shot is too far back. In the second shot you can easily crop more to improve final framing.

    Now, if you really want to capture intensity - frame tighter. Intensity is in the face so that's what you want to frame in on. Instead of trying to capture the whole body - try to capture just the torso - you'll get more detail in the face which is what shows intensity. That's the part of this hobby where planning comes into play. Don't just take pictures of the player, plan the shot - depending on what you want to convey plan accordingly. If you want intensity then frame more tightly. Especially with pitchers you have ample opportunity to take the shots over and over so it's a lot easier to frame tighter than it would be for a fielding play. Spend the whole inning doing it until you get the one gem. Here's the type of final framing I'm talking about:
    i-6chZwKR-M.jpg

    Keep at it Tony. Most shooters are just hobbyists. But, the principles of planning a shot instead of reacting to what happens are even more important for hobby shooting because you can afford to be patient. Keep at it!
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    TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited April 8, 2014
    Thanks for the comments. It didn't help that both shots were taken in bright sunlight with the ISO set at 400, 1/125
    for one and 1/500th for the other and both at 5.8 The ISO was set the previous evening for some other shots, and
    I forget to check and change. Corrected a bit Lightroom, but largely uncorrectable on the skin tones.

    The top shot was framed to include my grandson on first. I shoot for the whole team to provide a disk at end-of-season
    for all players, but I do try include each of my two grandsons when I can. I also crop to a 6x4 for all shots for this disk
    so all parents can make prints of what they want. I don't provide prints, but I crop for the parent's benefit.

    I suppose, for this forum, I should re-crop to best advantage, but I haven't been. You're getting here what
    the parents get.

    Your comments are spot on and appreciated, though. I do absorb all comments.
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
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    jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2014
    TonyCooper wrote: »
    I'm not a pro photographer, so I can go for interesting shots
    instead of the type of shots that the parents want to buy.

    Funny you take a swipe at the pros and then post a couple of sportraits that would only be interesting to parents. Now your other thread with the play at the plate, that is an interesting shot.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
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    johngjohng Registered Users Posts: 1,658 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2014
    Funny you take a swipe at the pros and then post a couple of sportraits that would only be interesting to parents. Now your other thread with the play at the plate, that is an interesting shot.
    Jack - I think you might be taking offense when none was intended. I read Tony's post to say that, by not trying to sell photos he is free to take photos that are of interest to HIM, regardless of what sells.
    In my experience that is dead-on. When I shoot for enjoyment vs. sales, I am free to explore what I find interesting. I don't have to worry about coverage of the whole team - I can try different types of shots purely to benefit my own photographic interests. When I shoot for media I shoot a different way and when I shoot for print sales I shoot a different way. So, I don't take Tony's comment as a swipe at pros - he's right - when shooting for pay you're shooting to satisfy a client's demands.

    A perfect example - batters at the plate. It's a staple safety shot for paid print work. Nothing less interesting to me from a photography standpoint. It's like a free throw in basketball. BORING. But a necessary evil for sales. Now, you may feel differently and so might Tony. That's why I agree with Tony's post - when you're shooting for your own enjoyment only you get to decide what is interesting and what isn't.
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    jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2014
    "I can go for interesting shots instead of the type of shots that the parents want to buy" implies if you are shooting for sales that you cannot take interesting shots, or that you'll get fewer interesting shots. When I'm shooting for sales I'll take shots that interest me in addition to the safe, sellable shots. I probably won't publish them for sale unless I think they could sell, but I still take them for fun. Yeah, shooting for yourself is liberating in that you don't have to get a good shot of every player, but I don't think it means you'll get more interesting shots. Especially not in baseball anyway. Maybe in other sports like soccer or basketball where concentrating on one player or a subset of players will get more interesting shots of just those players.

    1D2_4751-XL.jpg
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
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    johngjohng Registered Users Posts: 1,658 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2014
    I think you need to grow a bit thicker skin Jack. Based upon your posts here, you are too easily offended. Lighten up a little bit and don't take everything so personal. Lots of people here are just like you - make some money on the side from photography. What we do isn't solving world peace. I am sincere when I say try to lighten up a bit. You'll be happier.
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    jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2014
    I wasn't offended, just that his post really seemed like sour grapes.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
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    TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2014
    I wasn't offended, just that his post really seemed like sour grapes.

    No sour grapes or a swipe intended.

    It seems to me that a pro has to come away with some pro-type shots
    that the type of parent who wants his kid to look like he's posing for a
    baseball card will buy, or the type of shots that you see in SI.

    I like to get those shots, but I can come away with shots that are far
    less professional, that show the kids awkwardly ducking a pitch, or
    swinging three feet below the pitch and still have a good series.

    I can come away with this shot and add it to the season disk, but
    I'm not sure a pro would go for the shot.

