dorseymatt
Eagle Member
Agreed.
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- Thread starter bazillion
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Agreed.
sprintermatt
Eagle Member
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jcrab66
Double Eagle Member
I made it into the picture of McBeast making the final putt of worlds so I guess I like this issue alright 
Disc Fiend
* Ace Member *
i feel for you buddy... your big debut on the national stage and they get your name wrong. :doh:
"Expanded Tour Coverage" = blah.
Couldn't care less about their coverage of these events. In fact, as a quarterly magazine, I wish they'd just leave it out almost entirely.
But then they'd have little else to do, and the magazine would feel more like a pamphlet.
Couldn't care less about their coverage of these events. In fact, as a quarterly magazine, I wish they'd just leave it out almost entirely.
But then they'd have little else to do, and the magazine would feel more like a pamphlet.
I wish I had the option to save a couple bucks and opt out of the magazine when I renew my membership.
Flying Disc Magazine would have been good. Too bad the PDGA allowed for an opt-out option that year, essentially killing the magazine.
As for the magazine now, it's about as good as it has ever been. Pretty much the same for the last 15+ years. I miss the box scores, so you could see your name in print if you did well.
Anymore, the magazine serves little purpose other than sitting on top of the toilet.
As for the magazine now, it's about as good as it has ever been. Pretty much the same for the last 15+ years. I miss the box scores, so you could see your name in print if you did well.
Anymore, the magazine serves little purpose other than sitting on top of the toilet.
I agree with the sentiment that it seemed like one big ad pamphlet.
I think a better idea would be to get a few different pro's to comment on how they would throw a particular hole that they have all played. Forehand vs. backhand, overstable vs. understable, mid vs. putter vs. driver. I think that would help my game a lot more than finding out which discs they have in their bag.
I think a better idea would be to get a few different pro's to comment on how they would throw a particular hole that they have all played. Forehand vs. backhand, overstable vs. understable, mid vs. putter vs. driver. I think that would help my game a lot more than finding out which discs they have in their bag.
Halcón
Free At Last
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Val is now the assistant editor of Discgolfer. I'm not sure how much that means in her life, or if it will affect her touring at all. But it's pretty cool, nonetheless.
I can see Val semi-retiring soon. She's going to get married (what next month?), and will probably have a few kids. Disc golf will take a back seat to what's really important.
I can see Val semi-retiring soon. She's going to get married (what next month?), and will probably have a few kids. Disc golf will take a back seat to what's really important.
Those are going to be some burly kids.
Jus' sayin'
Jus' sayin'
Halcón
Free At Last
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No offense to the photographers that submit photos for Discgolfer, but aren't there better ones available? Some of the pics in there are gross, and very unflattering. It seems they want to go with the action shot, but when you throw a disc, you often make an ugly face.
Just my two cents. Choose better pics.
Just my two cents. Choose better pics.
Jabumbo
Par Member
I talked with people about shooting for the mag at worlds and was specifically asked for shots with players face and disc. Most of my best shots were of putts, often from an angle that didn't clearly show the face.
I'd be curious to see what photos landed because I didn't have the time to sort out my photos for the deadline and was a bit frustrated with the whole process.
Ah, yes. I've always thought this, in Disc Golfer and its predecessors, and everywhere else I see still pictures of disc golf. They almost always look goofy. I'm not sure what would look better, but I'm sure few photographers have found it yet.
Halcón
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Maybe the process needs to change a bit if the mag does not allow ample time for good photo selection. You haven't received your Discgolfer yet?
Most action shots of athletes don't look like high fashion Abercrombie photo shoots.
For example: Tennis.
It's just something you deal with if you want a real shot.
You could set something up, but to me it would seem contrived.
For example: Tennis.
It's just something you deal with if you want a real shot.
You could set something up, but to me it would seem contrived.
filobedo
Double Eagle Member
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Art is subjective which is a good thing to open minded people but I agree. I was told they only use images that are not edited at all (not even cropped) and want facial expressions on subjects. I rarely look at the magazine when I get it other than to glance at the images but will never forget the issue on photography a few years ago. One image that was selected (it may have been the cover even) you could tell was taken without much thought and showed an image of a basket and rainbow with a power pole and power lines in frame and definately no editing.
Perhaps, but a lot of them show action.
I've seen some good disc golf action pictures, so it can be done. I don't fault the photographers---I just don't think our throwing motions come photograph very well. I think we do better with the "pondering" (before the throw) and reaction pictures.
12StonesScott
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DiscGolfer is pretty specific in what they look for in the way of tournament shots. Generally, they're interested in the winners in MPO and FPO, maybe a couple of shots of other significant competitors in those divisions, and other divisions generally only at Worlds or other events that are focused on other divisions. You could have the greatest shot ever of someone who finished 4th in MA1 and they're never, ever going to use it. They want action shots where possible with the players' faces visible. That means, in practical terms, that there's about three things you can shoot:
Consequently, those probably make up 90% or more of what you see in the mag.
