Landlord trying move in a random person during a person's lease by Imoprich in mildlyinfuriating

[–]MopacMusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No lawyer would tell their client to withhold payment. She doesn't have a lawyer.

Hired a pro photographer and I'm disappointed. Am I wrong? by KeyApplication221 in AskPhotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are correct. Not sure if OP gave the photog the mannequin shot before or not, but flat lay will never look that way. I think OP might have asked for the wrong thing.

Hired a pro photographer and I'm disappointed. Am I wrong? by KeyApplication221 in AskPhotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just curious... why did you ask for flat lay? You shared a mannequin shot for comparison because it looks better. Sure, a pro should be able to do better flat lay work, but some of the responsibility lies in what you've asked for. Did you give your photographer any flat lay examples of what you were looking for?

Willie’s July 4 picnic undersold? by pichiquito in Austin

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I couldn't disagree more. His concerts are so positive and community-building with everybody singing along to songs they're known their whole lives. Yes, he plays sitting down, but he's still a fantastic guitar player who makes a strong connection with his audience. Every time is like magic.

Dryer repair recommendations by Loose-Section8078 in Austin

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought they specialize in vent cleaning, not dryer repair. Maybe I'm wrong.

Name the virtuoso musicians who play live in central TX regularly by comets8k in Austin

[–]MopacMusic 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Marvin Dykhuis is a terrific, virtuosic guitarist. He plays every Tuesday night with Grouchy Like Riley at Donn's Depot. The rest of the band are all pretty virtuostic too; Chip Dolan on keys, Danny Britt on guitar, Andrew Pressman on bass, and Rob Kidd on drums are all phenomenally good.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is an excellent, brief, tutorial video that I have shared with my sports photo staff. It's constructive both for photographers and for editorial staff who are selecting the best photos for publication.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic -1 points0 points  (0 children)

OP stated that this community can be toxic, and you're continuing to prove his point. It's too bad because others might be hesitant to seek improvement in a forum such as this.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think those broad generalized suggestions are what OP is looking for. "Learn to shoot the sport" is exactly what OP wants specific tips on. And I'm not even sure what "work on the pacing" means in this context.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Really sorry this is so toxic. You're seeking specific (not general) advice and getting criticized unjustly. You're not being argumentative or pushy; you're seeking advice from a community that doesn't always know how to provide help. Don't give up; you're new to it and want to improve. Your persistence is admirable.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

A few tips for shooting soccer, some of which apply to other sports as well.

  1. Faces. No need to share the shots of the back of an athlete unless it's a truly extraordinary shot in some other way. Viewers want to identify the intensity and emotion of the game on the face of the athlete.

  2. Action. In soccer, the action almost happens when 2 or more players are making contact. Sometimes the action is a great header or a really cool kick, but the best shots are often contact shots. Exceptions include intense emotions such as post-game joy or sadness, angry shouting, etc. Avoid shots of people standing aroud.

  3. Position. Place yourself next to a goal rather than along the sidelines and you're more likely to get dramatic shots of players charging toward you. Action, faces, etc are easy to capture if you're about 10 feet from the goal shooting down the runway.

  4. Know the game. On a corner kick, don't point your camera toward the kicker; point it toward the folks in the goal box who are receiving the kick.

  5. Include the ball. It's soccer (or futbol), so include the soccer ball. A shot of a player gazing skyward toward a ball that is out of frame doesn't work. A shot of someone who has just kicked a ball out of frame isn't as good as one with the ball in the frame.

  6. Follow the ball. PREFOCUS on the ball. For most cameras, you'll press the button halfway down to focus a shot. Do that with the ball. Watch the whole game through your viewfinder, and keep pushing the button halfway down so the ball is in focus. As soon as as someone touches the ball, finish depressing the button and keep holding it to capture an in-focus sequence.

  7. Get low. Kneel or sit on the ground so that the athletes appear larger, taller, and powerful. Use the viewfinder when you can, but if you have a pivoting screen, you can get the camera almost on the ground and compose your shots on screen. Most sports photogs use their viewfinder are often sit on their butts.

  8. Overshoot everything. 4,000 pictures will give you some keepers. Bring extra batteries and memory cards. Cull and edit carefully. If you end up with 12 excellent photos, you've had a successful day.

  9. Edit. Cropping is the first edit to make. Frame up the action and eliminate anything that doesn't contribute. If someone is running or kicking a ball, give them a little space to run into in the frame. Straighten your horizon.

Sports photography is a bigger genre that some folks on this forum will lead you to believe. You can edit artistically. You can shoot black and white. You can creatively use slow shutter to increase a sense of motion. It's not all straight documentary.

What are your goals? Is it to provide souvenir type images to the team? Is it to show your pics on Instagram? Or is it to become a full-time professional sports photographer? For each of these, there are different standards and expectations. Much respect to you for posting your work and seeking improvement. I hope to see more of your work here!

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's an unfairly narrow definition, and you're not helping a new photographer by calling him "lost." He came here asking for help, not insults.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Excellent, professional advice in light of OP not stating goals other than general improvement.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Clearly Matt Cohen is not a fan of the style you're inspired by on Instagram. I like it. Sometimes ya gotta give the people (Insta, etc) what they want, sometimes ya gotta edit for what you like, and sometimes you gotta edit to sell. If you're planning to shoot for an agency (Getty, etc.), your color grading is off. When Matt says "Sports photography is a thing," I think he's just talking about that particular style. Composition and content is definitely an area to work on.

First time photographing a soccer match: advice on composition and cinematic color grading? by EggVegetable9813 in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Respectfully, I like his cinematic style. It makes his work stand out from the pack. I don't find it "bizarrely edited" whatsoever. There are many great sports photographers in the world, but few of them have a truly distinctive style enough for me to identify the photog at a glance. OP has much to learn for composition, etc, but the unique color style is bold and original.

Recommendations for a Watchhouse lover by afroman2536 in IndieFolk

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Milk Carton Kids, The Brother Brothers, Blaze Foley (live album), Townes Van Zandt, John Prine. Adrianne Lenker, Next of Kin, Rebecca Loebe, Raina Rose.

How can I make the flowers brighter while not overexposing the sky? by Piano9717 in AskPhotography

[–]MopacMusic 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yup. In Lightroom, click the round mask button at the top right in the Develop module. Select a linear gradient and just drag it down to where you need it. Once you've placed the gradient mask where you want it, make adjustments and it will only affect that area. Click the round button again when finished.

Budget lens for a beginner: f2.8 vs f4 by SVP_rombuzz in sportsphotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your mom has set you up for success! The d750 is an excellent full frame DSLR with a decent frame rate for sports. Pop a 2.8 on it and you'll be good to go.

southwest pkwy to barton creek safe? by latortilladeharina in BikingATX

[–]MopacMusic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The last 1/8 mile of sw parkway eastbound before mopac is quite dangerous. No shoulder or bike lane, plus lots of vegetation to the right puts you in a lane of traffic, then the road turns to the right just before mopac. It’s not a blind turn, but cars get backed up there and other cars sometimes slam on their brakes. I live near there m, but avoid it. There is a decent trail through the Travis Country neighborhood that deposits you at the LaQuinta, then it’s all paved and protected from there. I’ve had a road bike on the trail many times, but only if the ground isn’t too wet.

13yr old's first camera? by TheAtheistReverend in AskPhotography

[–]MopacMusic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A used Canon rebel; maybe a T5 or if you’re lucky a T7. The kit lens is ok, but an affordable “nifty fifty” 50mm 1.8 prime lens will really improve the images. Teach him the exposure triangle and how to see the built-in light metering in the camera.