    2014-02-16-25c-XL.jpg

    (The cup-adjustment is being done by one of my grandsons)

    The team had a pizza party after the season opening exhibition game
    and I was asked to provide a slide show. I went to each kid in the dugout
    and asked them to make faces and act goofy. I included some regular shots,
    but the goofy shots were the best received.
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
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    TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2014
    I posted the above, and then went to a ballgame. (We won, 6-5,
    scoring two runs in the last at-bat) and got to thinking about this.

    My mistake was using the word "interesting". I did not mean that pro
    shots are not interesting; I meant that I can go for the more off-beat
    shots.

    I apologize for the word choice.
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
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    jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited April 10, 2014
    No need to apologize. I also need to do a better job of mentally changing gears when I come here from that bar brawl otherwise known as dpreview. Or maybe I should just stop reading that site.
    I like to get those shots, but I can come away with shots that are far
    less professional, that show the kids awkwardly ducking a pitch, or
    swinging three feet below the pitch and still have a good series.

    I get thousands of those shots and I'll enjoy viewing them and sharing them with a select audience. But generally I won't publish anything for sale that is unflattering or ego bursting.
    I can come away with this shot and add it to the season disk, but
    I'm not sure a pro would go for the shot.

    I'd be nervous to publish or display that cup adjustment photo, whether shooting professionally or not! People are crazy.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
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    puzzledpaulpuzzledpaul Registered Users Posts: 1,621 Major grins
    edited April 10, 2014
    Some sort of serendipity going on here, as Tony was the sole respondent ? :)

    pp

    http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=226477&highlight=cricket
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    JoeLJoeL Registered Users Posts: 158 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2014
    "Yesterday's game provided a couple showing the intensity
    of the pitcher. Flawed shots, to be sure, since the focus
    isn't real sharp in the first and the player behind the pitcher
    distracts in the second, but keepers for an amateur."

    I agree with your assessment and there's no doubt they are true refrigerator snap shots.

    Question: Are you working toward a setup that will get you the type images you are shooting for?

    Any image is a great image if the person taking it is happy with it. If you ask for critique on snap shots watch out, some photogs can be brutal..lol

    Happy shooting,

    Joe
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    TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2014
    JoeL wrote: »
    "Yesterday's game provided a couple showing the intensity
    of the pitcher. Flawed shots, to be sure, since the focus
    isn't real sharp in the first and the player behind the pitcher
    distracts in the second, but keepers for an amateur."

    I agree with your assessment and there's no doubt they are true refrigerator snap shots.

    Question: Are you working toward a setup that will get you the type images you are shooting for?

    No, I have no plans to add any lenses or other kit specifically for sports
    shooting. This is just one area of my photographic interests. When baseball
    season is over, I don't know what sport the grandsons will take up next. Pop
    Warner football for sure, but maybe something between the two.
    If you ask for critique on snap shots watch out, some photogs can be brutal..lol

    One doesn't have to ask here. It comes, and that is both expected and OK with me.

    I kinda misunderstood the nature of the group. It's "Sports Photographers" more
    than "Photographs of Sports".
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
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    jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2014
    TonyCooper wrote: »
    No, I have no plans to add any lenses or other kit specifically for sports
    shooting.

    Sigh.

    Also, "quote" starts a quote and "/quote" closes the quote. In square braces, of course.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
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    JoeLJoeL Registered Users Posts: 158 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2014
    I think some forget its a forum to post pics and learn as you go. Some seem to get caught up in the "I know more or mine are better" mindset.

    There are forums and websites strictly for sports and sports professionals but I have always felt this was a great Launchpad/starting point for those wanting to improve and learn without being talked down too..
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    BountyphotographerBountyphotographer Registered Users Posts: 413 Major grins
    edited June 27, 2014
    baseball
    Hey Joel,

    Ive noticed that you are a sportshooter member.
    I recently decided to join but was told that I need a sponsors??? I contacted someone that I barely knew on sportshooter but he asked me to show him 10 pictures before he agreed to sponsor meheadscratch.gifscratch
    Also I wanted to know if you have shot baseball and what equipment is needed?
    I shoot for a local paper thevistapress.com and for myslef bountyphotographie.com both on the week-end and after work :}}}
    I shoot little league baseball with Canon 7 D and 70-200 2.8 Canon lens .
    i would like to shoot a pro team like the Padres (San Diego) but before I do Im wondering if I must rent a bigger lens like 600 mm or my 70-200 will do?


    Thanks

    Bounty
    JoeL wrote: »
    I think some forget its a forum to post pics and learn as you go. Some seem to get caught up in the "I know more or mine are better" mindset.

    There are forums and websites strictly for sports and sports professionals but I have always felt this was a great Launchpad/starting point for those wanting to improve and learn without being talked down too..
    :photo
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