Teach me something

[sos song]

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Hi,

 

I am using a Digilux 3 with the kit lens and am not sure if my images are up to par. The attached images are two examples from a recent soccer match. I think that the top image (ISO 400, 1/200s, f10.0) doesn't seem to be sharp or in focus, but the bottom image (ISO 400, 1/320s, f9.0) is quite good.

 

What am I doing wrong? Should I be opening the aperture more, slowing the film speed or speeding up the shutter? The day was very sunny, but the sun was just above the treetops. Sometimes the kids were in full sun, then they would be in shade. I know that my slow-twitch muscles (and mind!) will keep me from being a sports photographer, but I want to be better than I am.

 

Kevin

[Marquinius]

Kevin,

 

First: they're not bad at all! Lots of action and pleasure there! The girl in the second photo is kicking the green clad kids' ass!

 

I have a Digilux 3 as well and found it slowish in triggering the actual shutter. You hear all this noise going on and mirrors clicking and clacking, so you think you're done. Well, you're not. Just hold the camera a little longer.

 

And 200 and 320 is borderline for kids roaring across the field, with you panning and tracking. There's just movement blur in your photo's. That's why the last one is better: 320 is O-kayish.

 

I'd go for a more open lens (F4 to F5) and go for 1/500 at least. You'll see that your subjects will even get more pronounced and the background will get blurrier. But that's what depth of field is all about!

 

From another point of view: train for really good tracking, slow your speed and accept that things "move". Some sports photo's actually get better by the blurring of limbs and background.

 

Last but not least: I think I took some 10.000 pictures. Henri Cartier Bresson (one of my favs) said he threw the first 10.000 away ....

 

keep smiling.

 

Marco

[sos song]

Marco,

 

Thanks for the advice. I will go with a faster shutter speed for the next game.

 

I guess this is where having a lens with a larger aperture comes in handy. If the sun is not strong (as it was for most of this last game), that means the faster shutter speed will require a larger aperture. - I'm talking out loud here. If it is a cloudy day, in order to get the faster shutter speed I may need to use a faster film speed. I know this sounds like Photography 101, but sometimes that's what it takes. What I am trying to do is to get past using the D3 on full automatic and figure out how images are really made.

 

Thanks for the encouragement. The girl controlling the ball is an incredible athlete.

 

Kevin

[stuny]

Kevin -

 

Marco is an excellent source of advice, and these shots are quite good, especially #2. You can still add a bit of sharpening to them....

[roguewave]

Kevin, I also have this kit and Marco is right on target. Here's something to try as well. Get in a place where the lighting is a challenge & there's something (like a car, person) in motion. Set the camera to a full Auto mode. I mean Auto everything, from ISO to focusing. Then take similar images & manually set the shutter or aperture or ISO and compare them. I did this and learned a lot about finding the most optimal way to use the camera.

 

For my shots in the subway cars where the light varies continuously, I now leave the camera on auto everything. I don't know if this is true, but from the images I get, the software seems to "create" custom settings in a way. The images are rarely blurred, always in focus and have less noise than if I pre-set the ISO to a higher value.