Blustery Balls

wxwax

It will be a cold and windy day before Georgia Tech beats Florida State at softball.



Hey, it was a cold and windy day! Look at how the camermen are bundled up. Atlanta set some kind of overnight low record for April, this weekend. And Georgia Tech responded with a butt kicking in the second game of a double header.

Now, here's my confession. I'm running out of ideas for shooting these games. Pitcher, first base, second base, celebrations, occasional bat-on-ball... these are the standard shots. But what else is there? :scratch

I reckon I'm slowly improving at processing these images. For the first time, I did all of the following: used Levels to set black and white points, used separate Curves for Luminosity blending and Color blending, then Saturation, and Sharpen. I'd never before used a Curve using the Luminosity blend mode, nor the Color mode. I can see how much more control this gives you. OK, so I'm a slow learner. :lol3

I think the technique really helped me bring out the first baseman's face.

wxwax

One thing that's unique from game to game is the expressions of the pitchers, and their motions.

Some keep dead faces. Others actually show some intensity, thank goodness.




And some run the risk of biting off their tongues, doing their Michael Jordan thing. Her eyes actually are open, although they're slits.




And it wouldn't be fair to show piccies of the game, without showing the wining pitcher. I think she held them to one run.

wxwax

Not an action shot, although I like it.




And what a difference a few meters makes. This is a runner leaving second base. I had to heavily crop the image, and I think it shows, unfortunately.



All shot with a 300 2.8, AV, ISO 200, AI Servo usually with center point. I sometimes use other points, but I don't really trust them as much, I seem to get a lot of missed shots with them.

RandySmugMug

great action, sharp and clear and excellent backgrounds
superb work !

Dbl

wxwax wrote:

Now, here's my confession. I'm running out of ideas for shooting these games. Pitcher, first base, second base, celebrations, occasional bat-on-ball... these are the standard shots. But what else is there?

Welcome to the wonderful world of baseball and softball shooting. You know its hard to get out of the rut of just the same old shots. I still use those as safety shots, once those are done try isolation shots tight. I mean tight! You have the 300/2.8 I see, do you have a 1.4TC to put on it? If you do get in and shoot some tight shots, batting, pitching, catching.

How about shooting from the outfield. I personally find this to be the best place to shoot baseball. With the 300 and 1.4 you will have no problems getting plays at the plate and infield action. The only bad thing shooting out there are backgrounds. You get dugouts, bleachers, garbage cans, etc. The 300 does a decent job eliminating some of that but it is something to keep in mind when you set yourself up for your shots.

Get high up and shoot some from a high angle, use a wide angle and get on the ground and shoot up. Some of those shots can be taken during warm ups and between innings. I like to get right on a baseline, first or third and get some interesting double plays, steals, slides. If you can get behind the backstop shoot the pitcher, catcher, and ball all in one shot with the ball in flight. With camera on mono pod and a fish eye, lift it over your head and over a group and fire it remotely.

Sometimes the field dictates that you go outside your normal shooting and find a new angle. I have shot from balconies in an adjacent building, on ladders from the outfield, on hills in the outfield, on top of dugouts you get my meaning.

You have a very nice set of photos here your PP work defiantly shows.

wxwax

RandySmugMug wrote:

great action, sharp and clear and excellent backgrounds
superb work !

Ta, Randy!

wxwax

Dan, great post. Those are excellent suggestions. I'm just a spectator, so some of those might be hard to pull off, but sound well worth the try. Yup, I do have a 1.4, and will try some tight faces, etc.

Seamus

I don't know anything about softballbut the pics are excellent. From your pic of the pitcher, I think the major difference between softball and baseball is that the pitch is underarm in softball?

As dbl said try the 1.4x for a little extra reach. The 1.4 has no effect on focus speed or sharpness.

You could also try the 2x extender. I use it a lot and you do sacrifice some sharpness but, imho, it is still acceptable.

I did a search on Gettys for softball pics. You might get some ideas from them. I check Gettys and other agencies for ideas on shooting sports.

wxwax

Seamus wrote:

I don't know anything about softballbut the pics are excellent. From your pic of the pitcher, I think the major difference between softball and baseball is that the pitch is underarm in softball?

