Critique School Sports Day

[Tom Farrow]

Just before summer, I photographed my school's sports day with the 700D. I had no idea what I was doing, first time I'd used a Canon DSLR

I was fumbling in my flickr stream today and found this. Not a bad shot for a first attempt, I think. I remember taking it now, and exactly how much running I did to catch the start of the race (I was on the other side from the previous)

Thoughts?

It's nothing exactly special, I just think it captures the moment well

 

[Ady N]

Maybe better posted in the beginners section re what you have stated in regard to 1st time use of DSLR?

As a sports image, the primary point of focus is slightly out of focus, the feet are cropped, the image is on a drastic angle and there is something coming straight through the main subjects head.

To the photos credit, the exposure is good and colour balance seems OK.

For runners, try and ensure a minimum shutter speed of 1/400th (if not panning) and use single point focus aimed on the face so that if the shutter speed necessitates f/2.8, the face will be in focus which makes the difference between a keeper and one for the bin (auto ISO is your friend). It seems that you used a low vantage point for this which is good - don't take from a standing position.

 

[Tom Farrow]

Maybe better posted in the beginners section re what you have stated in regard to 1st time use of DSLR?

As a sports image, the primary point of focus is slightly out of focus, the feet are cropped, the image is on a drastic angle and there is something coming straight through the main subjects head.

To the photos credit, the exposure is good and colour balance seems OK.

For runners, try and ensure a minimum shutter speed of 1/400th (if not panning) and use single point focus aimed on the face so that if the shutter speed necessitates f/2.8, the face will be in focus which makes the difference between a keeper and one for the bin (auto ISO is your friend). It seems that you used a low vantage point for this which is good - don't take from a standing position.

All very good points

Not sure, if it's common practice on this forum, it is on some forums, but I've flagged my post to request that the category is changed.

I suspect this was taken with AF set to auto point selection, a mistake I made on numerous occasions.

It was actually 1/800

Single point focus is what I'm using now, if not manual focus (I do a lot of still subjects, including portraits)

Thanks for the feedback on the low vantage point, I thought that I was doing something right there. I'll keep that up in future - suspected that was a good point

 

[kelack]

It's sport so the staff have decided to leave it in sport. The sharing section is for all levels and if you want critique, it's better in the sports sharing

 

[Tom Farrow]

It's sport so the staff have decided to leave it in sport. The sharing section is for all levels and if you want critique, it's better in the sports sharing

great. Thanks for clearing that up

 

[Ulfric M Douglas]

I think the moment is great : good postures, expressions.
I would only suggest (carefully. cheatily) sharpening up parts of the primary subject, make it look crisper, especially the face and hair.

 

[Tom Farrow]

I think the moment is great : good postures, expressions.
I would only suggest (carefully. cheatily) sharpening up parts of the primary subject, make it look crisper, especially the face and hair.

Thanks,

Indeed, the image could be much sharper. I might try sharpening in post a little later on today, but I doubt it'll work very well since this is a focus problem. My own fault for not R(ing)TFM. I was manually focusing, not realising how to enable continuous AF, nor how to set a point. I've learned since