Weekly Competition #228 - Human Sporting Emotion Competition

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who entered this week's competition. Numbers down from last week for some reason. Maybe you were taking it easy on me as this is my first time judging? Anyway without further adieu and with slight apprehension here goes. Remember I’m a novice at this lark but I’ve tried to be as honest as I can.

Practise makes perfect - beebee
Think there is too much going on whilst at the same time not enough in this shot for it to work beebee (if that makes sense). The guy in front is really straining and you can see the effort being given but you have to look for him in the picture. If everyone in the shot had been displaying that same effort you might have got something

Waiting For The Pass - Frankie

The slow shutter speed Frankie makes the image too soft to be properly considered. If you'd have upped ISO to get a faster shutter then this could have been a very nice shot

Sports Day Concentration -jaspers45

What a fantastic shot jasper. Everything is hanging on that beanbag dropping into the bucket. The mid-air beanbag, the eyes of every child being trained on it and the way they are framed in the shot make it a clinker IMO.

On the rivet - sandinista

A very well captured shot. Well framed and good focus. I think the leaders sunglasses are masking some of the facial expression making it quite hard to read (cyclist can look expressionless such is their fitness levels). I find myself becoming more interested in the second place guy with his intense stare as he gasps for more air

determined - nipper

Wide eyed, total focus. Well captured. I think the helmet though is hiding too much to enable me to read him (although his health and safety doesn't really care too much about that)

Three Legged Race -darlene

A fun shot that fits the criteria of the competition. Good facial expressions, but its too soft possibly due to the slowish shutter speed (for fast moving objects) and/or focus being on the truck instead of the athletes. Also the lady in the shot looks as if she’s been blurred in PP? Is she a spy?

Mass sacking in Dorset - TOZZA27

The more I look at this picture, the more I smile at this well captured moment. Nothing like adults humiliating themselves to bring smiles to peoples faces. I keep wanting to see what the contestants look like from the crowd’s perspective

The Pose of a Winner! - darkskies

Indeed . Like the smug slanted lip and hand gestures. Who’s the man? .....I'm the man. Well captured in what look like very bright conditions. I don't mind the people below the press sign, but think the cyclist would stand a bit more if the lady behind him wasn't there but that’s nit picking.

Elizabeth Victorious - johnriley

Didn't your mother tell you John, that playing with swords is all fun and games until someone loses an arm? Viewed large I'm really taken by the lighting and detail captured in the suits. Very well framed, but I think Elizabeth’s eyes and smile gives away the fact that the shot is staged rather than fo real. OK that and the fact a real sword is being used.

No summit - AxelLuther

Zugspitze I presume Axel? Have snowboarded in Ehrwald and Zugspitze strikes an impressive pose from there. Exhaustion and disappointment exposes a very honest yet flat facial response so I get what this picture is saying. The information provided helps bring this shot to life. Didn't think I would like the heavy patination but it really works IMO. Somehow draws the focus onto the subject in the difficult environment he’s in.

dance competition - geordie01

Not something you see every day. Well not where I live. The apathetic crowd and the fact the two subjects in front aren't both sharp stops me taking a real interest in them. It’s also a bit overly saturated on the left hand side. Going to iso400/800 may have improved things

Hold On - DrOrloff

Fantastic capture DrO. Body position and expression of the rider tells its own tale. The fact the horse is in mid air also helps bring the shot to life. Quite funny the difference between the man in the ring and those (I presume) on the right hand side waiting to go after him

Shanghai Rugby Sevens - frogfish

Again another quality exposure. Focus is spot on. Player with the ball and the man tackling him have fantastic (textbook) facial expressions. The detail in the forearm also adds to the energy in the shot. Think it would really pop if they could have been captured in isolation or at least with the guy in the foreground not being there. I'm sure if you'd have asked nicely ;D

Right Hook - RPLSF

Very cute. For such a slow shutter, this came out well. You call almost see the parental encouragement as she delivers the blow. As regards "Just like Dad", are you talking about the hair comb over or her ability to punch?

