How can I take better photos?

To be blunt, theyre both very poor, first one you just simply missed the action which was probably a second or so earlier, second one, is it actually a football match or a sprint competition because without some form of reference, ie the BALL, no one would know, framing, cropping, horizons are all terrible, judging by the womans reaction far left the action seems to be far down field.
 
He might have been blunt, but Gary is right. Judging by these you just don't pan with the game well enough and don't react fast enough, only you can improve that.
 
They both look a little bot soft? Faster shutter required? AF tweak?

#1
not sure why the kid looks like he is tackling, well nothing...

#2
Ball is off to the left as has been commented, but if you aren't chasing the action on the ball, then the kid on the right would have been good as a portrait (full length just him and in focus).


Keep trying either go for the action (ie keep the ball (blurred or otherwise) in the pic) or emotion (players cheering on or making faces/actions of disappointment/dismay).

Under expose the pics a little and that may assist in the shutter speed. Use AF and you might need some sort of AF tracking (ai servo or continuous focus?). Possibly take in raw? If light is low/crap up the Iso to 400...

I haven't tried photos of footie, so I am thinking its quite difficult. Also perhaps get lower down shots?
 
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Work on some of the basics and you should see an improvement, from then on it's practise practise practise and more practise.

1 - Look at other footy/ball sport photo's (back pages of the papers, other threads on here) to see what you should be aiming for in terms of framing and composition.

2 - Aim to get lower down, a fisherman's stool is without a shadow of a doubt, one of my best purchases since buying sliced bread.

3 - Chose the correct mode (I found the error of my ways and have moved onto full manual mode). Since then my recent set seem to be a hell of a lot more sharper than previous sets. (Good weather helped I'll admit, the test is tonight when I go out to do an evening game), you should be aiming for as fast as shutter speed the light allows, can't put an exact figure on it, but I personally test at 1/640 and then move it up from there.

4 - Post production, although all the time we aim to keep the horizons level during initial shooting...sometimes this goes amiss. However when cropping/framing them in Photoshop (other programs are available) we can solve that easily. Wonky horizons are really a big no-no.

Also, keep posting pics and get feedback from members here.
 
Out of the 4 extras you put up only the last 2 are anywhere near in focus, as for image 4372 i cant seriously believe you yourself dont see that the focus is nowhere near, if you do then im afraid you need to go back to basics and learn how to use your camera on static objects before trying more challenging subjects like footballers in full flight.
 
I kind of new it was not in focus Gary, I'm just wondering why?
 
Gary Coyle said:
gaz, is that a cropped image or is that how it came out of the camera.
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The Exif says
AFArea Mode Single-point AF
AI Servo


So I'm guessing that you are thinking the same as me; ie that Centre Point was the chosen AF point and that the Linesman (TO for modernists) became the selected target.
 
DemiLion said:
The Exif says
AFArea Mode Single-point AF
AI Servo


So I'm guessing that you are thinking the same as me; ie that Centre Point was the chosen AF point and that the Linesman (TO for modernists) became the selected target.
Click to expand...

Great minds, it seems to me that the OP isnt tracking a particular subject but seems to be keeping the whole of the scene centred in the frame, begs the question if his AF point is illuminated or not
 
Don't bring up that red herring!

You must have had a Canon long enough to remember that AI Servo only illuminates on acquisition, not whilst tracking and in most cases it's barely bright enough to be seen out of doors. I'd bet that you are right about scene rather than target tracking though.


Gaz - can you confirm any of this, rather than us just guessing? :)
 
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Everything is ok. Just take few photo albums, take a closer look at them. Start learning composition, bigger zoom with bigger aperture and always seek the action which is most of the time near the ball ;) :naughty:
 
If youre not getting any AF point lit at anytime then your AF isnt locking on anything

can you answer the previous questions we posed
 
jambogaz said:
Explain ?:shrug:
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Always choose your focus point, the camera takes a guess at what it should focus on. Its not always right.

55-250IS isn't a bad budget lens, you can get some publishable motorsport shots from it, but its a case of practice practice practice...
 
andrewc said:
Always choose your focus point, the camera takes a guess at what it should focus on. Its not always right.
Click to expand...

We dealt with that a few posts back. It's Single Point AF.
 
If you're looking at it from a sports perspective, I would go for the 70-200mm f/2.8 (non-IS) rather than the f/4 IS.

