I stumbled across a soccer game

[MissHoneychurch]

this afternoon.

Here are a couple of pictures. It was my first try to take action shots and I only had my 18-55 lens with me.
Please tell me what you think.










(It was no goal. The referee called offside)

[Celebration]

1. Well, I can feel some of them!

Like the ball about to hit my head, and in the second one my arms getting ready to catch myself falling.

I've never been a goalie, that I can remember but I feel that one too.

When I say I feel them, it is pretty much literally true.

[ManiacJoe]

2. Looks like you were using the "sports" mode.

Not bad results considering. Your shutter speeds were hovering around 1/1000, about right for soccer. By opening up the aperture you would get a smaller depth of field an be able to drop the ISO lower since you had plenty of light.

With a little straightening of the horizons and a little sharpening, you are there.

[JeffR]

3. There are a few where I wish you'd had something longer on hand

but the 18-55 worked out perfectly for others.

You did well with the action. Take some more!

[Tuesday Afternoon]

4. Really nice...especially for the first time.

#2 is my least favorite. Don't know why :shrug:

Good Job :)

[dbmk]

5. I will tell you what I think

The guy in the second picture has a spectacular, and to the best of my recollection unique, technique in covering the ball. :)

Seriously:
Given the reach of the lens, I think you got some good shots.
Sports pictures, somewhat paradoxically, tend to work better the more you zoom in and isolate details/emotions/action and detach it from the actual competition/sport. If you show to much, there tend to be too many trees to see the the really great forest. In teamsports especially.

I like the fourth one the best, for some of the same reason.