Pic: tell me what ya think bout this pic...

[SpitFire1299]

Personally, despite not being a 'Mag, I made it my background pic!
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a198/Messkit/bbb.jpg

I had that idea.. but i kept my current background.

[latches109]

not enough tone contrast between the background and subject matter.

It looks muddy and not because of the blurr.

Excellent comment carbon; also lot of shadow in the mask area. I wouldn't print it in a magazine, but photography is subjective.

Try a fixed lens, the Nikon adjustable just don't give the same clarity, or control. However most photo hobbyists have budget constraints (like me) so the 70-200 are great. Depending on your distance I would try a 105:1.4 (if you can find one to rent), ISO 400, and a reflective flash; i.e. bounce the flash off a white card to fill in some of the shadow, I would also try a cooling photo filter, or just do it in Photoshop.

[Muzikman]

Hmmmm, seeing as the 70-200 is NOT a cheap lense at $1500, I don't think it has anything to do with "being on a budget". Yes Primes are always better, but the higher quality zooms are still very good glass. I looked and you can not even buy a 105mm f1.4, so I would think that one would be out anyway.

The lense is not the problem with this photo.

[VFX_Fenix]

Photoshop is your friend, normalize the photo and it looks better.



note - I didn't ask permission to edit, I suppose I should have before posting...

[latches109]

Hmmmm, seeing as the 70-200 is NOT a cheap lense at $1500, I don't think it has anything to do with "being on a budget". Yes Primes are always better, but the higher quality zooms are still very good glass. I looked and you can not even buy a 105mm f1.4, so I would think that one would be out anyway.

The lense is not the problem with this photo.

your right it's a f=105mm 1:2.5, my 50mm is 1:1.4
The artistic value of the picture is subjective, what I mentioned would be things I would try, and deviations from that. I always found stop action, or blurred, difficult to capture accurately.

Ah yes the lens is expensive, but cheaper than owning all the fixed variations between 70mm and 200mm; as this was my point. Take a look at moshe's work, that's where I learned. moshe katvan

[Muzikman]

I agree, prime lenses are better, but the slight sharpness you loose when using a quility zoom lense is so little that the money and inconvinience would not warrant the use of them, especially in action photos.

my macro lens is prime (100mm f2.8) and I would never have a non prime macro lens. My carry lens is a 28-135mm f3.5-4 USM IS, my action lens is a 70-200mm 2.8L USM IS and my landscape lens is 16-35mm 2.8L USM. I also have a 50mm 2.0. All these lenses are Canon. With these lenses I can capture about everything I need, but total cost of them all is about $4500. I also have other lenses, a 28-300mm and 28-105 POS Signa lenses.

[OmniM]

I use to shoot with the 50/1.8 but at this practice I forgot that lens at home
and why I dont go for a fixed lens is that you can almost never predict where a certain action will occure, so a 2,8 lens with zoom was my priority when I got the 70-200... and with the sharpness on that lens is just amazing and are mooooore than enough
Even if the fixed lenses are better, there is of course no such time to switch at a field, not to mention far more risky to get stuff on the sensor. My main priority is to shoot paintball..

[latches109]

The adjustable lenses are great, I do own one. I use it when I am unsure what I will be shooting or want to travel light, they can't be beat. Guys I am not saying he used the wrong lens; just try a fixed lens. I find you have to constructively think more, and will end up with better shots.

I haven't had the nutz to bring my nice camera equipment out on the field yet, just the coolpix3100.

[OmniM]

The 105/2.0 is interesting, but how much sideline do you guys have at your fields? We just have approx 1m and using a 105 there can be to narrow...

[AGDlover]

Yea I would like it if had the still person with the blured background and such

[Muzikman]

The adjustable lenses are great, I do own one. I use it when I am unsure what I will be shooting or want to travel light, they can't be beat. Guys I am not saying he used the wrong lens; just try a fixed lens. I find you have to constructively think more, and will end up with better shots.

I haven't had the nutz to bring my nice camera equipment out on the field yet, just the coolpix3100.

I understand where you are coming from, but a prime lense would not have made this photo look any different (besides the fact that that it wouldn't have been as close). Primes are used for fine art photos, not so much in the action / sports world unless you are getting into the 600+mm glass. I bet I could take a photo with my 50mm prime lens and the same with my 28-135 (set at 50mm) and if you can tell the difference I would be shocked. Maybe I'll do this.

I have tested a lot of lenses, I have a ton of money in my gear and for certain things I will use primes, paintball photography is not one of them.

[master_alexander]

Personally, I like it enough that despite not being a 'Mag, I made it my background pic!

lol.. i did the same thing