Baseball Shooting Tips and Example Pics [Archive] - Canon Digital Photography Forums

fslshooter

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 10:49

With baseball season starting I expect a lot of moms and pops will be anxious to capture images of their kids in action on the diamond. I don't claim to be an expert on the subject but I've taken quite a few photos at baseball games and learned a few things about the subject so perhaps some tips and example pics might be of interest to some.

If you can get field access, by all means do so -- you'll get consistently better results shooting closer to the action and you'll not have to shoot through the backstop which can get tricky. If you're not sure who grants field access ask the coach or school's sports information director. If you're granted field access, it's a good idea to talk with the head umpire prior to the game and ask what rules apply to you. BTW, don't assume that rules for photogs are the same at all venues and if you're issued written credentials be sure to read them before you go onto the field.

Prior to start of the game you might want to try and get a couple of posed shots of your favorite subject. The classic posed pitcher shot is with them holding their glove hand up to their chest and the other arm down by their side. The classic posed position player shot is with the player down on one knee, their glove lying in the foreground and them leaning on their bat. Both shots look best with either the scoreboard or grandstand in the background.

If you're comfortable shooting in manual mode you'll probably get the best results doing so. If not or if light conditions are changing rapidly AV might work better -- just remember that white or very dark uniforms will mislead your camera's light meter and you'll need to compensate. Check your histogram frequently to insure correct exposure. Maintain a bare minimum shutter speed of 1/350 with 1/500 or faster best along with the widest aperture you can use and still nail the focus. Adjust ISO as necessary to stay within these parameters. Shoot with single focus point and as tight as you can while still capturing the action that you want. Try and get picture with faces as this will make your images more interesting.

The best shooting positions for infield action are from along the first and third base lines somewhere between home plate and first or third base. From these positions you should be able to cover infield action with a 70-200mm zoom. At high school, college and professional levels, with 90 feet between bases, you'll need the reach of 300mm glass for best results. If you want to shoot outfield action your best bet is to go outside the fence and shoot from near the player. Unless you've master the technique of shooting into the sun, you'll probably get better results shooting with the sun at your back.

Pitchers are best shot from their throwing side -- lefties from the first base line and righties from the third base line. Many pitchers have their own unique style of delivery and if you watch them carefully you'll see these quirks -- an unusual windup, stretch, arm angle, facial expression, follow through, etc. If you can capture these split second moments you'll get more interesting stuff and with a starting pitcher you should have 50 or more chances to do it during most games. You'll probably get the best results shooting pitchers in single shot mode and timing your shots carefully. If you have field access and the ump allows it, stand near the catcher when the pitcher is warming up between innings and get a few head on shots from there. If you don't have field access and the backstop is narrow, get these pitcher shots from just beyond the edge of the backstop.

You'll probably get your most interesting batter shots if you shoot in AI Servo continuous mode then keep on shooting after the batter puts the ball in play. Some of my favorite shots are of batters coming out of the box. Baseball is one of those sports where you can anticipate many of the action shots and it's best to prefocus on the spot where you anticipate action -- second base and home plate primarily. Manual focus continuous shooting mode works best for these shots and you might want to stop down a bit to insure that everything stays in focus.

We won't talk about post processing except for a few tips on what to keep and what to cull. The obvious apply -- out of focus and those that are over/under exposed beyond rescue are culls. Unless you need them for lessons learned, delete them and save storage space and processing time. As for the remainder, very few images without at least part of a player's face are of interest. Also (unless you're a fan of the opposing team) photos of position players who make errors and batters who swing and miss or foul tip the ball with the ball still in the frame are usually of no interest.

As I said in the beginning, I don't consider myself to be an expert on the subject of baseball photography so please don't take anything I've said here as written in stone. These are just a few things I've learned in my pursuit of marketable baseball photography that others might find of use.

