Anytime I shoot a game, I try to share little tidbits of what I’ve learned in order to help my fellow shooters, so I made this demotivational poster (with a shot from my Patriots/Bucs game last week) to remind us all that Focus is more than just a word — it’s a five-letter word. I have no idea what that means. Enjoy.
It’s a bit blurry but I think I see your point :D
Yep, been there, done that. But truthfully describes most sports photos.
Classic!
Thanks for sharing Scott……I so know what you mean. Where can I buy the poster?
Scott, ever been fishing? The biggest trout let the food come to them. Wait for it, brother. That game winning 99 yard interception is coming your way. Aren’t you glad you’re not shooting film?
You are too funny! Â Thanks for sharing and thanks for the smile.Â
Lol. Good one Scott. Next time can we see the shots of the refs getting in your way!
Ahhhh, if there was only just one….. ;-)
Almost as inspirational as the Bill Fortney post from Friday!
You should make that image B&W with only the player and the ball in Color then..
Bruno — now that would have taken it over the top!!!! LOL!!!! :-)
 So good to know everyone does this once in awhile. I love you for not taking yourself too seriously! Thanks for sharing!
If you would like to donate your gear you can post them for me ;) to Finland.
Love your photography and Kelby media productions
Scott, very comical post. It happens to the best of us!!!
Scott,
Thanks for the laugh. I was having a bad photography day. But if you can laugh at a goof than I guess I can too.
It’s that laughing that keeps us from crying. LOL!!! ;-)
Scott, just crank up the Clarity. Everything will look great!
Clarity is the key to life [insert gong sound].
I love how you share everything. The thing I seem to have the most trouble with is to remember to check my settings before I put the camera up to take a photo… hmmm,.. that is blurry! Oh yeah… still on manual focus from last night. darn… it would have been a good one.
A shot a country band at a bar one night, then had a dawn shoot at Monument Valley (my one and only time there) and forgot to reset my ISO from 1,600 down to 100 (on a camera that didn’t do 1,600 ISO very well), and all my Monument Valley shots are at 1,600 ISO. On a tripod. :(
Oh Lord, done that too! Embarrassing!
 Oh yeah… kinda like getting that never will happen again shot only to discover the ISO should have been 200 and it was 2500. Made me sick…
I must tell you that if you are ever in the Detroit area… well actually anywhere in Michigan, I would love to buy you lunch and chat.
I’m just so glad that I’m not the only one. Â Thank you.
People always look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them I take 2000+ pictures at a HS basketball game, and only keep about 200… If only they knew what those other 1800 look like…
 Hey Alex,
How did you get 200 keepers … All I can manage is around 75 to 100! :-)
Me too!!! If I get 75 to 100, I’m insanely happy!Â
I will take 700-1000 at a youth football game and only share the 30 – 40 best with the group. It kills my wife as she wants me to post all of them, but if there is anything Kelby has taught me it is show only the best (unless you are teaching of course).
We must remember Bill Fortney’s point #5.
Post it on Flickr, people will love it. Lol
Scott, Every photographer has had moments like this but they’re rarely shared. We all know the exhilaration of “nailing” a shot and we’ve all had (a lot of) shots like your example. I LOVE that you shared it because it shows that even pros like you miss a few shots on your way to “nailing it.”
ahhh, it were actually were only a few. LOL!! ;-)
Scott … you crack me up! :-) It’s good to know that now and then ….. you’re like the rest of us! :-) Have a Great Time at Photoshop World, and it was great meeting you at the Denver Seminar! I learned a bunch!
Thanks,
Dennis
Not sure if you noticed, but I think you did catch at least the shoe of the receiver catching the touchdown. Great, don’t give up yet ;-)
Tom — it’s a miracle! A Christmas miracle!!!! (Hey, a foot’s a start). LOL!Â
Love it!! Thanks for sharing! It makes us who are just learning the camera feel a lot better when a pro like you can’t get it right!!Â
May I recommend KelbyTraining.com as a source of learning how to take good infocus shots ;-)
LOL! Love it – and reading all the comments make it even better. :)
Consolation prize … Taking home the monopod in one piece!
That’s true! We know — it can certainly go the other way! :-)
Hey, that’s my home Team! The Bucs squeaked by on that one! Â Thanks for making me feel a lot better about the shots I have to delete…..even in nature photography! Â oyyy
Been there done that! All part of shooting a game.
I do a lot of cycling photography and there are days that I don’t feel like I can do anything right, from finding the right location getting files in focus. I have wanted to to dump my gear. Then I meet someone, who just does it for fun, (I guess seeing guys in Lycra) and I change my prospective. I usually get one good shot and of course if I can I try new techniques. In the end try to have fun. I know it’s a jog
O know a good site you could get some hel from LOL
The fact that you own up to your own mistakes makes you who you are.
Â
Haha. I love you Scott.Â
I love it when I get the yard markers tack sharp….. :)
Ansel Adams once said he was lucky to get one great shot per year! But then, that was back before digital… Keep trying Scott, you’ll prevail ;o))