Cry-baby is OUT!!! - JudithAnn

Refereeeee!!!! There's a bit of controversy alright judging by what looks like remonstrations. Really nice black and white JA. The brighter OOF background brings the main slightly darker (but well highlighted) subjects right out. I'm left wondering though if the kids aren't complaining at the length of the grass?

Concentration on Wheels - paulgee20

Wonderful framing paul. These boys make it look easy don't they. Too easy I think for it to display human emotion…like robots. There also looks to be some motion blur that becomes more apparent when viewed large. I think cyclists would love this shot if it was a tad sharper.

Concentration - alexfilipov

Great shot alex. Focus and timing superb (better IMO than the shot you entered for “good timing” a few weeks back). The OOF scrub is a great backdrop. The shell in mid air really helps bring the shot to life as we know precisely the moment we're looking at. Classic turned in bottom lip as he holds steady. As regards composition could you not have moved slightly further to the left

Keep on keeping on - dannyh

I have struggled with this shot dannyh. Part of me steps back and thinks the main subject is too dark and therefore lacking any real pop. Then I find myself having to look closer and then she comes to life. I think this one is marmite which I happen to like.

The joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat - ArsenAl

Fantastic capture ArsenAl. A brilliant, poignant moment in time. Joy, disappointment as well as exhaustion laid bare all in one shot. Once again the story adds to the enjoyment of the viewing experience but it works just as well standing on its own.

All the Emotions - Hyram

Yeah...it's alright for them two, they don't have to race . A bit of apprehensive contemplation in the mind of the jockey if I'm reading him right. Maybe he's spotted the lady in black accepting a bung . On a more serious note, I really like the framing of this shot. Good lines and colour. The main horse and rider are tack sharp giving them a very good presence in the shot.



Found myself having difficulty choosing a winner out of my two favourites as well as placing my third place (so I chickened out)

I’m now happy with the decisions made. The winners are….


First Place: ArsenAl-The joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat.

Second Place: jaspers45 - Sports Day Concentration

Third place: frogfish - Shanghai Rugby Sevens
AxelLuther - No summit



Highly Commended: DrOrloff - Hold On
JudithAnn - Cry-baby is OUT!!!
alexfilipov - Concentration


Well done

Thank you to our Judge...are you sure this was your first time? That was done so very well done!

Congrats to ArsenAl.... and all the runners-up.

(To Sean...:shocko not lement the lower number....especially for your first go...)


Regards:
JA

Ha ha ha that really made me laugh no-ones every called my pictures marmite before great comment and I do know what you mean. Thanks for the hardwork judging, Dan

Thanks Sean for the honest judging and helpful advice. Congratulations to ArsenAl and all the other winners. My favorite was Sports Day Concentration. I loved the positioning of the children, all trying to see what was happening.

Well done wiith your first judging Sean - you did really well and the prompt posting of the results is always appreciated by everyone.

Congrats to ArsenAl for the great shot!

Pentax is maybe not renowned for sports photography (yet!) - but this has made for a rather eclectic field of sports shots. Well done Sean and all - as has been and will be said - do not read anything into comp numbers they vary week to week subject to subject.

A really good 'on subject' clear winner for me - well done ArsenaAl

Thanks for the judging Sean - good fun shots and a worthy winner.Well done all - I must admit , this being a "family" site , I didn`t think the photos of the contestants faces were suitable !! Emma`s friends are uber competitive and some of the grimaces were scary !!!!

Tony

Hi Sean, you did a great job judging (and not just because you liked my pic:wink.

It is always very gratifying when you get positive feedback from anyone about a photo, I really appreciate it.

I think the winner was really very good indeed, congratulations to ArsenAl. I also really liked Dr O's rodeo pic- but Dr O- you are too good, can't have you winning every week can we .

Reallyintersting topic (wonder why it took so long till we got this topic ) and a great judging. Also some very impressive entries (with wonderfull emotional faces). The winning photo is also one of my favorites - as it so much shows both sides of competitions

Congratulations to ArsenAl - a worthy winner.

Many thanks to Sean282 for the excellent judging and the competition.