Here are links to some example pics I shot last season:
pitchers| (http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//bbexs/pitchers/index.htm)batters| (http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//bbexs/batters/index.htm)action & miscellaneous (http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//bbexs/action/index.htm)

QUASIPHOTO

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 12:24

Thanks Jerry :D very informative!!! I'm sure these hints and helps will also apply to girls fast pitch softball. The season is upon us!!!!!
Your site/images are awesome....crisp and clean. Dang great work there.

Jeff

Croasdail

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 12:40

Great timing on the post - 2 hours and 22 minutes until first pitch. I've made notes and am ready... thanks!

gmen

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 12:49

Very informative Jerry. If anyone asks about baseball over in the Q&A thread, I'll point them in this direction pronto ;)

Now, where do I find some baseball?

---- Gavin

cking2

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 14:17

Jerry,
Thanks for the tips.....This will be my first year Shooting my son's Baseball games. Your tips are greatly appreciated. The people on this board are GREAT...

Thanks,

cking2

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 14:24

Very informative Jerry. If anyone asks about baseball over in the Q&A thread, I'll point them in this direction pronto ;)

Now, where do I find some baseball?

---- Gavin

Oh that's right....you have that strange game they play with a flat board:)

Go to the Airport get on a jet and head to any large town in the southern US....Spring training starts around the first of March. You will get a lot of sun and might just decide to stay here.

For Baseball fans.....would it not be great to take the whole month of march and travel around to all the Spring training camps...winding up with a visit to Cooperstown, NY. This would be a dream for my son and I to do.

One thing is for certain....you are not going to see baseball in the Olympics anymore. The dropped it yesterday:(

Croasdail

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 17:52

fslshooter

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 20:59

Jerry - just got back from first game of the year.... quick question for you - shoot portrait or landscape. I generally shoot most sports portrait... but found myself switching a lot today... any general advice here. Didn't like landscape for pitching, and didn't like portrait for catching base running. Cheers.

Mark -

Unfortunately there's not a one size fits all answer to that question. Perhaps it's safe to say that I use the mode that fills the frame best. Two situations that are almost universal are posed shots and head on pitcher shots which are usually portrait mode. Another situation is action shots at second and home which are usually landscape mode. The mode for picthers depends on their height, how much they stretch during delivery and the final composition I want. Generally speaking I shoot pitchers in portrait mode during their windup and landscape mode in their stretch. I probably shoot batters more in portrait mode unless I'm expecting them to bunt then landscape mode usually works best. Switching a lot as you did today is normal. In fact when I'm using a monopod I never bother to tighten the orientation lock knob because I switch back and forth so often.

fslshooter

10th of February 2006 (Fri), 21:18

Thanks Jerry :D very informative!!! I'm sure these hints and helps will also apply to girls fast pitch softball. The season is upon us!!!!! Jeff

Jeff - the tips should apply for softball too. As a matter of fact I posted this thread just before I walked out the door today to shoot my first fastpitch game of the season. BTW I see you have a 70-200 and 1.4x TC -- I used this combo for every shot today. I've not processed the images yet but based on what I saw through the viewfinder and in chimps, I think that combo is excellent for daytime fastpitch.

liza

11th of February 2006 (Sat), 01:07

Thanks for the tips, Jerry! I shoot both girls' softball and boys' baseball, so these tips will soon be put into practice.

cargo123

11th of February 2006 (Sat), 01:30

Jerry, Thanks for the tips. I shot sball last year, and I am giving another try this year. Mike

fslshooter

11th of February 2006 (Sat), 09:08

Very informative Jerry. If anyone asks about baseball over in the Q&A thread, I'll point them in this direction pronto ;)

Now, where do I find some baseball?

---- Gavin

Cheers Gavin - You and your Q&A session are the impetus for this thread. I was rehashing things in my mind and making notes for the new season when it hit me that perhaps these notes might help others as you've helped me.

