Stack of Black Belts

Hi all,

My cousin was in town because her school (founded by she and her husband) were competing in a local tournament. These shots are of their demonstration team. This is the first time I've tried this camera/flash for indoor sports (D70 w/kit lens and SB800). I did have three kids with me. So, I couldn't leave the stands to get down on the floor and shoot (It would have been Ok, otherwise.).

It was exciting to see this. Do the images convey this?

Besides the harsh flash shadow and high camera angle, any other suggestions for improvement?

Please don't feel the need to comment on each one. I'm just after general recommendations for sports photography techniques. It's new to me.

Thanks in advance,
Tim

I'm no expert but I know that catching the subject at the height of the action is key for great sports shots. The flying kick comes closest to this in my opinion. Something else to watch out for is cluttered backgrounds. You want the subjects and their actions to stand out from all else.

Getting "closer" with a zoom lens helps also.

Erich