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Photography Question 

David Crispin
 

Swim/Dive Team Group Photos


 
  Swim Team
Swim Team
Camera set on Programs Mode, shot in late morning

David Crispin

 
 
I am trying to photograph large swim/dive teams of about 60-90 members. Withought the use of any risers, I tried to arrange them approx. 20 wide x 4 rows (sitting, kneeling, standing, standing on bench). I posed them on the edge of the pool and placed the camera on the other side so I could get the pool allong the bottom. When I got the photos back, the group was too small and there was too much pool and sky in the photo. I am using a Nikon N80 with a 28-105 lens.

Is the another lens I should be using for this shot?


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June 18, 2003

 

Jon Close
  Your picture looks nice.
(a) How about you just enlarge and crop?
(b) Get closer [how deep is that pool? ;-)]
(c) I'm guessing from the position you took it that 175mm or 200mm would get you the framing you want.


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June 18, 2003

 

Maynard McKillen
  Dear David:
I agree with John.
Incidentally, did you have that 28-105 lens set at 105? If you did, that is some big pool. Try hopping onto one of those alligators in the foreground...


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June 19, 2003

 

David Crispin
  Honestly, I don't remember what the zoom was, this photo was taken last June (2002). I wanted to correct the problem before I shoot them again this season. I think the pool is about 35-40 feet wide.


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June 20, 2003

 

Maynard McKillen
  Dear David:
I take it you have access to this pool. You could take your camera and this photo to the pool site, set up cones or other easy to see objects in the places where the swimmer farthest to the right and farthest to the left were located, then stand acroos the pool in the location where you took the photo and see if you could, in fact, zoom in a bit more. As you can imagine, if you are able to zoom in more with the 28-105 zoom, you'll be ready to take the photo that you see in your mind.


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June 20, 2003

 

Luigi Val
  DEAR DAVID:
HI THERE TO YOU AND TO ALL OUR APPRECI
ATED COLLEAGUES.
DAVID,I PERSONALLY THINK YOU SHOULD TURN
YOUR OPTICAL POINT OF VIEW,ALL THE WAY
AROUND...I MEAN ,YOU SHOULD PLACE THE POOL,AT THE BACK OF THE SWIMMERS;AND
ARRANGE THEM IN THE FORM OF "DESCENDING
STEPS",USING "STADIUM FORM "BENCHES AND
AND PLACING YOURSELF, AT THE TOP OF A
LADDER,WHERE YOU CAN CAN COMPOSE AN ARTISTIC AND ATTRACTIVE PHOTO IN TWO
PARTS SHOOTING,WITH PERSPECTIVE...THEN
SCAN IT,PASTE IT ,AND PRINT IT...WHY GET
TRAPPED BY FORMAT LIMITATIONS IF YOU CAN
GET HELPED BY DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES...?
YOU CAN TRY USING WIDE ANGLE LENS,THAT
CAN GIVE PRIORITY TO YOUR "FRONT SPACE"
(SORRY MY ENGLISH IS A BIT LIMITED),AND
SHOW ALL THE REST IN A SHARP PERSPECTIVE
IN TWO PARTS SHOOTING,THAT WILL BECOME
ONE ,AFTER BEING DIGITALIZED....AND THERE YOU HAVE IT...
ONE SIMPLE AND HEARTFUL SUGGESTION WHEN
COMPOSING PICTURES: DO NOT READ YOUR
CLIENT'S INSTRUCTIONS SO TEXTUALLY...
RELAX,LET YOUR IMAGINATION AND KNOLEDGE
BE FLEXIBLE,INNOVATIVE,CREATIVE,DO NOT
FREEZE...REMEMBER PHOTOGRAPHY IS A CREATIVE VISUAL ILUSION....GOOD LUCK!!!
TELL US HOW IT WENT, AND SEND US A COPY.
HAVE FUN...
LUIGI VAL (OR L. VALCARCEL)


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July 01, 2003

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
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  First, that guy needs to turn off the caps lock, you're hurting my eyes!!!
You're easiest choice that come to my mind is to change your posing of the swimmers. Since you said around 60 people, you could try having 15 people sit on the edge of the pool with feet in water, have another 15 on one or two knees right behind them. Have a third row of 15 standing behind the 2nd row but bending over and resting their hands on the shoulders of the people in the 2nd row. Then have a fourth row of people standing straight up.
Or what could be better still is to do the same thing, but have them at the corner of the pool, and have them bending around the corner. And you could take the picture from in the water.
Or you could put the swimmers in the pool and shoot down from a life guard tower.


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November 26, 2003

 

David Crispin
 
 
  Swim 2003
Swim 2003
28-105 lens, early morning.

David Crispin

 
 
For this year's photos, I decided to invest in some portable risers. This is the same swim club as last year. You can really see the difference the risers make. I still used my Nikon N80 with a 28-105 lens.


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November 26, 2003

 
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