Ron Davis
May 2022 - Mayhem in the Goal
About the Image(s)
Over the last few weeks, I have made a concerted effort to take some photos of one of Australia's least publicised sports Field Hockey. While not publicised Australia is one of the best performed countries internationally. The team I have been watching is Doncaster HC a top side in Victoria’s Premier Division.
This photo was taken in the goal mouth where I found attacking players taking repeated shots at goal with the goal keeper kicking and other defending players swinging sticks at the ball defending. With no offside rule in hockey attacking was the preferred style of play with fast breaks on both sides of the ground, far better to watch than the slow-moving
defensive game of soccer.
Camera Pentax K-S2. Lens Pentax DA 55-300mm 1/2000 F4.5 ISO 1000 Taken at 170mm
Processing Lightroom Auto. Sharpening, some Noise removal, Increased Saturation and Luminance on Yellows and skins of players. Photo taken on shaded side of ground, awkward as camera settings set for sunny part of ground about 75%. sunshine.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
11 comments posted
Ward Conaway
Well done, Ron -
This is a good action shot during a field hockey [aka "land hockey" :) ] match. Lots of action and visible faces. The "floating" hockey stick adds interest and some amusement. Try cropping a little off of the left side [while keeping the floating stick] to see if that balances the composition; it puts the goal keeper's face, and the heads of the two standing players, on or near the vertical third lines of the image. Posted: 05/18/2022 16:29:32
This is a good action shot during a field hockey [aka "land hockey" :) ] match. Lots of action and visible faces. The "floating" hockey stick adds interest and some amusement. Try cropping a little off of the left side [while keeping the floating stick] to see if that balances the composition; it puts the goal keeper's face, and the heads of the two standing players, on or near the vertical third lines of the image. Posted: 05/18/2022 16:29:32
Thanks, Ward, for reply and comments. Yes, I thought about cropping left as well my only consideration is confusing people/judges about the left goal post giving some a view of he's just hitting the ball into a cyclone wire fence. I submitted this photo into our local club competition for June this year in Open section (2 photos per month). You edited my original title leaving of "square" I realise in field hockey it is a half-circle, goals can only be scored from within this region. Posted: 05/18/2022 18:05:12
Ward Conaway
Sorry Ron, but I don't understand about editing the title and "square". "Mayhem in the Goal" is a fine title, and I didn't edit it. Please enlighten me.
As to my cropping suggestion, the cropped image leaves enough of the goal net that it is obvious, to me at least, that they are not shooting at a fence.
BTW, how did this image do in your local competition? Posted: 05/18/2022 18:26:22
As to my cropping suggestion, the cropped image leaves enough of the goal net that it is obvious, to me at least, that they are not shooting at a fence.
BTW, how did this image do in your local competition? Posted: 05/18/2022 18:26:22
Sorry for the confusion I realise I called the photo I entered in our club competition Square. Just a hangover expression from Australian Rules Football filtering its way into hockey, my mistake. Posted: 05/18/2022 19:38:49
Good action. Field hockey is a sport we don't normally see. You've got the shooter and the goalie, as well as a defender. Perhaps Ward's crop does tighten the photo. It will leave out part of the goal, but does improve the composition. Nice sports photo.
Posted: 05/19/2022 04:26:18
Posted: 05/19/2022 04:26:18
Karen. It's interesting you say field hockey not played much in US. Low profile sport in Australia except when Olympics and Commonwealth Games emerge. One of its redeeming features is that it is played as a mixed adult sport at lower levels. A grade night competition in Melbourne played both men and women same sides, no direct body contact helps but power hitting male strikers don't hold back on penalty corners with ladies forming the defense in goals. For women to be accepted on parity with men I can only see mixed sports being tolerated. For the male dominated sports rules will have to be changed as they have been for the last couple of years even to protect males against other males. Posted: 05/19/2022 17:17:55
I didn't realize field hockey could be coed. Local rugby usually has both mens and women's teams, but they play separately. Volleyball is a popular coed game when played casually. Posted: 05/20/2022 00:41:12
I like the expressions on the two faces that are not covered by a mask. I wish the official in the pink shirt wasn't there. He's a real distraction and draws your eye away from the action. But there's nothing you can do about that. I think I would crop all the way to the blue post. Posted: 05/22/2022 18:40:29
You have definitely captured the mayhem at the goal areas. I am having a hard time figuring out where the goal ends and what part of the image is the arena fence or maybe I just don't understand the game. Posted: 05/26/2022 16:42:16
Hi John. From Wards and Karens comments more cropping is needed but you have said exactly what I thought before I submitted the photo. Will viewers become confused as to where the goal is as opposed to the fence behind which is very close only 2 metres. Always a problem when photos move across borders, even Rugby and Rugby League is not understood by Australian Victorians, its said to be a New South Wales and Queensland game, even to the extent of being part of state loyality, National competitions have watered this issue down. Posted: 05/27/2022 22:19:39
In Europa is field hockey not good known. Here are popular just football, basketball, volleyball and ice hockey.
Due to all the nets I have also looking for where the goal is. If you crop from the left, it won't be seen.
Image is soft, perhaps due to high ISO and noise removing.
Good to see the ball. I couldn't imagine, what the stick is dooing in the middle. One player covers face of another, and the judge would be better not to be in the photo.
Posted: 05/28/2022 15:44:34
Due to all the nets I have also looking for where the goal is. If you crop from the left, it won't be seen.
Image is soft, perhaps due to high ISO and noise removing.
Good to see the ball. I couldn't imagine, what the stick is dooing in the middle. One player covers face of another, and the judge would be better not to be in the photo.
Posted: 05/28/2022 15:44:34