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Junior League Soccer
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Junior League soccer is so far removed from anything we see on TV that I often wonder is it the same game even. Most of the teams involved exist purely to fulfill the childhood dreams of most of the players on their panels. There are no wages involved. Hardly ever any transfers. Maybe if the players are really lucky, there will be a shower available after a game. No custom made kits here, if you are ay way on the portly side, then tough. Make do with what is available.
These few shots were taken a few weeks ago, when a local team, Kinsalebeg Celtic, were taking on Caherdrinna in the WWEC Junior League. This league has clubs frm West Waterford and East and North Cork taking part and has been in existence with roughly forty years. In my much fitter and younger days, I played in it. Like most of the lads who still play in it, I had great fun every day we played; trying to emulate the likes of Keegan, Bremner, Heighway, Brady and so on. Much like the lads in these pics taken last month, except for the names of the stars they are trying to imitate.
C and C most welcome. Gear was Canon 1D Mk 2 N and 70-200 L f4. I know one has the players with their backs to the viewers, a big no-no in most cases, but I like the pic and that’s that.
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Hi Gerry,
I played junior soccer for many years and managed schoolboy teams for a number of years and the involvement was purely for the enjoyment I got out of it. Hundreds of thousands of people are involved in such sport throughout the country including the, often undevalued, people who do all the behind the scenes work to keep the show on the road. They all deserve great credit for the service they provide to our society.
I’m no expert in the technical aspects of sports photography but I have a few observations from viewing your images.
They images are good efforts and I’m sure the people involved would be delighted to have them.
With all types of photography it is important to show what you want the viewer to see and, if possible, to exclude anything that is not important or might distract the viewer from the main subject.
This can be achieved for example by zooming in to exclude distracting elements, changing your viewpoint so that unwanted elements are not in the frame and/or using an aperture setting that throws an unavoidable but distracting element out of focus.
In post processing cropping and other techniques can be used to improve your image.In #1 you have definitely shown the effort and determination of your subjects.
I’m not sure what aperture you used but maybe if it were opened up a bit more the background would be more out of focus and concentrate our attention on the players.
I notice that the line between the pitch and the ditch is sloping giving me the impression that the players were running downhill. :) Maybe more experienced sports photographers will inform us if this is something to be avoided…Nice action in #2 but I can’t help seeing that house. A different shooting position would have excluded it or if this wasn’t possible different aperture setting would blur it more.
The cars in #3 are nicely blurred moving a bit might have excluded them altogether.
You already mentioned that the subjects have their backs to us in #4 but you also mentioned a very important point. You like it and that is very important.
All the best.
John.
Amateur football like this is football at its purest imho. Good tips from John there. I’ve taking a lot of these games myself, in particular at under-age level where my kids are playing and where getting a photo of the kid regardless of the quality of the image is always tempting.
It’s not easy but I think that practise will definitely make perfect. I’ve a fair bit to go yet lol.
Keep it up!
Thanks for the comments lads, appreciate them. The long hot summer has seen me enjoying the sunshine and beach for the most part as I live in Ardmore which is a very popular tourist spot. Therefore my sports work has been very limited. ANother reason I have been inactive is that I rarely cover any GAA stuff as it would not be high on my list of fave sports; soccer and rugby would be my games. Autumn and Winter is now approaching and those two codes will be kicking into top gear very soon, time to polish the 70-300 and set the mode to Sports!!
Mark wrote:
Amateur football like this is football at its purest imho. Good tips from John there. I’ve taking a lot of these games myself, in particular at under-age level where my kids are playing and where getting a photo of the kid regardless of the quality of the image is always tempting.
It’s not easy but I think that practise will definitely make perfect. I’ve a fair bit to go yet lol.
Keep it up!
thanks, I always take everything on board and am old enough to realise that one can never be too old to learn!!
5faythe wrote:
Hi Gerry,
I played junior soccer for many years and managed schoolboy teams for a number of years and the involvement was purely for the enjoyment I got out of it. Hundreds of thousands of people are involved in such sport throughout the country including the, often undevalued, people who do all the behind the scenes work to keep the show on the road. They all deserve great credit for the service they provide to our society.
I’m no expert in the technical aspects of sports photography but I have a few observations from viewing your images.
They images are good efforts and I’m sure the people involved would be delighted to have them.
With all types of photography it is important to show what you want the viewer to see and, if possible, to exclude anything that is not important or might distract the viewer from the main subject.
This can be achieved for example by zooming in to exclude distracting elements, changing your viewpoint so that unwanted elements are not in the frame and/or using an aperture setting that throws an unavoidable but distracting element out of focus.
In post processing cropping and other techniques can be used to improve your image.In #1 you have definitely shown the effort and determination of your subjects.
I’m not sure what aperture you used but maybe if it were opened up a bit more the background would be more out of focus and concentrate our attention on the players.
I notice that the line between the pitch and the ditch is sloping giving me the impression that the players were running downhill. :) Maybe more experienced sports photographers will inform us if this is something to be avoided…Nice action in #2 but I can’t help seeing that house. A different shooting position would have excluded it or if this wasn’t possible different aperture setting would blur it more.
The cars in #3 are nicely blurred moving a bit might have excluded them altogether.
You already mentioned that the subjects have their backs to us in #4 but you also mentioned a very important point. You like it and that is very important.
All the best.
John.
Thanks John. All valid points and appreciate the comments. The junior league soccer season will be starting soon for these two teams and the one in blue, Kinsalebeg, asked me during the summer break to be their “regular” photographer for as many games as I can as they try and increase on their membership pool with the aid of more media exposure in the locality. I will probably take them them up on it as it would enable me to get in more practise with this type of work and would lead to the occasional sale of a few images. the fact that their home pitch is only three miles away is handy as well!
regards
Gerry
Hi Gerry,
Good luck with the new season and your photography.
It’s nice to have a project to concentrate the mind as long as it stays fun and
dosen’t become like work.All the best,
John.
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