The gymnast

[Jim A]

I took this a few days ago.* Does the fact that his head is cut off spoil the image please?
Settings on a Nikon D5200 were 58mms; f4.5;* 1/1250sec.* ISO200

[Shadowman]

Depends on your criteria for quality, if the image were mine I'd be a bit unhappy that I didn't get the shot wholly, however I will say that if I can use an image like this to work on other photographic skills; such as noise reduction, mono conversion, freezing the moment I could personally get some enjoyment from the experience.

[Donald]

Jim - I think the biggest fault is that we don't what he's doing. Why is he in that pose? Has he leapt over something? Is he on the way up or the way down?

Context.

Other than your title 'The Gymnast', we have no way of knowing what he's doing and why he's doing it.

[Manfred M]

Jim - this image has two issues so far as I can see:

1. The head has been cut off; and

2. The background is too busy and interferes with your subject.

The end result is that the image is not particularly effective.

[Geoff F]

And his foot is blurred as well.

Just a thought. Crop the bottom edge to just below his right hand and lose some from both sides to concentrate solely on him?

[Jim A]

Thanks for your useful and insightful comments, John, Donald and Manfred. I suppose I knew deep down that it is not effective, certainly as is. Funnily enough it is the only one of that particular shoot where the shutter speed seemed good. The other shots I took could have benefited from a slower shutter speed to get the idea of movement.

I have tried what you have suggested Geoff and here it is. Still pondering on the result. Of course, if worth pursuing I would clone out the hat and reduce some of the highlights. A vignette would not work, I fear.

[Geoff F]

That is exactly what I was considering, Jim, and to me this does now work. Maybe clone out the hat, although not essential.

I definitely would not mess about with a vignette although selectively darkening the top left corner slightly would be an advantage.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

If not for the title and lack of shin guards, I'd have said he was a soccer player.