GAA match (few pics)

Morrisseeee

My first sports adventure.....
I took my (humble) camera and an old 100-300mm lens to a GAA game last weekend. As you can imagine it was tough to get 'good' sports photos, ie. ISO 200/400 and a 'manual focus' lens (@ f5.6). I didn't have much hope for any keepers but (while they couldn't match the quality of a top class camera, say shooting 8 frames per sec, and a 300mm or 400mm f2.8 lens) they're not 'too' bad ! :eek::rolleyes: Also note, I didn't shoot frames per second, I just tried to capture the action as it happened with one shot !
Your thoughts......

Jump....



Jump 2....



A blind catch........



All eyes on the ball.....



Riverdance....



Handbags.....

KarmaGarda

Some really nice captures there M (that's your new name )

- Jump: Good capture, but it's unfortunately focused on the front 2 as opposed to the action. Draws the eye a bit

- Jump 2: Not bad, but not doing an awful lot for me. Although, it does signify a lot of catch attempts in GAA and what really happens!

- A blind catch: Now this photo is excellent. Both the blind catch, and yer mans expression on the ground. Really well caught.

- All eyes on the ball: It's too far away. I want to be in the action, and feel like I'm in the ruck with the lads. But looks like this was a lens reach issue as opposed to composition!

- Riverdance: Doesn't do much for me I'm afraid

- Handbags: Well caught, a lot of expressions going on if you look closely at the photo. I really really want to see their feet though!

All round it's an excellent effort considering it was a 1 shot effort for most of it!. A blind catch would be a keeper. Very good capture.

Paulw

Morrisseeee wrote: »

My first sports adventure.....
I took my (humble) camera and an old 100-300mm lens to a GAA game last weekend. As you can imagine it was tough to get 'good' sports photos, ie. ISO 200/400 and a 'manual focus' lens (@ f5.6). I didn't have much hope for any keepers but (while they couldn't match the quality of a top class camera, say shooting 8 frames per sec, and a 300mm or 400mm f2.8 lens) they're not 'too' bad ! :eek::rolleyes: Also note, I didn't shoot frames per second, I just tried to capture the action as it happened with one shot !
Your thoughts......

And everyone says that sports photography is easy. :rolleyes:

So, a few assumptions - you were shooting from the stands?

Not a bad attempt.

Personally, I like #1 the best. The last 2 images don't do much for me at all though.

Now, just a matter of some more practice.

Morrisseeee

Thanks lads.

you were shooting from the stands?

yep, forgot to mention that. I was gonna go out onto the pitch, but I was enjoying the 'craic' in the stand. I did see a sports phototog on the pitch, (probably Des Barry >Irish Examiner) and he had a bazooka of a lens :eek:

Now, just a matter of some more practice

....yeah, but maybe with a Oly E3 and a 300mm lens

The experience was worth it though, although I'd much prefer an auto focus lens. On that note do ye sports phototog's get many out of focus (at the critical point) shots ?

Paulw

Morrisseeee wrote: »

On that note do ye sports phototog's get many out of focus (at the critical point) shots ?

The poorer the light, the more OOF images I get. This tends to be because the AF system has a harder time finding a focus lock.

But, in general, I'd find a very low rate of OOF images at a game, unless someone runs across the plane of focus during the action and throws the focus out.

the_tractor

Good shots, hard to do, especially in less than ideal light.

Paulw

the_tractor wrote: »

Good shots, hard to do, especially in less than ideal light.

That light is brilliant, especially compared to what I'm used to shooting under. Tolka Park the other night ... well .. an experience.