Composition

Each good photograph must have interesting compositional elements. I'm not sure how good the volleyball is in the next picture (the ball seems to be outside the net, as are some of the blockers' hands), but the way that the net frames the hitters face struck me as very interesting.



Beautiful Faces

College volleyball is more a women's sport than a men's sport, due to the complexities of athletic funding. Each gender must have equal opportunities, and since no one funds female football teams (for example), women's volleyball is quite common.

Every once in a while, I would come across a woman who was quite beautiful and who also was an accomplished player. The tranquil expression on her face blies her skills. Her arms are perfectly positioned, and I remember her as a good hitter.



Hair and Sunglasses

Color and a sense of motion always add to the ability of a photograph to grab your attention.

Most women tie their hair back when they play sports, so it won't distract them, or get in their eyes. This woman forgot, and I ended up with this picture. She missed getting the ball, but her effort is enhanced by the sense of motion that her hair gives the picture. She tied it up a few moments later, unfortunately.



The curve in this man's body makes the picture interesting, but the color of the sun glasses, mimicking the color of the ball, adds another exciting touch.



Here, again, this woman forgot to tie her hair up, and the result is a picture with more motion in it than would have normally been the case. The attentive gaze of her team mates helps make the viewer sense their urgency.



Even though this woman's hair is tied up, it adds something to the picture, which would otherwise have been unremarkable.



Similarly, even though this woman's hair is not fully out, the shape of it as it flares behind her head adds some motion to the picture.



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