Anthony’s Mad Soccer Skillz
Thumbs Up -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Thumbs Up
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Suddenly this week, for reasons that I don't know, Anthony has an extreme interest in soccer. He doesn't know much about it other than you kick a ball into a goal, and that the goalkeeper can use his hands, but he's started to “practice” with enthusiasm at kindergarten and in the livingroom (the latter with a Nerf-type ball). Today, for the first time, we went to a park to kick a ball around.

After playing together for a while, I remembered that I had the camera with me (I brought it to a school event but ended up not using it), so pulled it out for some shots of him in action. Before that, though, he wanted me to take a bunch of shots of him speaking, so he should show Mommy the “movie” of it. As he finished, my last shot of the sequence caught him in the early stages of a “thumbs up”.

But then it was time for soccer. He ran around, and I held the camera at waist level and ran around after him, shooting from the hip...

Pressing the Attack -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/500 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Pressing the Attack
Mad Skillz ( this is the worst of the action pictures, but it's also my favorite for some reason ) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/250 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Mad Skillz
( this is the worst of the action pictures, but it's also my favorite for some reason )
Shot on Goal -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 31 mm — 1/250 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Shot on Goal
Concentration -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/250 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Concentration
Pitch Perfect ( okay, no, this is my favorite ) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2009 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/200 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Pitch Perfect
( okay, no, this is my favorite )

Especially with the stripe-down-the-legs sports pants, he looks quite the pro in some of these, but he doesn't have much clue yet. He's excited about it, though, and that's what counts.


All 5 comments so far, oldest first...

He is so cute..In Japan what are the school timings? My son is in KG in MN and he goes from 9 am – 2.30 pm. He is in a private Montessori school. I am from India originally where we had 6 day school rather than 5 here in USA. How is it in Japan?
Thanks!

— comment by Sonal on February 19th, 2009 at 7:50am JST (15 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink

He doesn’t know much about it other than you kick a ball into a goal, and that the goalkeeper can use his hands

You mean there’s more to it then that?

Yeah, there’s something about running around with your shirt half taken off after you make a goal. I’m not sure. I’ll have to research it. —Jeffy

— comment by Marcina on February 19th, 2009 at 8:31am JST (15 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink

Jeffrey,
Welcome to world of “fathers making photos of their son playing football” (I doubt they call it soccer in Japan ). I’m roughly 10 years ahead of you. My 15 year old defender saving the day.
http://picasaweb.google.nl/SportPrent/090206HooglandB1GVVV#5300078898478069810 D80 + 70-200 VR which I bought after reading your blog extensively !!

Have fun, its worth it.

It is called soccer (サッカー · sakkaa). Nice shot… I love how the far background is out of focus. Hard to believe that man is actually just 15 years old, though! —Jeffrey

— comment by Willem on February 19th, 2009 at 10:57pm JST (15 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink

As for clearer (for some definition of “clear”) backgrounds, try shooting from the stands.

— comment by parv on February 20th, 2009 at 12:36am JST (15 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink

In Mad Skillz, if you look at your sons hands and body language… He’s clearly in a B-Boy Stance. -> Like he’s getting ready to start break dancing. It looks like you caught him “top rocking”. Just remove the field and Kyoto flora add in some linoleum or cardboard (He already has the sweat suit) a boom box and some head/wrist bands and he’s ready to bust a move! Mad skillz, indead! (LOL)

Don’t believe me… take a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIKwdhAeEzA

P.S. Pressing the attack is real nice too, I like the way you’ve caught him in mid air.

— comment by Ron Evans on February 20th, 2009 at 2:04pm JST (15 years, 8 months ago) comment permalink
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