With the popularity of cricket there, I rather doubt that you'll find the game of baseball played anywhere in the UK. When we were living in Berkshire and Cambridgeshire we played softball at American military bases all over England and the two games are similar.

fslshooter

11th of February 2006 (Sat), 09:12

Jerry,
Thanks for the tips.....This will be my first year Shooting my son's Baseball games. Your tips are greatly appreciated. The people on this board are GREAT...

Thanks,

Rick - You and your son are lucky. He will provide you with some great sports photo opportunities and you'll provide him with lifetime photographic memories. Good luck to both of you in your endeavors and have fun!

DaveL

11th of February 2006 (Sat), 16:55

Thanks for the great tips everyone...

I'm leaving for Florida in 16 days with my 10
year old and my brand new digital rebel XT (w/a
canon 75-300, a 2x tc and a 50mm 1.8). We'll
spend a few days following our Red Sox and then
head up to Dunedin for a couple days... BTW:
Jerry, we are really jealous of the FSL. I love the
fact that you can pay $3, sit in the front row and
end up with as many foul balls as you want

Our town (Manchester, NH) has an Eastern League
affiliate so I expect to shoot quite a bit this year.

fslshooter

12th of February 2006 (Sun), 05:28

I'm leaving for Florida in 16 days with my 10
year old and my brand new digital rebel XT (w/a
canon 75-300, a 2x tc and a 50mm 1.8). We'll
spend a few days following our Red Sox and then
head up to Dunedin for a couple days...

It sounds to me like you might be as passionate about the game of baseball as I am. I think you and your son are going to have a blast at Spring Training and that you're going to give your new gear a real workout. You might not be aware of it but 11 of the 12 teams in the Florida State League play at Spring Training facilities. Dunedin is one of my favorites too -- both the ballpark and the town.

DavidEB

12th of February 2006 (Sun), 11:21

Jerry -- great advice. lots there to chew on. I can only add two meager things, mostly appropriate to kid's games.

since I never get field access (little league lawyers are pretty strict about this) I shoot over the fence either at the first or third base line. The place to be is just where the dugout meets the fence, and the challenge is that the fence is sometimes higher than my comfortable shooting position. A stepladder is a very helpful tool.

when to shoot from first line and when from third? when my team's up, I like to shoot right handed batters from first base line, third for lefties. But you can't walk back and forth that fast. So I check out the lineup, note the lefties, and time my trips back and forth so I get shots of each kid batting at some point. This puts you at the first base line most. But, the best shots of action at first are taken from the third base line.

fslshooter

12th of February 2006 (Sun), 23:31

Thanks David -- we appreciate the additions!

DaveL

13th of February 2006 (Mon), 09:39

It sounds to me like you might be as passionate about the game of baseball as I am. I think you and your son are going to have a blast at Spring Training and that you're going to give your new gear a real workout. You might not be aware of it but 11 of the 12 teams in the Florida State League play at Spring Training facilities. Dunedin is one of my favorites too -- both the ballpark and the town.

Yes, we try to catch a game or two when we visit
the parents. We were in Dunedin for an FSL game last
april and had a blast... It's really a very high quality of
baseball. Since we have an Eastern League affiliate
(AA Blue Jays) in town, we get to watch alot of players
who come up through the FSL.

Well, hopefully, you'll be around for the upcoming season
because I'll need to pick your brain!!

BTW: One tip I wanted to add: Some of my favorite shots
are catching the players in pregame warmups. I usually go to
the ballpark as soon as the gates open and go to the areas behind
first and third base. The players come really close, of course it
doesn't hurt to have a 10 year old who collects autographs ;)

fslshooter

15th of February 2006 (Wed), 15:05

BTW: One tip I wanted to add: Some of my favorite shotsare catching the players in pregame warmups. I usually go to the ballpark as soon as the gates open and go to the areas behindand third base. The players come really close, of course itdoesn't hurt to have a 10 year old who collects autographs

Another excellent tip -- thanks for sharing. And to add a bit, while the picther is making his warmup tosses, the position players warm up between innings also and it's another chance for some good pics of them.

