The Before and After series focuses on the two or three key creative choices, in terms of composition and processing, that go into creating an image. Specific technical details about the shot have been left out — you won’t hear me talking about tone curve adjustments and whatnot unless it was a key component of the end result.
A shot from the MAC benefit tournament a few years ago.
Exposure
- Shutter: 1/2000
- Aperture: f/2.0
- ISO: 200
- Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM
Composition and Processing
- So here’s another blocking shot without the ball or the other player, this time in profile. This shot made the cut largely because of all the small supporting cues that this is at the peak of the action: sand flying everywhere, the player’s expression, the shorts billowing upward from the jump, and the strained reach as the player extends as far as possible.
- I cropped just a tiny bit in order to move the player to the right without making making the frame disproportionately narrower.
Original:
May 14 2012 | Photography | No Comments »
The Before and After series focuses on the two or three key creative choices, in terms of composition and processing, that go into creating an image. Specific technical details about the shot have been left out — you won’t hear me talking about tone curve adjustments and whatnot unless it was a key component of the end result.
Casey Jennings passes the ball at the 2009 Houston AVP Tournament.
Exposure
- Shutter: 1/2000
- Aperture: f/2.8
- ISO: 200
- Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM (at 70mm)
Composition and Processing
- Passing shots sometimes look a little static when frozen, but I liked this one because of all the sand moving at Jennings’ feet. Conveys a greater sense of speed, as if Jennings was racing to get there in stead of waiting for the ball.
- I square cropped this because at this angle and with the way Jennings’ body is twisted, it’s actually very compressed horizontally. In a wider frame it looked too small (breathing room for the ball to move into is good, but there can be too much).
- Focus point was off again, it really should have been to the left more (this was before I started using the Mark IV; on the Mark III you have to press a button first before you can move the focus point, and there’s not always time to do that when the ball comes back the other way).
Original:
May 04 2012 | Photography | No Comments »
The Before and After series focuses on the two or three key creative choices, in terms of composition and processing, that go into creating an image. Specific technical details about the shot have been left out — you won’t hear me talking about tone curve adjustments and whatnot unless it was a key component of the end result.
Another shot from the 2009 Houston AVP Tournament.
Exposure
- Shutter: 1/2000
- Aperture: f/2.8
- ISO: 200
- Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (at 73mm)
Composition and Processing
- Shooting doubles, you can get some pretty good diving passes by standing close to the net on the opposite side from where the other team’s hitter favors. That mean’s the blocker for the defending team is on that side too (seen in the original here facing back to the camera) and her partner is likely going to be digging the shot along the far sideline or across the diagonal. Or in this case, due to either a cut shot or deflection, diving in the general direction of the camera. My point is that it’s a position to shoot from where a high percentage of shots have the subject in profile or facing the camera. The only shot you miss is if the other team rolls the ball high and the defender has to chase it down away from the camera (although if they’re fast enough, they’ll be orienting their body back toward the net when they pass).
- Tilting the crop gave it a little more room for the subject to move (into the upper left corner) but also exaggerates the reach and makes the pass look more difficult than it is. I’ve got the player more toward the bottom half of the frame too as a result, since she’s both looking up and trying to pass the ball in that direction.
Original:
February 20 2012 | Photography | No Comments »