Sports Day

This was taken a while back in the summer at my daughters Sports day I was trying to catch all the children in the air but my daughter in the middle wasn't in time with the rest !

Camera settings Exposure Time = 1/2000" F Number = F4 Exposure Program = Shutter priority ISO Speed Ratings = 800

May thanks in advance

-- JackRuss - 04 Nov 2008

05 Nov 2008 13:02:34 PaulFranklin:

George

Not sure what extra input you might be looking for here - I think it is quite a nice image. Strong in colour with quite a pleasing positioning of the girls in the race. It is easy to be critical from the armchair when the challenge is to press the shutter at the right instant but my comments are:-

If all the sack racers were off the ground at the same time the look would be different - as if they are floating/hovering rather than jumping so I am not sure it isn't stronger with one girl on the ground. I would have lost the boy on the track in red as he doesn't add to the message in the image. I would have looked to lose the bollard too. The spectator in black is fine in my opinion though it would be perhaps better with some separation but no big deal.

Paul

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05 Nov 2008 13:22:30 JackRuss:

Thank you Paul

The image was a lot bigger but I was thinking should I crop more out of the image? I could have cloned out the grounded girl so all where "flying " as I where. The spectator in black could go as well but I think I would have to loose the rope hand rail at the same time ?

My thoughts where what should go or what should be there and stay?

Thank you once again

glad to see this is up and working

George

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05 Nov 2008 15:19:09 PaulFranklin:

George - My view is you could crop in a little bit on the LHS - in fact if you have more image left over from the original on the RHS it may book better so that there is room for where the competitors are looking and less for where they have come from. I agree if you lose the spectator you might have to loose the handrail unless you can clone the rh post and rope there

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05 Nov 2008 16:04:28 JackRuss:

Paul I have had a look at all the shots and I think I have found a picture that suits this composition better and have had a play with it as suggested by removing the lady in black and loosing the girl to the left as well. I think this suit the "bill more "

Thank you for all your help

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05 Nov 2008 19:55:55 JohnAshford:

Success! It looks good, at least at this resolution. The next time I need someone discreetly removed I'll let you know.

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06 Nov 2008 23:35:52 RodBird:

Agree with all of the above. The final version is a nice, bright, amusing picture.

You have to be very careful with any photo which includes a family member, particularly if it's one of your children, and it's for reasons which we don't often talk about.

A parent has a unstoppable biological affection for his or her offspring. We all do, thank goodness. The trouble is other people, who're unrelated to the child, don't share it. In fact, relieved of any parental obligations, they're quite happy to be privately hostile to other people's children. (Research shows that males do this more than females, but both do it). What this means to the photographer thinking of submitting a photo of his/her child to a competition is that there must be more to the picture than simply an invitation to love the child. The child must be the channel to something more: a message, an interpretation, some humour, or something deeper. This picture gets away with it because of the relationship between the girl at the back, who's showing good-natured resignation at being beaten, and the two in the lead who are obviously intent on winning the race, all the while taking part in a race with legs restrained by sacks. A metaphor for - phooey, take your pick.

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07 Nov 2008 07:01:46 JackRuss:

Thank you for all your comments about the picture I have submitted. I have ended up with a different picture than I started with so this shows that my choice was not the "best" one. But one that was very similar to the first one with selective tweaks to what I had seen on the day a "Better" picture has been produced. Now if I was able to do the edit through the view finder of my camera rather than with a computer this would have been even better, but some opportunities do not present them selfs as required that way.

Once again a big thank you for all your input to this thread to produce a photo that is far better than what it started with. It might even go to large print now regards

Jackruss

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07 Nov 2008 12:58:52 JohnAshford:

If you enter it in club competition, and if it scores 18 or more (or HC+), then I might well ask you to check the consent of the parents before I put it on the web site in Competition Images. It's no problem at a club night - a private meeting - but the web is electronic publishing.

There is uncertainty about when 'close' becomes 'intrusive' with kids.

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07 Nov 2008 16:32:09 JackRuss:

After the help I have got from here I would think that It is not fair/right if it was entered in to a comp. It would be very unlikely to trace the children's parents to get permission, this is a personal picture for me "a Family one" and that is it. The point you make is a good one thou John is it in the club handbook ? (omitting I have not read it cover to cover )

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07 Nov 2008 19:58:40 JohnAshford:

It isn't in the handbook, and the position is unclear. However, if you shoot in a public place, at a distance, or at an event where people perform and expect to be seen and photographed, probably no problem.

If you shoot close-up, or in private, check with the parents / guardians. If it is your own child, then that is your decision!

I wouldn't worry about getting help and then entering a print. We all learn from others and indeed from judges and from second thoughts about our mistakes. The rate of improvement is roughly proportional to the number of bruises. I would be surprised if there is any committee member who has not at some time collected a '12'.

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