Girls Soccer - Overcast Day

hi Madigg -

1st off, congrats on the new camera (whatcha get? ). And it looks like you've got good subjects to shoot with it.

If I may make some suggestions though... most sports shots tell a more compelling story if you can see the face(s). Your first shot had some decent action, but you've got mostly the back of the girl in red and #6 is mostly covering up the main green player. I personally would have tossed that shot. Likewise, the shot of the keeper - her face is almost obscured in shadow and you have the backs of all the other players.

Another rule of thumb is to shoot tight and crop tighter. This would particularly help your 3rd and 4th shots. One of the ways you can do this is to shoot in portrait mode (turn your camera 90 degrees). In your 2nd picture, that would have allowed you a little more room at the upper hand and feet while leaving out the player on the left (who isn't really part of the shot anyway) and would have turned this into a shot that really works.

again, have fun w/ your new toy and we'll be looking for some more.

C.

Kind Of Like This Only You Can't See Their Faces Just The Action

We need faces and tighter crops.

You need to shoot at wider aperture to try and blur some of your distracting backgrounds.

Keep on trying and posting.

I had a heck of a time getting the hang of shooting sports. I started with soccer and in one year shot football, basketball and cheerleading. I am back to soccer now, with a lot more expereince and looking forward to the season. As was said before use a wide aperature, shot close and crop closer. I mix between portrait and landscape.

Having said that I am shooting the first matches this weekend. Our kids are on U5 and U7 teams, but what a blast to watch and shoot.

Here are a few from practice:
1. - (This guy (step-son) is a natural but I'm not biased or anything. )


2. I ahve lots of good faces fromthis player with the long hair. She is a good player and the camera likes to capture her, and no she is not a part of my family but has been my step-sons team two years running now.


3. The hair helps this shot, gives it a little more motion.


These could be a bit brighter, I was losing my light on an unlight practice field. Still no excuse, I could have fixed it on camera or in post. One thing I did last season and I still do is shoot the practices. It helps to learn the players styles and it allows them to get used to having the camera around. Plus I get lots of chances to learn where I could have done better...before game day.

Keep clicking!

PhotoJ

To the OP,
just echoing what others have said.
Specifically:
1. No faces, shutter speed was too slow (motion blur) and distracting background. The shutter speed and background may be a limitation of your gear. It can be hard to get high enough shutter speeds and shallow DOF with a digicam or even a DSLR with consumer grade glass. But the faces you can definitely work on no matter what camera / lens.

2. Nice action and from the front which is good. Nice crop - tight on the action. But, not very sharp. Has the look of a photo that was heavily cropped.

3. Timing. Nothing really going on in the shot. Timing is very important - a 1/2 second later would have been better action.

4. Again, not much interesting. There are a lot of players in the frame - too many. And the action is over. With #10 where she is, it would be tough to have gotten a usable photo out of this even if the framing had been tighter.

My point here is not to be mean spirited. I wouldn't take the time to critique each photo if I wasn't interested in helping.

The important thing is to keep practicing and keep posting and keep incorporating feedback into your shooting. And you will get better - no doubt about it. Soccer, especially can be a very challenging sport to shoot - especially without some very expensive long lenses with wide apertures. So keep at it!

Thanks