Welcome to Aussie rules...a day when my team (Hawthorn in the gold and brown) were beaten. I love taking photos at the football. I take about 500 at a time! An old ambition of mine was to be a sports photographer.
I used my Sigma 70-200 f2.8 with a Sigma 2x teleconverter. It was handheld. This was indoors under lights, so it was 1600 ASA at 5.6. This was at the 'centre bounce' after a goal. This guy got up pretty high, so I knew I had a good shot for the challenge. It's one of the attributes of our great Aussie game to leap into the air for what they call a 'spekky' short for SPECTACULAR.
I just did some minor tweaks with sharpening and saturation. I have others in my portfolio so check them out.
Thanks to everyone who voted for this in my first ribbon! woo hoo!!!
Statistics
Place: 2 out of 151 Avg (all users): 7.1850 Avg (commenters): 8.5500 Avg (participants): 7.1286 Avg (non-participants): 7.2154 Views since voting: 14631 Views during voting: 410 Votes: 200 Comments: 70 Favorites: 15 (view)
I'm not really a soccer (football) fan, but after seeing this photo...I should be! The level of daring athleticism and emotion captured here clearly depicts the core essence of what this sport is all about. Magnificent!
Get prepared to let the compliments wash over you. This is the first time I have lucked into a ribbon winner to critique.
I am not sure that this shot could be improved - especially as a sports shot. It fits the challenge perfectly. The expression on the leaping player's face is terrific, really lends something to the image.
The one thing missing is what everyone is looking at. The ball. And the more I think about it the more I think that may even be a good thing, it lends some angst to viewing the image. But the lack of the ball would likely keep it from making it to a sports pub I would think.
In closing, a terrific shot that obviously met the challenge and met it well. Congrats on your ribbon.
Big Congrats on your first ribbon!!!! I am very happy for you. I look forward to seeing this do well in the best shots for 2006!
Go the Swans (opps sorry, it had to be said!)
Ohmygoodness. This is the coolest stop action photo I've seen!
Congratulations on this most amazing photo, and your first (probably of ribbon! I have a feeling there will be many more of these in your future :)
Ah...good old footy. West Coast supporter here! Great pic! I'm curious where you were located when you took the shot and did anyone hassle you having a bigger lens than a point and shoot in the ground?
Congratulations on your ribbon. I knew it was a good image. I love the clarity and the subject too. (Spider Everett must have been having a bad night)Go the Swanees! Well done.
Hehe, well congratulatsions to you too dude, well deserving of a ribbon and if there had been a ball in this picture, I think you would have beat bot of us and taken this challenge, awesome moment you captured there and love the expressions of the players.
From the guy next to you on the winners podium! :)
great shot... would have liked to see the ball in the fame (and possibly the background a little more out of focus) but that's just nit-picking because this is a terrific image - perfect for the challenge.
7 - Good capture. Wish the ball was in the picture too for added context/story. Perhaps a more finely tuned crop & nudge rotate (if you had the room) may have also given this a bit more of an edge.
A Night At The Ballet
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