What makes a good Sports Photo?

GooGaBu

GooGaBu

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Probably something we all think of when we choose our images for wiring off to clients, or to put on our websites.. or posting on Social Media.
But what really made me think of this in more serious way.. was the annual 'Press Photo of the Year' award back in my native Finland.. and their criteria for choosing their specific image as the Sports Photo of the Year. Now - I am not going to comment on the image, as we all have our own opinions on various winners of competitions - my thoughts rise from the jury's comments.

"The simplified image show what is important in sports : People in funny positions"
(that is my own translation from Finnish to English..)

That made me think... when have I looked an image and though :
"Yes, the people in that celebration image are in funny positions.. I better send that off to the papers"
Now.. probably not too many times, although - the pile-up ow Wolves players that has been the biggest printed image of mine in English press.. the players were in funny positions :-)
So perhaps there is a point somewhere in there.

As photographers we sometimes do need to remove ourselves from the situation where we are photographing something - what for us looks as just the most perfect image, with the emotion, action, etc.
Sometimes might only look so because we were there, we 'experienced' the event and for us it shows all that the game/event was about.. but will it look the same for someone who wasn't there? Or are they only looking whether the people in the photo are in funny positions ;-)

so... What is the thing that for YOU makes a good sports photo??
 
As simple as... something different.... capturing a moment that will rarely be repeated and is different...
 
Emotion, emotion, emotion and did I say emotion. Most sports will show the full gamut. Fear, elation, desperation, concentration, anger, amusement, cockiness, uncertainty, support, ridicule etc etc etc. Get the right emotion from the right person at the right time and those you will find are your keepers.
 
I think there have been a few answers which combined tell the story .. Once you get the basics out of the way (properly exposed etc etc) .. then for me it would be emotion, capturing a moment and of course a shot that will stand the test of time - i.e. the emotion and moment have been captured during a game or event that people will look back on years to come and remember the event .... Of course this is what I think and that also is an important point - sports photography is, like all forms of art, subjective ... there have been a few images which were chosen over the years that I personally would not have and similar ones which were overlooked that I had down as my personal favourites ... Sports Illustrated 100 Best Photos ...
 
Bit like me :lol:
 
The best sports photo i ever took wass by accident and I didnt even know I had it until i got home and looked on computer.... I was using the olympus in my avatar as well :)
 
A shot that a) captures an important moment b) tells the story of the event and c) is full of emotion and d) is different to everyone else's.

Let us all know when you get one of those!
 
Tobers said:
A shot that a) captures an important moment b) tells the story of the event and c) is full of emotion and d) is different to everyone else's.

Let us all know when you get one of those!
Click to expand...

theres a prize :)
 
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