Spring Soccer

[dmckinny]

This was my first time back on the field after a LONG winter. I'm still new to this (less than a year) but I am looking for feedback. I think I have the basics down reasonably well, so I am particularly interested in things like composition, cropping etc. However, any and all comments are appreciated. All shots taken with a 30D, 70-200 f4 L, the rest of the details are with each shot.


1) Manual, ISO 100, AV f/4, TV 1/1600, cropped and resized for the web.






http://lh4.ggpht.com/_mr7kL5uANCo/SdgpFIcn_wI/AAAAAAAAAUs/2iJKVU6DxFo/2009%2004%2003_1771_4w.jpg


2) AV mode (I think), ISO 200, AV f/4, tv 1/2000, cropped and resized.






http://lh4.ggpht.com/_mr7kL5uANCo/SdgpLEODotI/AAAAAAAAAWA/K5ImOgOmYLw/2009%2004%2004_1818_4w.jpg


Thanks,


David McKinny

[Rodger]

Nice shots! I'm also under a year of expiriance with a DSLR so my opinions are deffinatly not what to go by haha. But I would just say with composition watch out for the subject being in the middle. Just a casual viewer, I'm by no means an expirienced sports photographer.


Do you like the 70-200 f4 L lens? Is it fast enough for soccer games on a cloudy day? I'm shooting my school's team this year and have one of the 70-200s on my "to buy" list . I just need to decide what one.

[dmckinny]

Roger,


Thanks for the comments, your right I need to be more careful cropping.


I've used my lens in bright sun, cloudy days, fog and indoors occasionally. What I have found is that on heavily overcast days, or close to sunrise or sunset, it can be a little challenging to get a fast shutter speed. I have shot some outdoor soccer early morning, on a cloudy day and I had to push the ISO to 800 or 1600. Which one to get is a very hard choice unless you are flush with money. If you are going to be more than a hobbiest, I would prioritize like this, apeture first, IS second. Last time I looked the f4 IS and the f2.8 non IS were very close in price. If that was my price range I would get the 2.8 non-IS, given the shooting priority is soccer.


However, if cost is a major issue, as it was for me, you can get away with the f4 non-IS, just know that there are limitations.


David McKinny

[Dallasphotog]

I love shooting soccer. Catching the players in the air, especially keepers, makes for a fun afternoon or evening. Plus, you can capture emotion. Football players are so hidden in equipment that you loose the emotional connection to the subjects.


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1DMKII, EF400 F/2.8L IS USM, Av, F/4.0, ISO-100, 1/1600