ZAP the ZAPPERS 4: Timing Ain't Everything

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Will the readers be making a racket over this frame?

By Adorama Learning Center Editors

September 3, 2010

How will you ZAP PhotoZAPPER Jack Howard about this mid-serve shot from the US Open? Let us know what you think!


 

New to ZAP the ZAPPERS? Here's how it works!

 

Tech Specs: Olympus E-620 with Olympus Zuiko 150mm f/2.0 lens. Manually exposed at 1/1600 @ f/4.0 @ ISO 100. Cropping and contrast pop applied to Olympus ORF Raw file in Adobe Camera Raw 6.

 

Photographer's Statement: Nailing the ball on the racket during a serve is a good thing, but there's so much about this frame that doesn't hold up. Yes, the timing is perfect, but the angle is exceedingly awkward (and don't even think about what's going on with that shadow-racket!) The shutter speed is fast enough to freeze the moment, but that f/4 aperture from a distance gives too much depth of field and there's not enough subject/background separation from the pit photographer who is lined up exactly opposite our shooting position.

 

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Reader Rating and Comments

8 readers rated this article. Average rating: 2.0 stars
 
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0 of 0 people found this comment helpful
 
All of the above!!!

This image generated the best range of comments. "My first thought on looking at this is why did you select it?" "What a nice addition the photographer in the background is" "The background photographer is distracting, " ying/yang "Grab that big white lens " "I wish you had moved to your right " classic! Jack, what do you want to use this for? Save it, what the heck! terabytes are cheap!

by rjsphoto in Palmerton, Pa. USA on September 9, 2010

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful
 
What?

My first thought on looking at this is why did you select it? What are you trying to communicate? Is the photographer part of the story? The shapes are interesting I suppose. I like the shadow. In the end though it is too busy and I just don't get it....

by Pancho in Calgary, AB on September 7, 2010

2 of 2 people found this comment helpful
 
Story within a story

What a nice addition the photographer in the background is. We look at him and think what a great shot he is getting! Wait a minute, this isn't a documentary or a movie. Without him, this would be just another great tennis shot. With him, there is another dimension to it. There is a relationship in the picture, not just between the player and the ball, but between two persons - one we know and one whom we don't.

by MB in Dayton, OH on September 6, 2010

1 of 1 people found this comment helpful
 
Delete button...

What I like: Stop action in the air. Ladies watching where that ball went. Capture of the effort of the serve. What might work better: Grab that big white lens off the bench and cross the court diagonally. This would be such a great shot if the photographer was facing the athlete so we could see the face of the athlete more full on. That would also loose the other photographer and decrease the DOF.

by Bob K in Tulsa, OK on September 5, 2010

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful
 
Too much DOF

This is a good stop action shot. Unfortunately the merge with the photographer on the other side of the court is way too distracting. All of background is way too distracting. I had initially not noticed the ball. A slightly slower shutter speed, and thus a wider aperture, would have given the ball a little more blur and helped the DOF. Composition maybe a little too verticle. Unfortunately, getting a shot like this twice is asking a little too much. All in all a great shot.

by AJ in Texas on September 5, 2010

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful
 
Weakest composition

This is the weakest composition of the group of four images. The background photographer is distracting, as is the dual glare on the empty seats. At minimum, fix the glare in post (dodge or clone). Racquet in profile is hard to pick out. Player's face not shown well. The player's shadow is the most intriguing part of the capture. I wish you had moved to your right to show me a picture of the serve by the live player and his shadow. Or, as suggested by the shadow, an underexposed profile of the server might be interesting if you could get a lower sightline and show the server's underexposed outline against the sky or an out-of-focus neutral background. Back-focusing again? Lens bokeh is harsh.

by Charleston Dave in Charleston, SC on September 5, 2010

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful
 
Try Again

Unfortunately, this shot has too many things working against it for salvage and belongs in the discard pile. Take this same shot when Novak is serving from the deuce (right) side and you’d have a winner. The current position puts the subject too close to a very distracting background that even at f2.8 would still be bad. It would be interesting to see this shot from the other side from a low perspective as well. I think you’d get a better sense of height and intensity of the serve if this were shot from the ground and slightly in front looking up at Novak.

by Mike in CO on September 5, 2010

0 of 0 people found this comment helpful
 
Very distracting

The photographer in the background is to distracting... As you are teaching me the jumps are better captured when the camera is lower...

by CHPTma in México on September 3, 2010

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