First try at football photography
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KIPAX
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you seem to be getting furthur away with each pic? 
you have straight horizons.. you ahve the ball in the pic and you have fronts of players.. so your ticking points OK ..
PP you need to crop in a little..such as the 2nd crop portrait.. the rest have too much space around them.. crop right in or zoom in when shooting..
you have straight horizons.. you ahve the ball in the pic and you have fronts of players.. so your ticking points OK ..
PP you need to crop in a little..such as the 2nd crop portrait.. the rest have too much space around them.. crop right in or zoom in when shooting..
you seem to be getting furthur away with each pic?
Yeah I was trying to get the goal mouth action in on the last two...
Thanks, unfortunately ive not got a long zoom lens to use, most of these are already cropped.
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Good first attempt (I've yet to give it a proper go).
Next time I would take your 70-300mm down and hope there's enough light to use it at a decent speed. All your ages need a little more reach or better crop. Number three would be a great image if you had only the two central guys in frame (I zoomed in on my iPhone and it looks great).
I also think the last two would be better from the other side of the goal.
Good start though!
Next time I would take your 70-300mm down and hope there's enough light to use it at a decent speed. All your ages need a little more reach or better crop. Number three would be a great image if you had only the two central guys in frame (I zoomed in on my iPhone and it looks great).
I also think the last two would be better from the other side of the goal.
Good start though!
Thanks guys, ive got the Sigma AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO but really find it quite rubbish tbh. It was one of my vearly lens' that I bought think it was only just shy off £100.
The trouble I have is that it takes ages to focus and its bliming hard to to keep it steady and keep up with the ball at 300mm! I can hardly get the player and ball in frame at the same time
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As ever Kipax has it spot on crop tighter to really concentrate the eye on the action,technically they are sharp and have some decent action so you are only a good crop away from a really nice set
Photodiva
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Thanks guys, ive got the Sigma AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG APO but really find it quite rubbish tbh. It was one of my vearly lens' that I bought think it was only just shy off £100.
The trouble I have is that it takes ages to focus and its bliming hard to to keep it steady and keep up with the ball at 300mm! I can hardly get the player and ball in frame at the same time
The focus speed means you will have to work harder to follow the action, but I started with a Canon 70-300 IS and managed somehow. Keeping up with the ball comes with practice, when I look at my first shots, they weren't dissimilar to yours. Back then I didn't even really like football. Now I've learned to watch the action, it does get a bit easier - its never 'easy'!
Thanks! Yeah even tho ive now shot a couple of games I still think the first game photos where the best!
The focus speed means you will have to work harder to follow the action, but I started with a Canon 70-300 IS and managed somehow. Keeping up with the ball comes with practice, when I look at my first shots, they weren't dissimilar to yours. Back then I didn't even really like football. Now I've learned to watch the action, it does get a bit easier - its never 'easy'!
Yup, I get you. Thanks-like you say more practice. I think next time I will try the 70-300 on the 40d and 24-105 on a old 400d as changing lens' is a real pain especially when there is goal-mouth action! Just wish I could get the BG OFF aswell
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As has been said crop crop crop! The technical stuff is there but don't be afraid to brutally crop the picture in pp, trust me it happens all the time even when using big lenses.
With the goalmouth shot you say you kept wide to make sure you got everything. With a bit more experience you should gain the confidence to keep your zoom lens tighter when the action is going off in the penalty box.
Perfectly good set of pictures though
With the goalmouth shot you say you kept wide to make sure you got everything. With a bit more experience you should gain the confidence to keep your zoom lens tighter when the action is going off in the penalty box.
Perfectly good set of pictures though
Ah wicked, thanks for taking the time and offering advice. I didnt expect to hear that! I thought that the pro-toggers would hardly do anything. I REALLY would like to be able to get the background OFF, this is annoying me atm
Yeah ok, but I dont know if I should get the ball/player or keeper in frame...its tricky.
Oh yes! Hope its not too many! ive got plenty more. C&C would be great again thanks folks
The guy celebrating his goal in the second set is the best for me, nice moment to capture. I'd just crop the two guys you can see in the left hand side of the pic out as they distract. Otherwise I think you have a good'un there
Cheers teddyt72, yup thats my fav too. I felt leaving it as is added to the photo as you have the opponent unhappy at just conceding a goal. I need to work on what/where to crop some of the photos have got too much going on in them I reckon.
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This is a great set of pictures. Compare these goalmouth pictures with the ones above, they're cropped much tighter and look the better for it.
There are two things that affect how out of focus the background is. Only one is in your control. That's the aperture, if you shoot at f2.8 or 3.5 at the most then the background is knocked out as much as it can be.
The other one is how far away the background is! The trees that form your backdrop are far closer than the crowd at a proper stadium so if you're comparing your pictures with stuff from the professional league that is the difference.
There are two things that affect how out of focus the background is. Only one is in your control. That's the aperture, if you shoot at f2.8 or 3.5 at the most then the background is knocked out as much as it can be.
The other one is how far away the background is! The trees that form your backdrop are far closer than the crowd at a proper stadium so if you're comparing your pictures with stuff from the professional league that is the difference.
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The position where you are standing has meant so far that you don't need to choose between the two. Your only problem is that the net will cause an obstruction if a striker goes beyond the point it blocks your view. But hopefully you'll have the good sense to move
If you have to pick, you follow the striker, that's what you'd naturally be doing anyway. There's plenty of goals that happen nowhere near the goalmouth and so the pictures have no keeper in them.
Dan! Thanks for the comments, real happy you like them
Some look a bit too much sharpened I think looking again.Ok cool I get you. Shooting at f4 on pretty much all of the photos.
