branching out a little...help w/ softball pics
urbanaries
Registered Users Posts: 2,690 Major grins
I am not a sports photographer but always welcome the practice shooting people in action. What limited knowledge I have regarding sports is courtesy of JohnG over the years, and lurking your great pics over here!
First time out this year, my 3rd time shooting softball/baseball ever. All w/ the Sigma 70-200 2.8. All ISO 100, f3.5, 1/1000th/200mm
re: 1-3, What is considered the desired position for a shot mid-pitch? (windup vs. release, etc??)
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3.
Same question for batting, I guess...what's the desired "shot". this was my best series with a batter who made contact, although you wouldn't know that unless I told you?
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5.
Suggestions on framing, exposure....really any improvements at all most welcome. Thanks for looking!
First time out this year, my 3rd time shooting softball/baseball ever. All w/ the Sigma 70-200 2.8. All ISO 100, f3.5, 1/1000th/200mm
re: 1-3, What is considered the desired position for a shot mid-pitch? (windup vs. release, etc??)
1.
2.
3.
Same question for batting, I guess...what's the desired "shot". this was my best series with a batter who made contact, although you wouldn't know that unless I told you?
4.
5.
Suggestions on framing, exposure....really any improvements at all most welcome. Thanks for looking!
Canon 5D MkI
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
0
Comments
Shane
Blogs:
www.imagesbyshane.blogspot.com
Canon 20d and 40d
Canon 50mm 1.4
Canon 85mm 1.8
Canon 70-200L IS 2.8
As for batting, just like you did I try to get contact. Lately I have been trying to pay less attention to the batter and more attention to what is going on in the field.
I think the most important thing to remember with shooting sports is faces, faces, faces!
Great shots, by the way, I really like the third one.
Deb
Really nice job.
To answer your specific question about the 'best' pitcher shot - to me it depends on the pitcher and her motion. of the 3 posted, #2 looks the best to me. But this pitcher has a rather unique wind-up / delivery - it's as if she's pitching to someone 3 feet tall. But a lot has to do with expression of the pitcher. Expressions can make a mundane shot very interesting.
In general though, you want to shoot from the open side of the pitcher - so shoot from 3rd base line for right handed pitchers. That way you get more of the face. I also agree with shooting from behind the plate - through the fence if you don't have field access. The best time to get these shots is warm-ups before the batter gets up to the plate - you don't have the umpire in the way then.
thanks everyone for the tips! I will get on the 3rd baseline next time. These are 8th grade girls, they are just starting to fast pitch, and the umpire called the game from the mound, that's how all over the place they were
about the fence, I remember you telling me that last year john, and with the Canon 50-200 it worked after some practice. But now, with the sigma's 77mm thread size, i'm getting too much fence in. Do you shoot thru the fence with or without the hood?
50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70 2.8L, 35mm 1.4L, 135mm f2L
ST-E2 Transmitter + (3) 580 EXII + radio poppers
If I am covering the outfield team, I shoot 3rd baseline, if I am shooting the team at bat, I shoot 1st baseline unless the hitter is a southpaw.
Here is a series of pitching shot from behind the backstop
Shoot pitches in burst mode so you get several shots of each pitch. I have found that shooting in burst mode helps catch the action better from several points during the play.
Canon Rebel XT
Canon 580 EX Speedlight
Canon EF 50mm f1.8
Canon EF IS 28-135mm f/3.2-5.6
Canon EFL 70-200 f/2.8
SanDisk Ultra IIs
I find that for shooting the fielding team, the best position depends on the type of shots you want.
From 3rd base line you get: right handed pitchers, plays at first, shots of 2nd baseman fielding & throwing to 2nd or 3rd and profile of throw to first, plays at home, left fielder & center fielder.
From 1st base line you get: fielding and throws from 3rd baseman and shortstop. Throws from 2nd baseman to 1st, plays at 3rd, plays at home, right fielder and center fielder.
Similarly for batting team you get different shots from each baseline:
1st base - right handed hitters and runners going to first and home
3rd base - left handed hitters and runners going to 2nd, plays at 2nd (since you're covering the offense you want the angle from 3rd not 1st), runner going from 2nd to 3rd.
Lynne -to answer your question I shoot from on the field. But I believe you should be able to focus through the fence/backstop even with the hood on - the fence will be so close it shouldn't show up at all.
Being a beginner with dslr, I've been moving around the diamond quite a bit and experimenting the the different angles.
Not looking to capture a single girl in action also lends itself to capturing a better pic I believe, although my daughters are both playing, I know sooner or later I'm gonna get a good one of them.
I like to keep moving only depending on whether I want a batter, fielder, or pitcher pic.
Play with it and have fun, you'll find your groove...
Herb
For batting, I don't have a fast FPS, so I anticipate by either watching when the batter swings, or getting into postition in which i can see the pitch and click. It's called measuring up the pitcher and you can see batters do that in the batters circle on their practice swings. If you watch, the batter in the circle will watch the pitcher and practice getting the timing down. Photogs need to do that too. Pretend you are trying to hit the ball instead of taking a picture.
For fielding, it just depends on what position you want to get. You just have anticipate and know what kind of plays a shortstop or any other fielder will make and be in position. Be alert. You could be behind homeplate and a pop fly is hit. You can either get a picture of the pitcher rushing in for the play or even the catcher making a play in front of you if the ball is popped up behind the plate.
These are all good tips on position for baseball and softball. I just want to add (and I know I seem like a broken record) but also keep in mind you want to see peoples faces, and watch your backgrounds (make sure they are not distracting)
Also dont be afraid to go in tight. Look through an issue of Sports illustrated, do you see alot of loose shots, or lots of tight shots. Wide shots, when done right can be a great way to display a sense of place, but for most of your sports shots you want to be tight.
And I just want to let people know, you dont need to have rapid fire FPS to be a good sports photograhper. Overall you are better off just getting good at timing. I have a 20d and yeah I can rattle off what 4 or 5 but if I am not good at timing they are slow enough inbetween that i may get nothing I want. I will often sit at the fence with other photograhpers that have a mark II and are firing off 40 shots during a pitchers delivery.
And often times I see their photos and they are crap. Learn how to time the sport, softball does not move that fast that you shouldnt be able to get the timing down on the sport. And you certainly dont need to fire off 40 frames from the time the ball goes from mound to plate. Ok off my soap box.
Other tips, try not to chimp during the game, because you will miss stuff. Look for action all the time, maybe its an interaction between coach and player, players an umpire, players on the bench, chatting with people at the outfield fence. Sports is more than just what happens between the baselines.
The other, is never but your camera down, for the same reason above.
Anybody can capture the moments during the innings and appauld you for lookign to do something more. In order to bring yourself to the next level you have to find a way to capture sports images that can help bring the emotion and passion felt during a game back to the viewer. You want to evoke emotion and passion to a viewer that was not even at the game but can see the effort on a players face.
That is what makes the difference between a sports photograhper and someone just shooting some snaps.
And if I can do it so can you