Comments on: Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage

By: Ronan Palliser

Ronan Palliser — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:50:30 +0000

Funny you should say that JC – I had this on display in a camera club competition last night, projected on to a big(ish) screen and could see how a panorama crop would work well also – one to try for a print perhaps. Then again, someone later commented on how they liked seeing the trees and the houses as context showing this was a local game.

By: JC Dill

JC Dill — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:41:22 +0000

This is from someone who hasn’t ever seen rugby played, strictly from a “viewing this photograph” perspective. I’m sure rugby fans are already strongly drawn in to look at the action no matter how distracting other elements might be in the photo.

As I scrolled down to read your article, the image scrolled partway off the top of my screen. The resulting shot showed just the lower floors of the houses in the background, eliminating most of the sky. It really drew my attention in to the players in a way the full image failed. I think this is because of how a view’s eye is drawn first to the highlight areas in an image, which in this shot means the clouds in the sky and white paint on all the houses in the background keep drawing the viewer’s eye to the top half of the image.

If you crop it to a panorama – cropping just above the referee’s head – the viewer’s eye is drawn more to the shadows, trying to seek out the ball, trying to learn all there is to learn about the action going on down in the mud. The colors on the jerseys stand out more (not competing with the sky and houses), etc.

I hope your BIL’s teammate heals quickly!

By: Ronan Palliser

Ronan Palliser — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:01:21 +0000

Thanks Bruce, both for reading and for the tips. They’re really good. I just had a quick look at your blog and it looks great… you have some great rugby shots and other off-camera flash stuff there that I’ll look in more detail at when I get a chance. Keep posting yourself, even irregularly! Thanks again.

By: Bruce Elliott

Bruce Elliott — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:53:51 +0000

This is my every Saturday afternoon! I follow Tunbridge Wells Rugby Club around and shoot for their 1sts each week.

There are several good shots to get at a scrum… The front row just about to crouch (either from the side or behind the posts if they’re close to the try line and if their opponents drop first!) can be good. The scrumhalf putting the ball in from the opposite side of the scrum is difficult… as soon as he drops to put the ball in you lose his face. Watch for him raising the ball above the scrum just before the put in if that’s the shot you want. The other shot is to drop behind the scrum and go for the scrumhalf diving to get the ball away to his backs.

I enjoy your blog. Keep posting. Sadly I don’t have the discipline to post regularly myself!