Sports Photography Critique

[bludeman]

Just some quick background, while I was interning for a lacrosse team down in Maryland this summer I was asked to take pictures during games so that companies who sponsored the team could see their ads were up during games. They tossed me a Rebel T2i and a kit lens. I knew very little (had a photography class but it was more about processing that actually photographing) and was just doing what I could with what I had. However, I fell in love with sports photography and have continued while at school (school paper and working with the athletics department). I managed to find a good deal on a Rebel T5 so I used that for part of the fall and also borrowed a Nikon D300s from a friend. I was hoping to get some feed back on some of the images I have taken.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/134064...h/21053227341/

Thanks,
Ben

[Joel Eade]

You captured some nice action, the images are composed nicely and they look pretty sharp but, to my eye, they all looked a little under exposed.

[bludeman]

You captured some nice action, the images are composed nicely and they look pretty sharp but, to my eye, they all looked a little under exposed.

I appreciate the feedback! With the indoor shots (basketball and the lacrosse shot with motion blur) that was partially due to constraints with camera/lens. But I will keep that in mind moving forward with indoor and outdoor! Thanks

[HDNitehawk]

I agree with Joel. Sharp and well composed.

To Joel's comment I think some look underexposed because your subject that you focus on is wearing dark colors and shaded. If you shoot in RAW and use Light Room you could adjust the shadows and I think it might help. I don't think the background would have been blown out either if you would have compensated.

[jamsus]

I agree with other comments, the shoots are good and there is a good base idea (capture the right moment, not random moments). If you keep up with your passion, maybe you will need something more than the 70-300 (for a better blurred background)

[erno james]

Many of us hobbyists upgraded to DSLRs to get the best shots possible of our kids' activities. In your case, the teams' you follow. I've been shooting kids' sporting events and will simplify what has been working for me.

1. Aperture Priority, AI Servo mode, speed burst settings (most images you can get per second). shoot in JPEG instead of RAW.
2. shoot wide open (lowest f-stop your lens will go). if close to the action, worthwhile to pick up the Canon 50mm f/1.8, or f/1/4.
3. crank up your ISO to whatever it takes to get a shutter speed of 1/1000 of a sec.
4. shoot tight
5. crop tighter
6. lean on the shutter button for peak action (in cheer, when somebody jumps for example), take at least 10 shots. you MAY get one keeper. don't be discouraged if focus was missed or you get 0/10 keepers.
7. i dont use flash as this can interfere with the atheletes and performers.
8. shoot lots and shoot often. during a volleyball tourney or kid's soccer game, taking 500+ action shots is fairly common