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Pipeman
15-03-2011, 11:38 AM
My main photographic interest is sport, yet I often submit sports images to the gallery with a "why bother?" feeling, and look for landscapes or macros, or such, to submit instead.

There seems to be a general disinterest in such images, not only here but on other sites too, and I am left wondering why.

What bugs me most is the lack of members who even view sports shots, let alone comment on them.

My recent submissions brought this on - 20-ish views, three of which were recorded as soon as I loaded them up, and several were me trying to establish what aspects of them turned people off. This compares to about double these numbers for other submissions.

It's not the composition, not the action going on, the quality might sometimes be noisy (1/500th on a miserable March afternoon cannot be acheived at ISO 100), and I know from years of shooting sport that they are decent images.

TOG is a Photograhpic community, there to appreciate photographs and the efforts of other members, not simply to admire and comment on images that grab interest from thumbnails because of their subject matter.

I try very hard to comment on as many images as I can, some of which I can truthfully say are "not my subject", but they are photographs which have taken effort by the photographer, and therefore they deserve my attention. Even if I do not comment I do at least look at them - that only takes a few seconds.

Whilst I do not consider myself an expert at sport, I know that I am at least competent, and feel that sporting images should receive the same consideration by members as any other subject matter.

Harold2
15-03-2011, 12:27 PM
You have a very valid point here Ron, and i must confess to viewing your sport shots but not commenting a great deal on them, this is because i do not think i can improve on any of your photographs i feel that the only comments i can really put are nice photo or great shot, I look at your shots and enjoy them for what they are very very good sport Photo,s that show a great deal of action in the sport, very good composition and a great deal of knowledge in the Field of sports photography. :top:

Fogey
15-03-2011, 12:28 PM
Ron, I understand what you are saying - exactly. I don't think it is just sport either. I have posted some images that haven't elicited one comment.

What to do? I have no idea - I suppose that is how folks behave today.

For myself, I also try to comment on as many photos as I can, but as my time is somewhat limited on here, I try to comment on the photographs that have some merit, irrespective of what the subject matter is. That 'merit, incidentally, ' can be to congratulate or suggest improvements.

bryan
15-03-2011, 02:58 PM
Hi Ron, very valid point, I've given it ago and commented on a couple of your shots, I did however find it difficult, as I have no idea on how hard or easy it is to capture sports images, as the usual rules of composition, pose, etc aren't applicable :), I would like to see good action shots of tackles, just before a player catches the ball, showing the concentration in the players faces etc

badbadman
15-03-2011, 04:39 PM
The thing that might affect the non commenting is that we all see sport on TV and in the papers all the time and with the specialist equipment they use to get their shots we have become used to the quality they produce, not easy to emulate as an amateur, I know as I have tried with my gear and failed miserably.

I might get myself over to the local park Sunday and have a go with the Sunday league footie, have another stab at it. :)

Pipeman
15-03-2011, 08:43 PM
Thanks for your responses.

Sorry about the rant - just felt a bit peed off!

munchycarrot
16-03-2011, 08:26 AM
It's good to have a rant :)

I know what you mean Ron. It can be quite disheartening. I do have spells where I can't get on as much as I used to but I also try to appreciate everyone's work as like you say... they have made the effort & if there is not much to say about the pic from whatever point of view, it is nice to recognise that you have looked at it.

I hope you're not feeling quite so peed off now :)

Pipeman
16-03-2011, 03:11 PM
It's good to have a rant :)

I hope you're not feeling quite so peed off now :)

No - fine again now! :top:

JamesStan
18-03-2011, 11:45 AM
valid point by stew in there. the quality of pro sport photographers is ridiculously high. when you read the nikon pro magazine and canon pro magazines and see the images these guys are producing you are some times dumbfounded at how they did it and the quality. and the truth is apart from thier endless talent that got them where they are, they also have endless budgets and carry around 7000-8000 lenses on 4000 pound bodies. gear isnt everything but the best gear in talented hands makes for very hard to emulate results.

On another side note i think because were used to seeing pics of our favourite sports stars every day at the pinnacle of their professions and we know so much about them, its easier to buy into their photo and feel attached to it than that of one of fat dave running down the wing of the local pub league (no offence fat dave :top:)