As dbl said try the 1.4x for a little extra reach. The 1.4 has no effect on focus speed or sharpness.

You could also try the 2x extender. I use it a lot and you do sacrifice some sharpness but, imho, it is still acceptable.

I did a search on Gettys for softball pics. You might get some ideas from them. I check Gettys and other agencies for ideas on shooting sports.

Ooh, good call on that site! I see a centerfield shot, just as Dan suggested. Looks like I'll be climbing fences (no outfield bleachers for either softball or baseball at Ga Tech. :cry)

Yeah, they pitch underarm in softball. The release point doesn't look very dramatic, which is why I haven't posted any shots of it.

wxwax

The mandatory bat-on-ball shot in this case a bunt attempt by the catcher.

winger

Hey waxy I dont think I have seen you shoot sports before. The pitcher shots are great as well as the they play at first and the runner at 2nd.

Nice clean backgrounds and faces, these are the kinds of photos that media relations type people are looking for.

Great colors, great action and there is nothing wrong with isolated photos if that is what your client wants. Sports information (aka media relations) and youth sports photography for the most part are going to want the tight isolated shots that you have here.

If you are shooting for a paper a little looser is more of what they are looking for but shots like that one with the play at the plate is what they are looking for. Photos that convey time and place, that show this wasnt any softball game it was the softball game against the maroon team (Florida?)

Fun place to shoot the pitchers from, right behind home plate if you can get there. If its a chain link fence i just stick my lens in the spaces in the links, I just have to be careful if I decide to track action so that my autofocus doesnt pick up a link if I move.

Softball after hockey is my 2nd favorite sport to shoot. Have fun!

wxwax

Hiya Winger!

Thanks for a very informative post. I'm mildly tempted to show some of this to the GaTech folks, in hopes of getting even better access, although the public access is splendid for both baseball and softball.

Thanks for the reminder on the behind-the-catcher shot. I hope that the 300 will shoot right through the fence as if it's not there. I reckon I can get that kind of access in softball; baseball might be trickier (it's a No Stand zone in their stadium.) I may have to buy a pricey seat!

Seamus

wxwax wrote:

Hiya Winger!

Thanks for a very informative post. I'm mildly tempted to show some of this to the GaTech folks, in hopes of getting even better access,

you should show your photos to them and to some of the loca papers. Nothing ventured....

dbaker1221

great set

Dbl

wxwax wrote:

Hiya Winger!

Thanks for a very informative post. I'm mildly tempted to show some of this to the GaTech folks, in hopes of getting even better access, although the public access is splendid for both baseball and softball.

Thanks for the reminder on the behind-the-catcher shot. I hope that the 300 will shoot right through the fence as if it's not there. I reckon I can get that kind of access in softball; baseball might be trickier (it's a No Stand zone in their stadium.) I may have to buy a pricey seat!

I've shot many games through chain link, the 300 will have no trouble, but as Winger said if you track action you will have a few OOF's.

winger

Seamus wrote:

you should show your photos to them and to some of the loca papers. Nothing ventured....

Yeah alot of time there is simly just not enough coverage so the papers cant run some of the "non-revenue" sports. Or there maybe a local website, or even a smaller specialized paper. Like sometimes some of my photos end in the "western Mass sports journal" pretty specific.

Your shots are great, so dont just give up your photos for access, make sure you get a little monatry componsation (even if it is on the cheap)
The Sports information people will try to get what ever they can out of you for nothing cause they are cheap!!! At the very least hook yourself up with the whole Gtech line of clothing (hats, t-shirts, sweats, light jackets, hoodies).

Phew yeah looking at what they have online you are offering them some great shots! http://http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/genrel/gallery_index_sports.html##
is their sports photo galleries.

My first year of shooting sports (and really I didnt know what I was doing) I was getting paid only 50 dollars a game, but I figured hey I am learning on their dime and when you shoot a whole season of college athletics you get good fast. I mean they approached me, up until that point I was just like the rest of you shooting from the beyond the fence. Somethings I wish I had done better, cause now I see my photos blown up in huge banners and hanging up in local business with no name recognition and no montary compensation (where as if i had a contract as they have had in the past and currently do i would of gotten paid) but in that one year I learned a ton and for what they were paying the school got great photos!!!

