It happens in media shoots a whole lot... be it sporting events or concerts... jocking for position, angle, and lighting. I've only had one dude that was really rude... and we had a "discussion" after the game...

I told him if he ever pulled THAT CRAP again, I'd either a) make sure I returned the 'favor' in his frame, or b)he'd be wearing my 12 lb camera upside his head. After that, he stayed on the other side of the field or court... and we both got awesome shots.

I agree that one can't ever make a scene in front of clients or coaches (or spectators) if it can be helped. The TV video guys tend to be the worst... most sports photographers are aware, courteous, and respectful.

Gene - I think the key is quantity... if you are only working with a few photos, stick with PS (or PE 9 or 10, which are damn powerful). But, if you have 200+ shots that are basically the same - like a basket ball game, football, track, concert, wedding, etc. then I promise you'll not find a faster or better way to deal with the bulk.

Personally, I bring in the new set... sort, adjust, delete the garbage (right click delete), rate... add the key words, meta tags... highlight the 'film strip' right click, choose export... to same location, bulk rename, andonce that is done, delete from LR.

Then I sort by the rating - Top Shots (for magazines, new papers, etc), Premium Shots (for the players & their parents... and school), and other shots (not worthy of the top two categories, but not worth tossing... just in case.

So, I still have the untouched original... and LR-Export sub-directory under that, and the break down of the set under that.

That process has allowed me to post-process a game of 1,000 photos in about 3 to 5 hours, where as doing the less (no key words or meta tags or renaming of the files) in photoshop took about 12 to 18 hours. It's all about bulk processing.

If you have a group of shots that have the same issue... adjust the first shot... exposure, brightness, white balance, colors, sharpness, clarity, etc. - then right click... select 'Development Settings' - Copy Settings...

THEN - on the film strip - click the next photo, scroll to the end of the film strip (or end of that group) - hold down the Shift key, and click the last photo - then right click, select 'Development Settings' - PASTE Settings...

Talk about amazingly powerful, flexible, and time saving!

Anyhow, the learning curve is big, but well worth it. There are many things in it I still don't know... but wow, it's saved me soooooo much time, effort, and stress since learning the little bit I do use. Best of Luck...

I totally agree... though I don't ever use the cataloging or collection features. For sports action, and sorting massive shots quickly... there is NOTHING I've seen that is better.

I can deal with 1,000 game photos in a few hours... verses doing it in photoshop took about 3 times longer. It's my #1 post processing, sorting, key words & metatags, bulk renaming, and bulk editing software. Well worth learning to use... well worth learning to master.

Any photos that need futher tweaking, I pull into Elements or PS... but the bulk is light room 98%+.

No relation, that I know of... though I've heard of such a person a few times (maybe one day I'll stumble across or look him up).

I spent 10 years bouncing around the west coast & east coast... photographing horse events, wildlife, and some other stuff. Fixing to start doing that again in a couple years, now that my kids are old enough...

That particular mountain lion was in Florida... I was about 10 yards away, on an air boat that 'coasted in' when we saw him lurking. So I was pretty safe... and only able to get two 'good' shots of him. If you EVER want an air boat ride, forget the Everglades... hit www.cypresslakeairboattours.com - those guys are really good, and pay attention, and know where most of the critters are... PLUS the critters have less human contact than in the Everglades.

For those interested in the 'stun gun' laws... http://www.beststungun.com/stun-gun-laws.html

What ever gives you peace of mind and keeps you alive... but some training is suggested with WHAT EVER type of weapon you use for protection & self-defense. With animals, knowing their tactics & striking distance is vital... learning to read their body language important. And paying attention. It's always easier to fight off or keep away something you know is there... than to try to deal with an attack you didn't expect, weren't prepared for, and otherwise caught you by surprise. And, I think, some people just give off something (scent, look, language) that cause some animals to WANT to attack them?!?!

Last May, one of my photographer friends shot this Grizzly Bear from the back of her horse... before getting the heck out of dodge: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennifersphotography/4638090622/in/photostream

(She packs because they were hunting, and because she knowingly goes where there are grizzly's, mountain lions, wolves, rattle snakes, etc. and more to scare away than to kill). Her horse photography is often tough to beat, and has graced many magazine covers... articles, and internet sites. But, this grizzly shot should remind us just how close we sometimes get 'to the action' and what some prior planning can produce (and avoid).