It only occurred to me at the last minute that I had something suitable to enter

Wow! I turns out to winners today! thank you for this judge! as well as Iranian and Belarusian wrestlers is their emotions have made this shot a winner .. I congratulate the other winners!

Excellent comp subject Sean and top quality judging. Well done Arsen a worthy winner if I ever saw one. Congrats to places and HCs and all round

Well that was fun. Excellent judging and comments and a worthy winner ... as soon as I looked through the entries I thought .... that one, the Wrestlers, a clear winner. Some other great shots too .... Jasper's made me laugh, the looks on the children's faces is so precious.

Thank you Sean for the fine comments and judging, All the placements absolutely deserving.

Let me start by saying I totally agree with the choice of winner.

Response to critique
Practise makes perfect - beebee
Think there is too much going on whilst at the same time not enough in this shot for it to work beebee (if that makes sense). The guy in front is really straining and you can see the effort being given but you have to look for him in the picture. If everyone in the shot had been displaying that same effort you might have got something.

I realise that each competition is unique and the results are the individual judge’s opinion – and that is what makes it so special. But I am at a lost as to why the image I submitted had ‘too much but not enough’. I read your critique and am still none the wiser – what I saw in the image were 3 levels of emotion – relief from the lad that had ‘done his bit’ - to the lad that was ‘giving his all’ - to the pairing where the concentration of the ‘giver’ was total - to the ‘receiver’ who had complete faith in the arrival of the baton.

After rereading the competition blurb I still can’t see why the image was disregarded so completely.

- which focused on the expression of concentration, effort, emotion etc etc
- capture these raw moments in
- the human expression

I know it wasn’t the best of images and didn’t deserve to be placed against the excellent entries – but for you to see nothing leaves me speechless (well, not quite speechless). Then again – we all ‘see’ something different in each other’s images.

It is very unlike me to take offence at any critique but I felt this time it was all negative and gave me no feedback other than to have more 'expressions'!!!

Well done ArsenAl. Great shot!

And well done Sean for the judging.

Congratulations, Arsen! Классно получилось! As soon as I saw your photo I knew it was the winner!

Thanks to Sean for the perfect first judging and for my HC!

Regarding the comments: I like the previous picture better since it showed a double "tap" (2 shells in the air, 0.2 sec split time) which is quite hard to achieve even if you know the particular shooter's style. As for the composition... I have used a tripod with a remote, according to IPSC safety regulations. I'm no good at post-processing, hence the scrub in the background.. it was my only "sports" picture that showed a face

beebee- don't worry about it - its a bit of fun.

If you enter you should be prepared to accept the judges comments and move on- the judge donates time and effort here so i think we should be magnanimous whether we agree with the critique or not.

Got any good horse shots? i know I aint

Nope - no horses - happy to move on - just needed to say that maybe it wasn't completely clear what was expected - did have other shots that I wish I had put in - horses would be easier - a horse is a horse is a horse - can't go wrong (or can you?) lol

[quote:3496ace15f="japers45"]beebee- don't worry about it - its a bit of fun.

If you enter you should be prepared to accept the judges comments and move on- the judge donates time and effort here so i think we should be magnanimous whether we agree with the critique or not.

Got any good horse shots? i know I aint[/quote

Have already moved on - been in the judges seat myself so I know it's a very personal choice - it was a good subject - just the goalposts appeared to move for different images - I say again I agreed with most of the choices as they were strong images

Its very possible I may have missed something in some shots that others may really appreciate. Could I suggest you upload to the gallery or photos section so that others can give their opinions? Would help us both I reckon. I'm totally ok with being wrong. There's every chance I am

You were not wrong - at all - some of the comments contradicted each other - I wish I had time to post more images - New Year's resolution (again) - I am trying to improved portraiture so maybe I should post them for critique

Maybe wrong was the wrong word beebee. Blind is what I should have said . Some of us see and appreciate different things, sometimes we're more connected to a subject and that brings shots to life for that individual...I don't know really.

Just as an example...look at the worlds most expensive photograph thread. I personally would have deleted that shot if I'd have taken it whereas some boy paid millions for it.