Sledhed

15th of February 2006 (Wed), 18:16

Excellent post Jerry, I'll put some of tips to use.

MDJAK

28th of April 2006 (Fri), 08:36

Never let it be said I'm a slow learner. I've been on this forum close to a year now and am only now discovering the value of these stickies.

Thank you for taking the time to put this together. I can't wait to put your tips into practice.

mark

basroil

28th of April 2006 (Fri), 18:56

for highschool/little league, hiding ontop of the dugout seems to work decently if the dugouts are past the back fence... that is if you can manage to get up there without getting thrown out

i just got back from taking pics at a baseball game, and found that your points do make good pictures, as long as i can get my 70-200 under control... still need to take another 200 or so pics before i get used to the beast of a lens.

minimako

28th of April 2006 (Fri), 23:04

Jerry your photos are awsome! I am just learning to shoot my 13 year old son playing baseball. I have a 1D canon and am using a 70 200mm 2.8 lens. What type if ball head if any do you use if you use a mono pod? I hope some day to be half as good as you are. Thanks Dan.

fslshooter

2nd of January 2007 (Tue), 08:45

Kenya

3rd of January 2007 (Wed), 00:29

I hope to put many of the tips in this thread to use as the college baseball/softball season starts soon and I will be out shooting the games. I'll add two things that have worked for me.

* Pick four to six positions from which to shoot and devote at least an inning to each so that you get shots from a variety of perspectives.
* Positions from which I shoot: at the connection of the net to the dugout on both sides (depending on the batter's handedness), at the connection of the dugout to the fence (on the first and third base lines), a third of way between the base line and the warning track on each side.

One side note: I find that the action in softball is so compressed that I often don't take photos past the first/third bases.

Tareq

3rd of January 2007 (Wed), 03:35

I didn't read the information yet but i am sure it is a big help for shooters, thank you very much.
Too bad we don't have Baseball in UAE.

MJPhotos24

3rd of January 2007 (Wed), 15:18

Dan -

Please forgive this tardy reply but I just now saw your question when I reviewed the thread today. I don't use a ball head on my monopod. Not to say that some don't use them but I've never seen another baseball shooter using a ball head on their monopods either.

Actually, I use a ball head on mine Jerry. There's a LOT of stadiums out here were I'm in the "open" a lot, so I have to manuever to hide myself and still get the camera out there so sometimes I'm mangled like a pretzel taking certain angles. If I could get away with not using one all summer I would, but I've liked having it so far. I can tilt without changing the height thus lowering myself quicker if I have to or those weird angles are taken care of like I said. A lot of it has to do with how messed up my body is angled...most dont use a ballhead though, from what I've seen.

Croasdail

4th of January 2007 (Thu), 10:19

Ok amigo... so I am planning on shooting batters from the outfield. What focal length have you seen being used for these shots. I have been looking at both 500 and 600's f4s.

fslshooter

4th of January 2007 (Thu), 12:09

Ok amigo... so I am planning on shooting batters from the outfield. What focal length have you seen being used for these shots. I have been looking at both 500 and 600's f4s.

Mark - I know a guy who shoots them from a scoreboard walkway behind the fence in left center field with a 600; however, the IQ isn't all that good. More would probably be better but the 600 is definitely better than the 500.

Croasdail

4th of January 2007 (Thu), 13:30

hmmm - IQ is poor. Not what I was hoping for. I have some with my 300 +2x tc that are usable for web presentation, but nothing I would submit to a magazine. Maybe media guide. I was looking for that dang silver bullet. Tax money will be coming back soon... I need to make sure I figure out a way to spend it on something other then new carpet or fixing the fence. This is the shot I want to be able to get but much better. Perhaps a 400 + TC will work.

