Go Photo: If I can do it, anyone can
November 30, 2010 2 Comments
Following on from the photography competition we launched last week I thought it only fair that I offer some examples of my attempts at photography. I want to prove that it really is easy to get involved in photography (note I didn’t say it was easy to be a good photographer before all you pro snappers get angry) and reiterate again how important it can be as a journalist.
After my references to my sports photographer in this morning’s post I thought I would continue with that theme….
Taken at the clash between Birmingham and Loughborough
This shot was taken whilst I was sports editor at my university paper. Looking to hone my skills as a photographer I went along to the University of Birmingham Women’s 1st team versus Loughborough University Women’s 1st team in what turned out to be an epic lacrosse match. So good in fact that we used it on the back page and were therefore grateful of having lots of shots to choose from. As you can see, this is not the best quality picture. Slightly blurred due to how dark it was, it nevertheless fitted perfectly with the mood of the article: Birmingham emerged narrow victors and so the image of a Birmingham attacker narrowly evading her opponent’s fitted nicely with the tone of the report.
Birmingham's footballers look gutted
Once again not a great quality picture, but with limited photographers available on this day my amateur shots were useful. The light was fading not only in the sky because so too were the hopes of Birmingham’s women’s 1st team as they were thumped by Leeds Met. The report stated that Birmingham had put in a lot of effort but were simply beaten by a far superior team. This photo, elped to assist the mood of the report: the girls looking tired and out of ideas after conceding another goal.
So as you can see we aren’t looking for amazing shots for this competition, just evidence of someone giving photography a go and capturing an image which would help an article or report when it comes to producing copy.
Email your entries to hacks@wannabehacks.co.uk and you could well be winning some top-notch calendars – courtesy of Wonkyfrog – just in time for Christmas.
About The Chancer
The Maverick
arowbin
benwhitelaw
The Chancer
Ned
Matthew Caines
Nick Petrie
Wannabe Hacks 
What camera were you using?
Crop the second picture to increase the focus on the four figures in the centre of the shot, as you apparently want to empathize exhaustion and dejection at the loss.
Lot of techniques these days to improve on brightness – Paint.Net (poor man’s/non-pirate’s Photoshop) has a feature which can alleviate dark without luminscence degrading the shot, up to about 20-25 on the slider depending on the pic. In this country in any season a flashgun is a helpful solution.
D3100 is a good DSLR. Recent refinement of the D3000 with a swanky new sensor. Price for it with a kit lens is a bit over its predecessor due apparently to certain stores having stock issues and also the age of the model. Several models were far cheaper back in summer. Aperture is very adaptable – compact landscape lenses right up to lengthy telephotos one associates with sports photography fit. A nice one of those will be a good few grand used and usually get provided by media firms for journos anyhow.
If weight is an issue there’s Canon which are generally lighter. I’ve a friend in Scotland who swears by her 1000D: the colours it produces are vivid but not washed out, imbue warmth indoors. Depends what you like. One of those is cheaper but again much pricier than a few months back when stock was better in a lot of big stores. Wise to wait awhile till cost goes back to about £330-350.
Wouldn’t just read reviews online though; go to shops and exchanges to try out models. Get the feel of various ones, ask questions, ideas of prices, haggle etc. Bargains to be had; I got a decent second-hand 18-200 all purpose Nikkor for almost 200 under the RRP, bloke threw in a filter too. Superb glass going strong thousands of shots in. That said I’m not fussed on the VR function. In motion-intensive stuff like sports logic suggests It’ll earn its keep easier – also given the shutter speed of the models mentioned it could be valuable in tandem with AF, whereas for faster expensive models one can be snap-happy…get away with a few blurry or otherwise poor pics.
Something to be said for saving up and refraining from getting hammered over Christmas. I find photography a situational, occasional pleasure that gratifys proportional to effort. More to show for it in any case, just don’t bother buying lower-end DSLRs till Amazon and the like get their stock and offers back.
Pete, editor at Dirty Garnet.
Sorry Pete, so much info I forgot you asked a question!
It was taken on my now quite old Sony a200 with a Tamron lens of which I can’t remember the specs…..