But really looking at your softball photos, please dont accept handing them a CD for access, or if you do give them like 5-10 high quality photos. They will try to get photo out of you for as little as possible. There is no reason they cant pay you 50-75 dollars a game and you can put up a photo gallery on the website (its run by cstv its really easy to do and it gives them another way to bring visitors to the site, which helps the website as a whole)

Just my 2 cents.

wxwax

Another great post, Winger. Thanks for sharing your experience, it's great stuff for all of us.

saurora

Excellent shots Waxy...please do investigate Winger's suggestions.

Skippy

wxwax wrote:

Not an action shot, although I like it.
And what a difference a few meters makes. This is a runner leaving second base. I had to heavily crop the image, and I think it shows, unfortunately.
All shot with a 300 2.8, AV, ISO 200, AI Servo usually with center point. I sometimes use other points, but I don't really trust them as much, I seem to get a lot of missed shots with them.

Wow Sid your sure captured the art of swinging or chucking that ball didn't ya funny the way you can read a persons face by their expressions.
You captured some beauties there Sid

I like the all they are so sharp, real nice job on this lot :ivar
...... Skippy
.

winger

wxwax wrote:

Another great post, Winger. Thanks for sharing your experience, it's great stuff for all of us.

Oh good I am glad I am useful and not like some crazy old man yelling at the rain.

Andy

winger wrote:

Oh good I am glad I am useful and not like some crazy old man yelling at the rain.

Marc Muench

Have you tried a 600mm? allowing parts of the scene to go way out of focus might be cool. I know I know this may cost some bucks but maybe a rental is in order:ivar

http://www.sjlevyphoto.com/photoGallery_action_3.html

Seams like this was shot from ground level as well.

Nikolai

Sid,
Nice shooting, very clear!

Since I'm not an American by birth and as that will most likely never understand the beauty of a baseball/softball, this is the one I like the most:

wxwax wrote:

Not an action shot, although I like it.

Glad to know you like it too:-)

Cheers, mate!

wxwax

Marc Muench wrote:

Have you tried a 600mm? allowing parts of the scene to go way out of focus might be cool. I know I know this may cost some bucks but maybe a rental is in order:ivar

http://www.sjlevyphoto.com/photoGallery_action_3.html

Seams like this was shot from ground level as well.

Hey, great idea, I'd never thought about that. I talked to a Red Sox staff shooter, she said none of them used anything bigger than a 300.

Doesn't mean they're right, though, and as you point out with your great example, some cool shots can be had.

Mitchell

These are truly fantastic!

What I like best about these shots is what is NOT in them, distracting backgrounds. I don't know how you did it, but you managed to isolate the players without any other players or distractions in the background. To my eye, that's what makes these shots so great.

Was it you? The lens? Your position? The field?? What was it??

I shoot with a 300mm, f2.8 lens and can't seem to get around having distracting things in the background. Maddening!

wxwax

Mitchell wrote:

These are truly fantastic!

What I like best about these shots is what is NOT in them, distracting backgrounds. I don't know how you did it, but you managed to isolate the players without any other players or distractions in the background. To my eye, that's what makes these shots so great.

Was it you? The lens? Your position? The field?? What was it??

I shoot with a 300mm, f2.8 lens and can't seem to get around having distracting things in the background. Maddening!

Well, until you last sentence, I was going to give most of the credit to the lens, for softening the background.

But I also try to pay attention to backgrounds, more so than I used to. Sometimes you have no control. But I've been fortunate at GaTech to have positions where it's possible to get relatively clean backgrounds. I try to make sure I don't have other players in the frame. If I do, I crop to remove them. In the shot of the player leaving second base, I actually cloned out a small portion of the bottom left corner, where the third baseman's head intruded.

I also shoot from the stands at Ga Tech football, and because of the relative distances of the lens to the players to the backgrounds, I find it almost impossible to get bokeh to give me clean backgrounds. A real pain. I'd love to shoot a football game from the end zone/sideline.