Sept/Oct photo assignment

The first assignment will be a sports related action shot.

Only submit one (solid) photo and it must be taken between now 9-16 and 10-16 and shot by you.

Please don't post any photos other than your one entry.

(Post photos only please!)

Have fun,

Walt

http://www.pbase.com/eubanks01/image/86477322

OK- first some context: The sport is cliff jumping. The cliff in this case is about 26 feet high. The jumper is a well known wakeboarder on this site. She climbed up jagged rocks in bare feet to reach the jump site. Here's the photo:

cow-c in guthrie oklahoma

Here's my contribution...such as it is.

I wonder why they didn't make the tackle?

indy glide

1/250
f/8
ISO 100
On camera flash plus one slave flash.

not the best pic, not the best lighting, not the best conditions....eh, whatever!

f/5
1/350
iso 100

f3.5
1/250
ISO800

Sb800 camera Left,
Vivitar 285 HV Caemra right,
Vivitar 285 HV lighting the tree.

I really wanted to join in on this contest but was too busy at work to go out and shoot sports. I hope rappelling is considered a sport.

f/3.5 @40 mm
1/800
ISO 200



patch and nameplate intentionally blurred.

f5
1/1600
ISO 200

Does the photo have to be posted by the end of the day?

Bug,
Post by Midnight and your good.

HERE IS ONE FROM OUR WAKESURFING TRIP LAST WEEK

Here's my submission.
An unexpected refusal at a jump made for an interesting shot. I have a ton of jumping pictures but very few good ones of horses stopping.

Steven Hahn has agreed to be the judge on this one and you probably all have seen his work in the wake mags.

Thanks for your time Steven. http://www.wakeshots.com/index.asp

If you guys would like to critique or comment on your own shots please do so now and thanks for submitting your photos.

Here's a self crit on my shot.

I like the lighting and the sense of motion with the blur on the rims.

I don't like that you can't tell where he's jumping from and I cut off some of the landing ramp. By not getting the take off and landing areas in the shot I failed to capture the whole scene/story.

The shot is also centered and the trick could be a lot more interesting.

I could list a million things wrong with my technique and the photo. Instead, I will just point out that the Little Man needs to quit spinning the stick, never know when you are going to end up with it turned the wrong way and the red sea parting for an opponent....

f/11
1/800
ISO 200

Something different for me.

Self critique:

I don't like that mine was shot from the boat. The angle isn't very interesting.

I need more of the wake in the frame to give better perspective.

I am happy with the exposure/color (at least on my uncalibrated laptop screen) and I think the side light gives good depth and contrast.

A.P., I think you asked me what lens I used. You must've gotten yelled at by Walt. I think it's safe now.

I don't use the kit lens much. I took that picture with a 55-200mm zoom.

(Message edited by swass on October 17, 2007)

As long as we are all open to critiquing each other so we can learn.

Jed-
I agree, the color and exposure is spot on. The composition is good too but for me the problem is her face. I only see half of it and she is in the shade. Without the facial expression it seems to be missing a certain something.

Like EJ's photo - the kid looks scared. Ryan's the wakeboarder is looking right at the camera and smiling. My eye goes right to the face and the photo works. With yours my eye goes to the face, but it is slightly blurry and like I said, she is in the shadow. So my eye wanders to the feet and the board. Which is crisp and clear, but am I suppose to look at that?

Waiting until she was completely upside down would really make the shot. Give the viewer that something is wrong (upside down) but at the same time realize she is doing something unique.

Let it be known, I can critic photos better then I can take them. I shoot manual and adjust all the settings and constantly look at histograms and my wife puts the camera on auto and her photos are better then mine.

Here are the ones I picked:

First Place was Joe Umali's surf shot. The color of the water looked awesome, the rider is definitely shredding and it's a clean crisp shot.

Ryan Taylor's rail shot comes in second. I liked the lighting on the tree behind him as well as the strobe on the subject. Well thought out.

Walt's shot comes in third, Although he could have used a brighter strobe instead of an on camera flash. It would have lite the subject up a bit more.

Here are some other comments:

Eubanks edge catcher shot was a good looking shot but made me cringe because I hate eating it like that.

The cliff jumping shot was cool but there was a lack of perspective because you couldn't see the water where she lands. Must have been a pretty high jump.

The Cable shot was just out of focus.

I really like Swass's football action shot, especially the look on the kids face trying to tackle him.

Billy's Silhouette indy glide is cool but a bit dark.

Jed's tow boat shot was clean but he caught her a little late coming out of her rotation.

The wakesurf shot was cool but the lighting just was horrible. Can't control mother nature.

Lizrds shot was clean I liked the fact that the horse looks like he's almost in the air. I also liked the composition of the other jumps framed around the subject.

EJ's shot was priceless. I don't know a lot about lacrosse but the look on the goalies face tells it all. The shot could have been framed a little wider to give it a bit more perspective.

Ant bugs silhouette shot was cool too. You could have photoshopped it a bit to bring down the glare.

Just my $.02

Being that the contest is closed, yes....discussion begins.

I can use all the critiquing I can get. I am LOST when it comes to this stuff.

I try to listen and learn, but as Jed is learning.....maybe my comprehension is not great.....

Does this mean that Joe has the floor as far as the next "assignment?"

I knew my chance at the podium was toast once the big dogs started playing. Show-offs.