The prices are comparable and you'll find the larger aperture more useful as it'll allow you to bump up the shutter speed so you're more likely to freeze the action, especially in darker conditions. The IS on the f/4 model will simply reduce the effects of camera-shake allowing you to hand-hold the lens for a slower shutter speed, but the longer duration simply means the players will move even further.

eg http://glasgow.gumtree.com/glasgow/00/72752200.html
 
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Just as Mark and i thought, youre not actually focussing on your intended subject but youre just centering your subjects in the frame and hitting the shutter, the focus is hitting whatever is in the centre iof the frame, you need to track your subject with the centre AF point

Lesson No1, put the camera away and dig out the manual and read it from front to back several times, you need at least a basic understanding of how your camera and its AF system, tracking and AF expansion/assist points works before you pick it up again.

Please for now dont get sidetracked into buying a new lens, theres absolutly nothing wrong with what youre using for the moment, whats at fault is you and your understanding and technique, a new lens will only make whats currently in focus a bit sharper and whats out of focus much softer due to the narrower depth of field and this will frustrate you even more.

Dont buy off Gumtree unless you want a good kicking and your cash pinching.

All this may seem pretty harsh Gaz but from your questioning regarding how to choose your AF point and other questions its blatantly obvious you need to go right back to basics, you obviously dont understand your equipment, how it works, how to use it or its capabilities.

I think you need to join a camera club and get some one on one tuition and READ THE MANUAL SEVERAL TIMES OVER.

We can talk you through some things but i woukld suggest that you would be better with one on one.
 
Back to basics......I'm too busy to read a manual:bang:
 
jambogaz said:
Back to basics......I'm too busy to read a manual:bang:
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Your TOO busy to read a manual so have no idea how a camera works and make basic mistakes, yet you expect people on here to spend loads of time and effort telling you what you cant be arsed to read in the manual :shake:
 
Easy Tigar.....I have read some of it . Nobody is forcing you, it's your choice, some people like to help others, I know I do when I can.
 
Gaz, youre not helping yourself though which by your most recent 2 comments is obvious, nobody can hold your hand, you need to put some effort in yourself and until you do im out of it.

Best of luck.
 
It's possible to diagnose errors online and to some extent offer broad advice about making the best out of any given situation; what it is not possible to do, however, is to learn for someone.

Without understanding the basics of your camera ( and selecting AF mode and focus points are very much in the basic category) you have very little chance of progressing past a very mediocre snapshot level of photography at best.

You need to RTFM before you go any further. With all the time that you've expended on here you could have read it at least three times. Read some of the basic photography guides in the tutorial section, go to the Canon online learning centre and watch some of the videos there and if still puzzled spend £20 on a Blue Crane DVD tutorial for your camera.

I spent two years taking pictures of other sports and things that moved quickly and unpredictably before I even attempted field sport (soccer, rugby, hockey etc). Even then the progression to ball sports was a sharp learning curve. You need to understand your equipment inside out and use it instinctively to come close to getting reasonable shots consistently.

Learn how the camera works and then practice continuously. Go down to your local park and take pictures of birds in flight, especially ducks. When you can regularly get in focus, well exposed shots of them you are getting close to basic sports photography; ie producing shots to order, not by haphazard luck.
 
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jambogaz said:
Back to basics......I'm too busy to read a manual:bang:
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I am new to photography and are still trying to learn. I have however read the manual (a lot of times :nuts:) and I really think you should do the same.

jambogaz said:
Demilion...my camera has a choice of...one shot, AI FOCUS or AI SERVO

What one should i use?
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I want to try and answer the question (more to try and test myself than anything else :geek:) So if one of the experts could maybe tell me if I'm right or should I go back through my notes again. :nuts: :rules:

ONE SHOT / AI FOCUS /AI SERVO refer to the AF Mode. And one would use:
ONE SHOT for Still objects
AI FOCUS for auto settings
AI SERVO for action photos

AF focus point is the ‘little red dots’ you see through the viewer. And it is best to have it set so that just the centre ‘dot’ lights up when you are taking a photo.
 
jambogaz said:
Demilion...my camera has a choice of...one shot, AI FOCUS or AI SERVO

What one should i use?
Click to expand...

servo will track the focus as your subject moves across the frame, and AI Focus will switch from one shot to servo, if your subject does start to move, at least i believe thats right :LOL:

EDIT: so servo would be best for your sports photography
 
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jambogaz said:
Easy Tigar.....I have read some of it . Nobody is forcing you, it's your choice, some people like to help others, I know I do when I can.
Click to expand...
Maybe you should save the time you're spening going out to games and posting on here to be reading up if you need more time? Perhaps then you'll be competent enough to deliver us some images that are at least good enough to give you more accurate and precise C+C. With this current material we're just having to tell you the basics and that'll never work over an internet forum. You can't run before you can walk, so stop trying.
 
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