For any given course/event, there's usually only a small number of locations on the course where those shots are possible, and if you're the only one shooting you can only be in one of them at once. You might get lucky enough to have a couple of those spots close enough to one another to switch back and forth, but then you have to constantly decide which is the better choice given the players at each one, and run the risk of not being able to reposition in time. The strength/quality/direction of the light changes continuously through the day, affecting how good the pix from a specific location are.
Obviously, they prefer the backgrounds as uncluttered as possible, with the subject in sharp focus and the light/color quality as high as possible, no obvious grain/noise, etc. And yeah, they generally want the uncropped/unedited shot submitted, though they obviously do crop or vignette some of the pix. There are a lot of shots that aren't especially compelling uncropped or that have some color cast or exposure issues that could readily be fixed, but I for one don't even bother submitting those.
Given all that and the high likelihood of a funky facial expression at some point in the throwing motion, your best chances for getting an action shot without funky face are to get extremely lucky if you're only shooting one frame, or to have a camera that'll shoot at 1/750s or faster in burst mode of up to 6 or 8 frames per second. Real photographers sneer at the "spray and pray" approach, but I'm certainly not good enough to get a great shot with only a single frame more than a few times a year, and once a moment at an event is gone, it's gone. Chatting with DiscGolfer photo editor John Whinery at this year's USDGC, he told me he sometimes now puts his camera on a tripod at a location where it's well positioned but he would be a distraction/problem and uses a remote shutter release to fire in continuous mode (we were discussing the challenge of getting a decent position to shoot players on the dock tee on 18 at Winthrop Gold, especially with the plants along the waterline having grown up a lot since last year).
The PDGA and event organizers have also tightened up considerably on access for still photographers at major events -- if you're not working for the PDGA or Innova or whoever's putting on the event and are shooting stills, not video, you're basically not going to get "inside the ropes" media credentials. That makes getting to the right spots to shoot from that much harder. I probably could not have gotten the shots I did of Sarah Hokom on the final hole at Charlotte in 2012 any year since then -- wouldn't have been allowed into position for it.
- a tee shot from 70-120 ft in front of (longer if you have really big bright glass) and slightly off to one side of the tee box, preferably on the side where the player's body opens opens up as they throw
- an approach shot from a similar distance as the tee shot, from a similar angle
- a putt if you can manage to be positioned off to one side or directly opposite the player, again far enough away to not be distracting
Consequently, those probably make up 90% or more of what you see in the mag.
For any given course/event, there's usually only a small number of locations on the course where those shots are possible, and if you're the only one shooting you can only be in one of them at once. You might get lucky enough to have a couple of those spots close enough to one another to switch back and forth, but then you have to constantly decide which is the better choice given the players at each one, and run the risk of not being able to reposition in time. The strength/quality/direction of the light changes continuously through the day, affecting how good the pix from a specific location are.
Obviously, they prefer the backgrounds as uncluttered as possible, with the subject in sharp focus and the light/color quality as high as possible, no obvious grain/noise, etc. And yeah, they generally want the uncropped/unedited shot submitted, though they obviously do crop or vignette some of the pix. There are a lot of shots that aren't especially compelling uncropped or that have some color cast or exposure issues that could readily be fixed, but I for one don't even bother submitting those.
Given all that and the high likelihood of a funky facial expression at some point in the throwing motion, your best chances for getting an action shot without funky face are to get extremely lucky if you're only shooting one frame, or to have a camera that'll shoot at 1/750s or faster in burst mode of up to 6 or 8 frames per second. Real photographers sneer at the "spray and pray" approach, but I'm certainly not good enough to get a great shot with only a single frame more than a few times a year, and once a moment at an event is gone, it's gone. Chatting with DiscGolfer photo editor John Whinery at this year's USDGC, he told me he sometimes now puts his camera on a tripod at a location where it's well positioned but he would be a distraction/problem and uses a remote shutter release to fire in continuous mode (we were discussing the challenge of getting a decent position to shoot players on the dock tee on 18 at Winthrop Gold, especially with the plants along the waterline having grown up a lot since last year).
The PDGA and event organizers have also tightened up considerably on access for still photographers at major events -- if you're not working for the PDGA or Innova or whoever's putting on the event and are shooting stills, not video, you're basically not going to get "inside the ropes" media credentials. That makes getting to the right spots to shoot from that much harder. I probably could not have gotten the shots I did of Sarah Hokom on the final hole at Charlotte in 2012 any year since then -- wouldn't have been allowed into position for it.
12StonesScott
Eagle Member
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It can be done, but it's best done when the "action" is staged, the location, lighting, etc., are controlled or at least carefully selected, etc., and when you have the opportunity to keep working until you get what you're after. Otherwise, it's a bit of a crap shoot. During an event, photography is pretty far down the list of what players and staff are worried about, so you have to make the best of what's on offer and get lucky to some extent on light, weather, timing, etc.
