Pickup Basketball

[Dave]

I was asked by the creator of our company newsletter to take some pictures of some of the co-workers playing basketball during lunch. Unfortunately I had to bump the ISO to 800 to get a fast enough shutter (even at f/2.8) as it was very overcast that day. Here are a few of the results:

Driving into the lane

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At least he got a hand in his face

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The Skyhook looked better when Kareem did it

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Nothing like the face of concentration

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Except when your face of concentration looks like anger

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And lastly, a ball in hoop shot

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C&C appreciated. Taken with D50 and Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 lens.

 

[deznpj]

These look really good especially for 800...and "they" say Nikon cant do above 400- phooey! Way to prove them wrong!
Because of these pics, I went back and looked at some that were taken at our pick-up games...I never thought of it as "concentation" as my "looks" appear more like pain! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Jim Hall]

Dave,

Really good shots. Thanks for sharing.

Best Wishes,

 

[Dave]

Thanks for the positive comments Desi and Jim. I did do a little noise reduction in NX which helped quite a bit...

 

[ipsofacto]

Great job, some of the action and composition is a little off but overall the shots are fine. I especially am fond of the results the D50 puts out at High ISOs and by nailing these exposures you've done a good job of showing its talents.

 

[eng45ine]

Nice shots Dave, this is a real nice series. Plenty of interest in the shots and nice angles. I hope that the guys liked them.

 

[ipsofacto]

I might suggest getting lower. The shot of the "Angry face" is good, but had you been lower you'd have been able to get both the angry guy and the guy going for the block fully filling the frame without the distracting guy in the background. Just a suggestion though.

 

[Dave]

I might suggest getting lower. The shot of the "Angry face" is good, but had you been lower you'd have been able to get both the angry guy and the guy going for the block fully filling the frame without the distracting guy in the background. Just a suggestion though.

Thanks for the advice. I actually tried this as I was sitting on the curb for a bit but I was in my work clothes and really didn't want to go back in for the 2nd half of the day with dirty khakis. I definitely like different angles and kind of wish I could have been higher or lower than them. I guess that is why a lot of the sideline NBA photographers sit on the ground, to get that good angle. Thanks for looking.

 

[Dave]

Great job, some of the action and composition is a little off but overall the shots are fine. I especially am fond of the results the D50 puts out at High ISOs and by nailing these exposures you've done a good job of showing its talents.

So what could I have done better with the composition? I cropped these to get rid of some of the unnecessary background (although I never cropped a player). I probably would have been better off with the 28-70 (Beast) than my Sigma 50-150, but it's the best lens I had at the moment (and the fastest). Now lust has set in for another lens... :biggrin:

 

[topher04r1]

man i love that last shot ...

 

[Dave]

Nice shots Dave, this is a real nice series. Plenty of interest in the shots and nice angles. I hope that the guys liked them.

Thanks Frank...the guys really did like them and were real excited to see their "moves" captured on film (well, digital film). I'm just glad they didn't capture me playing (as I got roped into the next game) as I'm sure that would have been embarassing. :wink:

 

[Gale]

I think they are great:>)))

 

[ipsofacto]

#1 could be alot tighter
#2 you'd wanna be under the basket sitting down to get the shooter or you could have sat at half court to get a defender coming at your lens
#3 same thing, if you're under the basket you get the shooter's face and not his profile
#4 tighter, ball is missing, throw it away?
#5 Great shot again but as I said before, lower would have made this an award winner

Your 50-150 will be perfect for this kinda stuff, you're obviously a natural and everything will progress very quickly for you Im sure.

 

[Dave]

Thanks for the C&C ipsofacto. This is the reason why I love coming here as I learn so much! I can't wait for the next opportunity like this...

 

[mike mac]

Sorry I missed this nice shots, heck the shot of me during the pickup game would be on the ground sucking wind!