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/668B5949_edited-1_small_2.jpg

fslshooter

4th of January 2007 (Thu), 15:48

Mark - That's about the IQ he gets; however, bear in mind that he's shooting pro baseball with fence lines 315 - 400+ feet from home plate. If you want something to shoot ladies fastpitch with its fence line of 190 to 225 feet from the dish I think that a 600 f/4 would be near perfect. This means that a 400 f/2.8 plus 1.4x TC should also be near perfect. It sounds to me like you have a very good reason to add this sports shooter's dream glass to your kit ;) .

Croasdail

4th of January 2007 (Thu), 20:57

This is all I had as an example. I need to pull off simular or better ... okay.... way better... to be able to use it for the ladies, but more so, the Bulls. And coming up with a different angle or shot from the standard guys is the only way i am going to really get my stuff to stand out. Perhaps a SigMonster would work....

Rumrunner

11th of February 2007 (Sun), 10:10

Awesome tips, thank you very much for the advice. You have captured some stunning images!

aussieskier

24th of February 2007 (Sat), 00:20

Jerry, I have been shooting for a year now and I was interested what your thoughts where on af point selection since I have started to think about experiment with different one that just center.

fslshooter

24th of February 2007 (Sat), 07:45

Jerry, I have been shooting for a year now and I was interested what your thoughts where on af point selection since I have started to think about experiment with different one that just center.

Riley -

Yours is a timely post because I'm doing a bit of experimenting with AF focus point selection myself now. For posed and shots where the subject's motion is relatively stopped, I try to use a single focus point and move it to the player's face and I doubt that I'll be doing any experimenting with anything else. For action shots I was trying to move the focus point to the neck or face if there was enough contrast and I could hold it there. If I was unable to hold the focus point on the face due to fast, erratic movement I'd switch to a larger area as long as it had good contrast like the chest when it had a team name/number or to the player's belt line. However, I found that sometimes I couldn't hold the focus point I wanted and keep all of the player in the frame -- especially close ups of pitchers during their delivery. So I'm experimenting with using all focus points when there is nothing else in the frame that could throw the camera's AF selection points off -- such as a close backstop or catcher when I'm shooting batters. I think using all focus points when shooting pitchers and position players if nothing else is in the frame just might work best and there's no doubt it will be much easier to keep the subject centered in the frame. Spring training games start here next week and I'll be experimenting with using all focus points for some compositions. If anyone else has tried this MO, please chime in. I'll post my thoughts after I've tried the method in a few games.

TurboDean

28th of February 2007 (Wed), 02:08

I'll be having my first go at ladies youth fast pitch softball (small field) this w/e, but can not get on the field and must shoot throught the fence. I fear the AF getting confused with the chain links. Any suggestions? Practice my MF skills??

I know the first several games will be quite a learning curve, but I feel better prepared after reading these shooting tips. I am comfortable enough shooting in manual mode, though I am now also practicing using C.Fn4-1. All that might keep me too busy. To simplify it a bit while ensuring sufficient shutted speed, should I try shooting TV mode and just set the shutter to as high as possible, keeping a 1/640 minimum, and then let the aperature do what it must?

I plan on setting the ISO to no more than 400. I have indoor basketball images taken at ISO 800 that were totally disappointing, so I would rather cap it at 400. That should be doable at the day games, but the night games might force a higher ISO.

I'll be using the 70-200/2.8, which you recommend, and I have a 1.4x TC, but it will be on a XT. What did you have this combo on? It seems 157-448 effective would be too much. 112-320 w/o the 1.4x TC. Heck, I guess I need to just walk over to the field and check. :)

fslshooter

28th of February 2007 (Wed), 07:30

Dean -

I use MF when shooting through the fence/backstop. I prefer AV to TV when using automatic exposure because I like to control background blur -- I just make sure whatever shutter speed the camera chooses is fast enough to stop action. If not, then I dial ISO up. And if there's a trade off between motion blur or more digital noise I opt for more digital noise and dial ISO up to whatever I need. You can always use noise reduction software to reduce noise but there's nothing you can do to correct motion blur. I use an mkII as primary and 10D as backup -- you might want to try shooting both with and without the TC on your XT. Depending on where you're shooting from the TC might make the combo too short -- like at home plate, first and third bases. But if you've shooting across the diamond or home from either first or third base positions you'll probably want to use the TC. Have fun and good luck!

