Do you shoot?

[Matt Stephens]

Only when I have to, and since they traded the broken "good" office camera for a point-n-shoot with no manual focus, I refuse to shoot sports.

As far as your pics above, they're all right to begin with, but one thing I learned when shooting and placing photos is this (don't ever forget it): "Real people doing real things."

Otherwise, shoot the "standing still" shots to have something to fall back on, but begin to challenge yourself. One thing I do/did, in shooting baseball or softball, for instance, is focus the camera on a base and then shoot like hell as a runner is moving to that base. Shooting the pitcher is another easy one, because they don't move from your frame much, so you can manual focus on the mound/circle (Please, DO NOT EVER CALL IT A MOUND IN SOFTBALL).

Football, volleyball and basketball? I leave those to the pros. Volleyball is doable, just focus the camera on the setter or server and hope for the best.

Football and basketball are fairly easy to shoot because you can follow the ball; you have to have the right camera and a good lens.
Volleyball I haven't figured out yet. Our lenses are too big and our cameras don't work well in our poorly lit gyms.
Is there a way to load photos from my computer in posts? Wanted to post some shots for the thread, but couldn't figure it out.

Just go to tinypic.com, upload, then paste the url over here.

As far as volleyball goes, being the SE of a university daily for two years that always has a Top 15 program with 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths (GO RAMS!), I can tell you this:

Ninety-nine out of 100 volleyball photos are either a block attempt at the net or a dig by the libero.

We didn't use the same photo twice during my two years as SE, but we might as well have gone to game one and ran the same shot all year. Nothing against our photogs, they were amazing, that's just how the sport works.

 

[ADodgen]

We had a running photography thread at one point, but it never got much response. As a photog, I'd love to be able to answer questions/offer critique, whatever.

 

[JamesCimburek]

8K circ, been shooting my own photos for most of my 15 years as sports editor, first because I didn't want to deal with the drama from the photogs, then because they repurposed the photog position to give me my first full-time ashistant. I have earned five state AP first-place finishes since 2000, so I think I'm doing OK.

If I'm shooting and writing the same game, my strategy depends on whether or not I'm working on a tight deadline. If I'm not, I'll shoot the whole game, or at least most of it. Otherwise it's shoot quick and set the camera aside so I can write my story and keep notes at the same time.

When I started shooting, I was shooting with a manual-focus film camera. I am now on my third digital, a Nikon D300S, and I love it. Still getting used to shooting video with it, though.

Here is our photo site http://spotted.yankton.net Feel free to hit me at @Aceman904 with questions.

 

[Shoeless Joe]

No.
That being said, is for action at an event that I'm covering. I write. I'm not a photographer.
But, I'm not a big enough ash that I can't/won't do some things. It seems like I shot some kind of grip and grin thing a couple of years ago just because it was easier for me to take my own personal camera and do it than try to set up a photo ashignment.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

ADodgen is a fine shooter and person. Take advantage of the offer for advice/input. Dangerously seal of approval.

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

Oh, and I really liked your ideas and suggestions, Rhody.

 

[Rhody31]

Oh, and I really liked your ideas and suggestions, Rhody.

Thanks.
This shot got me third place at the state awards; not bad considering I'd been shooting less than a year at that time.

 

[Stitch]

Oh, and I really liked your ideas and suggestions, Rhody.

Thanks.
This shot got me third place at the state awards; not bad considering I'd been shooting less than a year at that time.

That's better than some kid almost snotting and throwing up on me after a race.

 

[Rhody31]

Some more stuff, all with a Nikon D1H, no flash, with a 300 ml lens.
EDIT: The shot of the girls soccer game with the cool-looking sky was taken with a 15ml wide-angle we found at our offices. I started screwing around with it and fell in love with the thing. That night I looked up, saw the sky and said "hmm, that might be a cool backdrop."

 

[slappy4428]

I started shooting about a month or so ago... got a Canon t1i in November with a 18-55 and 55-250 zoom...
I've taken some good stuff, at least some people here who have seen my stuff on FB, have said so. But I wish my lenses were a little better. 18-55 is F3.5 at lowest and the 55-250 is 4.0, but 5.6 extended...
The sports editor was floored when he heard I started shooting and the copy desk was backing my work...

 

[HejiraHenry]

Upskirts only.

Ding!

 

[Rhody31]

I started shooting about a month or so ago... got a Canon t1i in November with a 18-55 and 55-250 zoom...
I've taken some good stuff, at least some people here who have seen my stuff on FB, have said so. But I wish my lenses were a little better. 18-55 is F3.5 at lowest and the 55-250 is 4.0, but 5.6 extended...
The sports editor was floored when he heard I started shooting and the copy desk was backing my work...

When our final staff photographer retired, we went through all our staff lenses.
We have 2 300 mls, 4 200 mls, 2 25 mls and a wide angle with the two D1H lenses. No staff photogs though.
The lenses make the difference. I barely have any idea what I'm doing, but I can take decent shots.
The biggest benefit is taking the camera and lenses home and shooting family events. My wife's aunt thinks she's a pro photog - she has a decent eye for sit-down shots - and got a new camera and was showing it off.
I whipped out my big lenses and immediately was asked to bring them for everything. The Easter shots I got were great. This one's my favorite - my sister-in-law giving my then 3-year old niece a peck on the cheek: