Here are a couple of shots from last nights game. I wasn't overly thrilled with them, but the best I could do....I guess...:blush2:

#40 our center took a fall during the game, and broke his wrist. We will be hurting for the rest of the season...he was our big man under the basket...:cryin:

Okay lets try this again...LOL

One of the hardest things in shooting basketball I think is avoiding having an arm or hand obscuring the face. Basketball is played with the ball over your head so much that it is just natural to have the face blocked. You did a great job avoiding that in your posted shots.

Don't be hard on your self, I think you did a fine job here. Just like Old Timer pointed out the ball is in front of the face most of the time and you did a great job keeping it out of the players faces.

Well the actual shot isn't really what has me, I think it is more that I see some awsome shots here with really vibrant colors, and I know with some sort of flash set up, I am not going to be able to get that.....

Just not sure where to start with that.....I don't want to be doing some sort of FLASH IN YOUR EYE...thing....LOL....but would like to do some type of fill flash, I think...something maybe clicked on my pocket....something not to difficult or complicated....

Any advice?

Thanks for the comments....I appreciate it a lot....

Here are a couple sample shots that sold me on bouncing the flash off the ceiling. Both are original, untouched files, straight from the camera except for resizing. One has more life to it, especially with the green of the uniforms. Using a flash for high school basketball here in Ohio is allowed by the state athletic association, even if you shoot with it straight on. I just have much more luck with bouncing it.

Well if I use an on camera flash.... when you shoot vertically you can't bounce off the ceiling....???? Only when you hold the camera straight on and swivel the flash up....Right? I shoot all my basketball vertically....so I think that might be a problem.
Unless I am thinking wrong....the flash thing is all new to me....

Just would like to have a little more punch to my pics....

Thanks....

My SB-600 flash is mounted on the hot-shoe of the camera. I don't use the flash built-in to the camera. And the SB-600 swivels so I can point it to the ceiling whether I'm shooting vertically or horizontally. I usually shoot vertically.

I hear ya, BFiredup! I feel the same way. I was thinking the same as the others though about your shots. I have the worst trouble with arms in the face or another player's hand! Also I think that the more we hang out here seeing some of the wonderful photos posted on here, the higher expectations we have for ourselves. lol Overall it's a good thing though. You know what's funny? We have a professional photographer that takes photos of sporting events for the school and to sell. In the past I've thought their photos were awesome. Tuesday night the woman came to take shots of the basketball game (and took great joy in standing in front of me when I was sitting on the floor) and I just checked out the photos online. They weren't as great as I expected (or remembered from other years). She used a flash on the camera and some photos looked too white from the flash. She also ruined a couple of my photos as I was taking pictures at the same time. So hang in there and keep shooting. I think you are doing awesome and I love seeing what you shoot!

Donna

Yeah Mack, I wasn't thinking of using the built in flash....but haven't gotten one for the hot shoe yet, and didn't know if it would work while shooting vertically.....might be something to try though...

Sky...I am with you, I have a couple...husband and wife...that shoot all the girls games, but not the boys...did all the football games last year also....and I was in awe....they were at the last girls game that I was attending...and they were shooting on the other side of the basket from where I was...they post their shots online for purchase....and I emailed her a pic I took....the same she had taken from the other advantage point....her's had his arm in the way....and wasn't as sharp....LOL....(not to blow my own horn...mind ya)..but I was pleased with my progression to say the least....she wrote me back and said..awsome shot....

I agree....I like to try anything new that will continue to make things better...

Thanks guys....

I (and I think everyone) end up with plenty of shots that aren't what we wanted. An arm in the way, eyes closed, out of focus, etc. I just make it a point to not show them to anyone. I try to take lots of shots since that increases my chances of having more good ones.

Oh believe me, I take plenty of shots....:D
And I only post the ones that fit certain expectations here....can you see the face, can you see their feet..(although with a lay up and a shallow DOF, that isn't possible..)

But I do have some that just didn't get the action I wanted...or I missed it...oops...LOL..

But I am working on that too....I usually have more keepers than throw aways now, which is thanks to everyone here....