TurboDean

28th of February 2007 (Wed), 11:52

OK, I'll work on it. Thanks again!

dshootist

28th of February 2007 (Wed), 23:34

You've got my vote to make this a Sports section Sticky thread! Great shots.

aussieskier

1st of March 2007 (Thu), 01:00

Riley -

Yours is a timely post because I'm doing a bit of experimenting with AF focus point selection myself now. For posed and shots where the subject's motion is relatively stopped, I try to use a single focus point and move it to the player's face and I doubt that I'll be doing any experimenting with anything else. For action shots I was trying to move the focus point to the neck or face if there was enough contrast and I could hold it there. If I was unable to hold the focus point on the face due to fast, erratic movement I'd switch to a larger area as long as it had good contrast like the chest when it had a team name/number or to the player's belt line. However, I found that sometimes I couldn't hold the focus point I wanted and keep all of the player in the frame -- especially close ups of pitchers during their delivery. So I'm experimenting with using all focus points when there is nothing else in the frame that could throw the camera's AF selection points off -- such as a close backstop or catcher when I'm shooting batters. I think using all focus points when shooting pitchers and position players if nothing else is in the frame just might work best and there's no doubt it will be much easier to keep the subject centered in the frame. Spring training games start here next week and I'll be experimenting with using all focus points for some compositions. If anyone else has tried this MO, please chime in. I'll post my thoughts after I've tried the method in a few games.

This is what I am planning on playing with, I have noticed that I can (if not paying attention) mis-focus on the backstop when using center so I figured that all points would be a mistake for that situtation. I was more thinking about infield action etc where it would provide a better opportunity for different compositions rather than a rather centered shot all the time.

If the weather turns I will try and experiment with the baseball team at my university during practice, otherwise my first game paid game is in two weeks so I might just have to wait. But I will try to remember to post back my experiences.

sbressler

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 01:49

MJPhotos24

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 03:13

Awesome thread - just read through it all. I just started shooting baseball two days ago (shot only 2 games so far) and have been thrilled with how much better results I can get than I could shooting my university's basketball games - aah sunlight! Anyway, I've been using my 70-200 with 1.4x TC on my XTi and things have gone pretty well. I find I end up cropping nearly all of my shots (at least a little). I need to try out my friends 300mm f/2.8 on a monopod sometime - maybe this Sunday. I've been shooting from just past the dugout on the third base line - haven't tried to talk my way any closer yet.

I love baseball, always have, and shooting it has been a lot of fun so far!
the 300 is amazing for baseball, for me at least and I know Jerry uses one as well. Even with it I crop my pics a bit as you seem to catch a bit of dead space depending on the stadium/fields you're at (for example some stadiums the 300 isn't enough while at others it's just to much).

Anyways, glad to see you're shooting what you love! keept it up!!! I gave up a career in football just for the oportunity to play baseball at a D3 level (D1 prospect to D3 is a huge jump). Even though I never got the chance to play at D3 (car accident) still wouldn't give up that choice - love the game, even though I ended up turning into moonlight graham ;) if anyone knows who that is, ha.

Sledhed

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 09:35

love the game, even though I ended up turning into moonlight graham ;) if anyone knows who that is, ha.

Mike - Any true baseball fan knows who Moonlight Graham is.

sbressler

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 10:13

I gave up a career in football just for the oportunity to play baseball at a D3 level (D1 prospect to D3 is a huge jump). Even though I never got the chance to play at D3 (car accident) still wouldn't give up that choice - love the game, even though I ended up turning into moonlight graham ;) if anyone knows who that is, ha.
Wow, that's quite a story/life you've had there.