This was a good idea, Walt. What's the next assignment? Thanks for the feed back Hahn. Props to Joe/Ryan/Walt. You guys have big targets on your backs now.

How do you resize photos to 150kb without losing quality, size?

ha! i didn't think my shot was very good, but i appreciate it, hahn.

so, do i get to pick the next assignment?

Thanks again Steven !


Joe,
Congrats and your the man so it's your pick.

I'd appreciate feedback from anyone, too. My dirty secret: it was on auto mode and I didn't do any post processing.

What I like about mine: the framing of the subject and the lines of the overall image. I thought the light was decent too which for sports is so hard to control.

What I don't like about mine: even though the horse is ready to plant those front feet and quit if the shot was a moment earlier it might have been more dramatic. I also don't like that the rider is so well balanced - she's a professional and expected him to stop. It just doesn't portray "action" enough for me.

I'd love to see everyone's second shot they considered submitting.

I'll wait for the next assignment - this is fun!

Here is my sumission

I fold.

um to late!

Well, I guess I would have to say that my photo critique would be that I wish it was Keith Lindberg in the shot. He unfortunately stopped riding by the time I got this angle and lights dialed. It was freezing though so I can't blame him.

I think my fav's are Swass's, E.J's and Jeds. I think they are the ones that tell the best stories of them and are captured at great moments. Which I feel is the ideal goal of a sports action shot. If the goalie didn't have that face or if the football players weren't trying to tackle with their eye's closed they would be completely different photos. Usually it would be ideal for Jed to catch the action at the top of the peak but I think that the fact that she is spotting the landing shows a lot of control over the trick and it is timing that we don't always see in a wakeboarding shot.

I agree that the light in J.L's kinda sucks but like you said, you cant control mother nature. But damn! that kid's gots some snap! I wish I could boost my ollies that high!

Now I don't want to stir things up but I do have to get one thing off my chest. I guess I was never under the impression that this was a "contest" but rather that it was an assignment. I beleive everyone that submitted had some awesome photos and I would love to see people not get discouraged and keep posting. I know some may be "technically" better than others but I believe that there are no strict "rules" in photography, they are just more like "guidelines" (think pirate code) Just make sure you know WHY you are breaking the rules. Though, a blatantly out of focus photo is still an out of focus photo. (no offence sean, next time you might want to try pre-focusing on the spot in the photo where you know you want the rider. Hopefully he lands in that "sweet spot" when you snap the button!)

That being said, bring on the next assignment Umali!!!!!!!!!

Here's the one I didn't submit. And now, sitting at my computer I wish I would have taken two steps to the left so that I had captured the horse's front and hind legs.



I'm ready for the next assignment.

Yea....and for some of us, riding is over....2 week assignments!

Thanks Ryan, those were nice words.... Not discouraged, I am challenged and going to improve and impress.....

P.S. The only thing that makes the face on that goalie better.....it is my son's..... God it is cool being a dad.

Thanks for the differential, Ryan. Another vote for assignment format. Although, having someone - prefferably who makes their living at it - critique the submissions is great. Thanks again for setting this up, Walt and for getting Hahn to comment. How about Letchworth or Meddock next time?

If this keeps up through the winter, we'll all have a few new tricks in our quivers when the season starts back up in Spring...

Umali, two words for the next assignment "tasteful nude." I'm heating up the wax now just in case.

.....Jed, I was belly laughing at the computer.

I know I don't know jack but I'll throw out my two cents on the photos.

Peter T,

There's not enough contrast between the jumper and the cliff in the shot. I think it would be better shot from the side. Like Hahn said the water should be in the shot too.

Swass,

Great shot and I like that you were down at their level but you cut off the little dudes feet.

Joe,
I like the shot and the SDF works great. If I have to say something negative it would be that it's to centered.

Ryan,
Your shot is my personal favorite and is the most technically challenging IMO. I like the comp and colors. Maybe another slave flash to the right would of made the rider and the end of the slider pop a little more. Shooting action at night isn't easy and something I'd like to master some day.

AP,
I find your shot static and he's just a guy in the sky. You cut off his feet too.

Jed,
Get out of the tow boat.

JL,
I like the comp except it's a ass shot. I don't know how you could change that with wake surfing though ?

Liz,
I don't like the angle (ass shot) and I wouldn't of known what was going on if you hadn't explained it. The action may of been more obvious if it was shot from a front angle ?
Judging by the shadows the light would of been better too from a front/side angle.
I like your second shot a lot more and would love to see one from the front/side so you can see the riders face.

EJ,
Cool shot but you cut his feet off.

Ant,
I'm a fan of silhouette shots and you nailed the action but straighten that horizon out.

I did cut the guys feet off. Didn't notice that until Walt commented on it. This should be entertaining. Can't wait for the next one.

i totally forgot about entering in this and i have no clue why i put that out of focus shot in there when i had a good one lol anyway whats the next one maybe a man made light shot?

Umali, when can we expect to see the next assignment?

Give it a few days. I think Umali has evacuated his home due to the fires.

Yes, last I read Joe and family were at the Epic offices and had a hotel room somewhere..... Hope their condo is A-OKAY......

Well, I'm here to say it's not that difficult to type with a foot in your mouth... I'm doing it now. Good luck with everything Umali.

(Message edited by gehennaengine on October 23, 2007)