The position where you are standing has meant so far that you don't need to choose between the two. Your only problem is that the net will cause an obstruction if a striker goes beyond the point it blocks your view. But hopefully you'll have the good sense to move
If you have to pick, you follow the striker, that's what you'd naturally be doing anyway. There's plenty of goals that happen nowhere near the goalmouth and so the pictures have no keeper in them.
Yup, then the only other thing is to get the ball in shot aswell then! Which again isnt always easy. Thanks again, full set is here if your intrested
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoosh/sets/72157632134566778/
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If it's any consolation I had a goal picture with the ball out the frame published the other weekend, because the one with the ball was basically bang on the strike, rather than the ball in the air. But it's not something to aim for! I was using my slower fps camera is my excuse. Should have timed it better is the answer.
Do you have any examples of your work?
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I'll dig out some proper stuff tomorrow. I don't put a lot of footy pics online but my Flickr is here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34114096@N03/
As you'll see, I'm mostly about feature stuff despite commenting on sport here!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34114096@N03/
As you'll see, I'm mostly about feature stuff despite commenting on sport here!
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Sorry the pictures are uploaded to full size and I can't link them properly here. And also I don't want to take over your thread!
But if you click the link above I've put some utterly random examples up from this year (the EXIF says 2008 for some, but it is wrong)
But if you click the link above I've put some utterly random examples up from this year (the EXIF says 2008 for some, but it is wrong)
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Dan, just amazing footy photos.
LOVE this one! http://www.flickr.com/photos/34114096@N03/8232856156/in/photostream/
LOVE this one! http://www.flickr.com/photos/34114096@N03/8232856156/in/photostream/
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Its not a question of keeping up with the ball - you have to be ahead of it. Use your footie brain and anticipate where the ball is going to be. If you're always following the ball you will miss the best frames because they'll happen faster than you can capture it.
Try and get ahead and anticipate a pass one way or another. Listen to players calling for the ball. If its a set piece, pre focus on a chosen spot so you're ready to shoot. If its a goal kick, watch where the ball is due to drop and get your focus on those players challenging for the header and just fire when the ball comes down.
If you can see an event down your viewfinder then you probably missed the frame because your mirror is down.
And I wouldn't worry too much about gear. At the end of the day if you can hone your skills on less than ideal equipment, you'll be cruising if/when you step up to something better!
Try and get ahead and anticipate a pass one way or another. Listen to players calling for the ball. If its a set piece, pre focus on a chosen spot so you're ready to shoot. If its a goal kick, watch where the ball is due to drop and get your focus on those players challenging for the header and just fire when the ball comes down.
If you can see an event down your viewfinder then you probably missed the frame because your mirror is down.
And I wouldn't worry too much about gear. At the end of the day if you can hone your skills on less than ideal equipment, you'll be cruising if/when you step up to something better!
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Yeah ditto the above comment, watch the match and see where the game is being played most often.
Dont worry if the ball isnt coming near you ( it will eventually) so be ready.
If one team are dominating, follow that team second half and watch which players have the ball most often and , keep your right eye on them.
Following the ball is a no no, cause you will most likely miss the action.
Dont worry if the ball isnt coming near you ( it will eventually) so be ready.
If one team are dominating, follow that team second half and watch which players have the ball most often and , keep your right eye on them.
Following the ball is a no no, cause you will most likely miss the action.
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meatcandy89
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i would if i sat in a different position
i sit inbetween goal post and corner post, probably slightly closer to corner post. the only real reasons i'd change is for the sun or if the attacking teams left winger is garbage and they are always playing it down the right.
But i havnt done much football so i am merley the blind leading the blind (possibly down a dead end)!
i sit inbetween goal post and corner post, probably slightly closer to corner post. the only real reasons i'd change is for the sun or if the attacking teams left winger is garbage and they are always playing it down the right.
But i havnt done much football so i am merley the blind leading the blind (possibly down a dead end)!
i would if i sat in a different position
i sit inbetween goal post and corner post, probably slightly closer to corner post. the only real reasons i'd change is for the sun or if the attacking teams left winger is garbage and they are always playing it down the right.
But i havnt done much football so i am merley the blind leading the blind (possibly down a dead end)!
Good shout, will try that area next time. Also I need to get a seat, and get lower down.
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Sitting behind the goal is good for photographing the flanks, since players generally run up and down the pitch. Its also good for cele's as players will likely run to their fans when they score - so ideally right in front of you. Somewhere in between the goal and the corner is good. 400mm is best for this angle up the pitch but expect lots of action with a 200mm so requires more camera juggling skills.
For everything else the sideline is better. Try level with edge of the 6 yard box so you can frame up corners nicely and get a fair bit of goal action. Alternatively, the further up towards the middle of the pitch you go, the more of the field becomes open and is much more useful for general stock images (tackles, headers, players shouting etc). 300mm is best for this angle - I find the 400 a little too long from the side, but not impossible.
For everything else the sideline is better. Try level with edge of the 6 yard box so you can frame up corners nicely and get a fair bit of goal action. Alternatively, the further up towards the middle of the pitch you go, the more of the field becomes open and is much more useful for general stock images (tackles, headers, players shouting etc). 300mm is best for this angle - I find the 400 a little too long from the side, but not impossible.
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Absolutely true! And players warming up too...
Sadly at places like West Ham there isn't much choice in the matter...
Sadly at places like West Ham there isn't much choice in the matter...
KIPAX
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Nope.. There is a massive difference betwee park football and pro football for a photogrpaher.. park football the players are more likely to turn and run towards the center circle or the bench... there are no fans behind the goal... look at all the pics posted in the thread.. no fans..
I did the whole of a fa yoof cup game from near the dugouts wiht a 400.
http://www.kipax.com/gallery/index.php?album=MEDIA ONLY/2593
But thats on a FF
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