Personally, I've never carries a pistol... even on backpacking trips... I do carry, and have handy, a stun gun (it's a flashlight, with a million volts of kick), a couple compact boat horns, a couple knives, and a 12 gauge flare gun (usually packed in my back pack - in case I have to signal for help... or really have to shoot something for self-protection).

Now, with all that said... I do carry 'bang sticks' and 'shockers' when I'm swimming with sharks... and do take precautions (having someone packing & watching my back) when shooting where there are grizzly bears, lions, etc.

I have many friends that carry... and a few that shoot rattle snakes, cotton mouths, etc. without any thought (or plan to eat). Not my thing... but I accept that is theirs. I've been within 25 yards of wild bull elk... less than 20 yards from a wild bull mouse... a few feet from wild gators, 20ish feet from a wild puma lurking in the bushes, and striking distance of an assortment of critters. One of these days it *might* cost me, but for now... I just try to read their body language, and go from there. Maybe I've just been lucky?!?! But, people in the middle of no where worry me a great deal more than critters. Having someone at your back is always the best form of protection, especially when you're where there are dangerous critters or the potential for unscrupulous people.

One of my best mountain lion shots: http://mercer.smugmug.com/NaturePhotography/Animals/Big-Cats-Lions-Tigers-Cougars/16023113_Qcp2XP/1175582120_Ro8Ei

I agree, totally... some where I have 'halos' around the models I was shooting... but their face is clear, clean, crisp, and still detailed. Unless there are scars or a stroke that deformed half the face, I'd never purposefully try to 'wash out' a face... but I guess that's not a shared thought (glad you & a few others agree on that).

Thank you... other than cropping, angle adjustment, and a touch of sharpening... those are 'as shot' - no photoshop or 'creation' by me (after the clicks). I like playing with the sun & light... and figuring out HOW to shoot the 'impossible' (and unique). Anyhow... glad some of y'all enjoy the shots.

LOL @Ducks... glad you are alright... but I understand the 'standing around ready to document it' part. Been there a few times.

That is amazing & beautifully captured! Well done...

I have never been able to 'stop' the wings of a hummingbird at 200, or 320... I have a couple times at 400... usually at 500, and always at 1000. Your 200 shot is very impressive. Zero blurr or sign of motion. Nice detail, and perfection of the framing. Beautiful photograph.

What were your other settings?? The 200 shutter speed is still a WOW... you've got the first hummingbird IN FLIGHT shot I've ever knowingly see at that speed. Well done...

Personally, I love the challenge of shooting INTO the sun, and NOT getting 'lens flares' or artifacts. I don't have any people shots handy that demonstrate that, but here is a 'sun rays' shot (directly into the sun - without the flares or garbage (my goal was the rays... for some inspirational cards & calendars)): http://mercer.smugmug.com/NaturePhotography/Sky-sunset-sundowns-Lightning/Sun-Rays/16024004_gk7K5H/1201231931_MZCr9

ROTF - since some in the government wish to 'take' our right to self-protection.

With that said, a few weeks ago, here in Oregon... a hunter shot a hiker by accident (thinking the man was a bear). So y'all be REALLY CAREFUL & wear bright colors (animals don't care... but it might help keep you from being mistaken for one).

ROTF... you sound worse than me! I've trashed all the floppies, zips, mini-zips, and micropollis stacks. I do still have some 2g Jazz drives & disks. And I've ceased using all the CF-Micro Drives.

I have a 40' semi-trailer filled with (now) outdated & useless ONLY computers... that I cannibalize a ps or case from once in a while. I've external chasised most of the tiny hdd's to pull the data from... and either trashed them or donated to schools to 'take apart' to show how drives work.

Now, I will tell you, I've never seen or heard of a JAZZ (or Zip) that was USB compatible. They were either EIDE or SCSI... or SCSI-2, I thought. I had a PCMCIA-SCSI-2 adapter that allowed them to hook up to my (now old but working still) XP-laptop. And I still have some Linyx & Unix boxes, and a few of the CI & CS Macs, and even 1 SGI (once my pride & joy, about 15 years ago).

Anyhow... I'd trust Jazz or Zips... and a DVD & virtually any external hard drive over them. I even have some of the Exobyte tape drives & stacks & stacks of tapes... most all the data on those would be suspect at best. 26 years in the computer business, collected far too much stuff. LOL

Temperature, storage style & place, amount of dust, dirt, and light all play a part in the longevity of 'discs.' But they do (have) lasted well for me... when taken care of correctly. Scratches & temperature variations are the fastest killers - second only to having adhesive that breaks down or starts 'eating' them after a few years.