[Leica] Ice hockey shots, wide open (TO TED)

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Didier Ludwig said:
Subject: Re: [Leica] Ice hockey shots, wide open (TO TED)

>>> Yes, I want to improve my shooting. I will put my focus on the puck,
> scoring and jubilating; change my position, focus in advance and use a 
> longer lens (75mm as I dont have 85/90, 135 seemed too long to 
> me).<<<<<<<<<

Didier,
The 75 should be about perfect when you concentrate on the action at the 
goal. The 135 from the inline with net side position at ice level is too 
long and I'd concentrate with the 75.

Either focus on the goalie when he's standing in the goal or on the nearest 
goal post to you. Then when the action happens you only have to make minor 
focus adjustments if any. The more games you shoot the better you will 
become. It's like anything you attempt,  the more you do it the better you 
get.

> No, this picture is NOT one of my all-time best 10 pictures - I dont have 
> any all-time best 10 pictures at all (following H.C.-B.'s rule "Your first 
> ten thousand frames are your worst" I have to finish those 10'000 
> before).<<<<<,,,

No not at all, because some of your best pictures will be one of the first 
you ever take simply because you like what you see and shoot! You do this in 
all innocents of not knowing all the so called rules of photography, it's 
your eye that counts more than shooting 10,000 frames. Simply because some 
people make 10,000 exposures and they never have keepers! ;-)

>>(following H.C.-B.'s rule "Your first ten thousand frames are your worst" 
>><<<

That's only his opinion. ;-) I agree to a point, but it isn't written in 
stone! And I'd dismiss it as it'll keep you awake at night with nightmares! 
Don't even think about it other wise you'll put the camera to your eye and 
you'll be thinking something like..." Now I only 9,999 more to go!" Instead 
of concentrating on the subject before you!

> It will maybe take some time until I post any pictures again, as I want to 
> improve. But I will never be able to shoot my boy scoring he is the 
> goalkeeper... :-)<<<<<<<

But that is much better because he stays in one place and you have the 
opportunity to shoot more frames of him ___ "saving a goal from being 
scored." __ Don't forget a hockey team is only as good as their guy keeping 
the puck out of the net! ;-) So concentrate on him and don't worry about the 
others skating all over the place. Besides some of the most dramatic 
pictures come from right in front of the goal mouth.

It's much better to post without fear of whether your picture is good, bad, 
ugly or the most beautiful photograph in the world. One can only learn from 
the comments of others about their pictures, many on the list will attest to 
learning by posting.

You will learn to swallow hard about some comments, goes with the territory 
of posting and learning. But it's much better to post than not to simply 
because if you don't, you'll only have the opinion of family  ( they will 
only praise.) ;-) My wife and mother in the beginning did that when I too 
was learning. However after 54 years since Irene gave me my first camera as 
a birthday gift to start me on this crazy life as a photographer, sometimes 
I wish she didn't give an opinion! ;-) Oh she can be so brutal at times! 
:-(  But after all these years she's 99.999% correct! :-)

It's better to post than not to post at all! Please keep them coming!

ted