The season is over...

[gmen]

The jolly old English summer is coming to an end (what summer? some may ask) - and the (outdoor) cricket season is now over for me.

I had the pleasure of attending the Evening Standard Challenge Trophy Final yesterday - a fiercely contested match resulting in a victory for Finchley CC.

Here are a few of the pics the local paper didn't get to illustrate the day!

Apparently there is an 'indoor' cricket season starting some time in October. Hmmm.

[gmen]

Guess it would be a shame not to show the big bubbly celebration at the end too. The game finished - then the rain started! Ah, the joys of an English summer!

[mtbbrian]

I really think Cricket is your sport!
Your motorcycle images were good, as were your soccer ones too, but you really capture Cricket well!
Brian

[gmen]

Thanks Brian.

It's been my first full season shooting cricket - it was good to finish up with a big game and put everything I'd learned into practice.

[mtbbrian]

Thanks Brian.

It's been my first full season shooting cricket - it was good to finish up with a big game and put everything I'd learned into practice.

So true! I am sure come next year you will be even better at shooting Cricket!
I can't wait to see what you come up with then.
Brian

[gahspidy]

Great quality on these as usual. But once again, not knowing the game, I don't get much of the action, except for the first shot. Well exposed, dof, framing all that is right on. Personally, I think your work on the racing, be it motorcyles or cars, is some of the best I've seen. Maybe because the action is more evident? btw, your soccer (or football) shots are tops as well.
The photo of the team is nice especially with the storm cloud lingering behind. Can't help but be amused at the player holding the certificate with bubbly on his face..lol Well done.

[pez31]

For someone who knows nothing of cricket, the first image gives me the best understanding of the sport. It's a great action shot capturing both the subject and the ball. Again not knowing the sport I don't know the importance of the fourth shot. All the images are nicely expose. I did notice in the 1,3 and 4 images the subject in the center of your image. I notice I do the same thing while shooting sports; it’s hard to compose an image while anticipating action. I have to do allot of post-visualization work with sport shots. Just my thoughts. Good stuff.

Phil

[gmen]

Thanks for your replies folks. Maybe one day cricket will be big in the States... and maybe one day, I'll be able to fly across the Atlantic in ten minutes for free. OK.... so we might have to wait a while for that to happen.

Phil - Your point regarding the composition of the images is a valid and interesting one.

Shot 1 was naturally centered in the viewfinder when I took it. I think this is the right composition.
Shot 2 gave me time to anticipate the action (i.e. the chap on the right with the gloves knocking the bails off of the stumps) and prefocus to get the shot. Hence he is the point of focus but in an off-centre position and the two batsmen are visible in the background too.
Shot 3 was taken to capture the batsmen as they 'crossed' in front of the sponsor's banner in the background.
Shot 4 was a grab shot and I had no time to pre-focus - ideally I would have captured the guy in the background celebrating too - a bit like the shot below where the wicket-keeper appears to be bowing down as the bowler enjoys the moment...

My cameras are set up so that I focus with the AE lock button rather than the shutter release. Therefore I can keep the camera in Servo-Focus mode - but releasing the AE lock button stops the camera from focusing - like a One-Shot mode. This means, if you can anticipate the action, then off-centre compositions are that bit easier to get. I hope that makes some sort of sense. It's CF-4 on most EOS bodies.