I forgot to mention one thing that I had wanted to about shooting - half of my shots I have to straighten because they just don't look right when I upload them after the game. Figured I'd mention that, see what you guys and girls had to say.

TurboDean

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 14:51

Anyway, I've been using my 70-200 with 1.4x TC on my XTi and things have gone pretty well.

ISO 100? I have a similar setup, except XT, and I tried some late afternoon shots a couple days ago at ISO 800 to maintain a ~1/800 shutter speed. Shooting as close to, though still through, the fence, too (can't get onto the field). Awful results.

sbressler

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 15:30

ISO 100? I have a similar setup, except XT, and I tried some late afternoon shots a couple days ago at ISO 800 to maintain a ~1/800 shutter speed. Shooting as close to, though still through, the fence, too (can't get onto the field). Awful results.
The first day I shot was great weather - quite sunny (though I'm sure that was nothing compared to how bright it'll be later this Spring. I used ISO 200 for all the shots. Anyway, yesterday it went from fairly sunny to terribly overcast and windy. I went from ISO 200 f/4.0 1/800 to ISO 800 f/4.0 1/400-1/500. Still got some fairly decent results. And, again, I was just past the home dugout along the third base line.

TurboDean

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 15:49

Maybe I'm just being to critical.

sbressler

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 17:20

Maybe I'm just being to critical.
Haha, maybe I'm not being critical enough.

MJPhotos24

2nd of March 2007 (Fri), 23:33

Wow, that's quite a story/life you've had there.

I forgot to mention one thing that I had wanted to about shooting - half of my shots I have to straighten because they just don't look right when I upload them after the game. Figured I'd mention that, see what you guys and girls had to say.

I definately had an unconventional career in HS/College, but hey stuff happens.

Do you mean straighten as in it looks like the camera is tilted? This could be from the backgrounds, baseball stadiums have very different dimensions than say a gym or football field (with perfect walls or boundaries). Even if you are straight up with a player, sometimes the OF wall or foul territory just makes them look "off" a bit because the backgrounds are rounded a bit. I know in some stadiums the backgrounds make the pics very decieving. Sometimes "straighten" them according to the background and it makes the pic look great, other times it makes the player all screwy. Or, you are tilted and don't notice it. That's why I use a monopod as much as possible, cuz with my shoulder I'd never be able to hold the camera straight for 2-3 hours for the game.

HighPlainsPhotographer

3rd of March 2007 (Sat), 14:50

Thanks for the tips. I will be shooting HS baseball for the first time in a couple of weeks.

Shaun

lalvidrez

3rd of March 2007 (Sat), 23:10

Thanks Jerry, with baseball around the corner I can always use plenty of advice. It's going to be a busy season.

JPR

5th of April 2007 (Thu), 20:07

fslshooter,

I love your pictures. I purchased my 30d with the mind set of shooting my kids' sports (sball, bball, fball). I currently have the 28-135mm lens that came with my kit. So, I am not expecting anything close to what most get. After looking at your pictures, I notice that you use the Adobe RBG color modes vs the sRGB. Can you explain to me why? It's my understanding from other user posts, that the Adobe RGB has alot less colors than the sRGB, which is also universal. Can you clear this up for me please?

Thanks

John

fslshooter

6th of April 2007 (Fri), 09:37

After looking at your pictures, I notice that you use the Adobe RBG color modes vs the sRGB. Can you explain to me why? It's my understanding from other user posts, that the Adobe RGB has alot less colors than the sRGB, which is also universal. Can you clear this up for me please? John

John - My bad :cry: . The general rule of thumb is to post process in Adobe RGB then convert to sRGB for prints and posting on the Internet. I forgot to convert the images to sRGB before I posted them :o.

In2Photos

12th of July 2007 (Thu), 11:16

Thanks for this thread Jerry. I don't know how I missed it as I usually go straight for the stickies. :o There is even more excellent advice in this thread to go along with what you have told me in my threads.

kantonburg

4th of September 2007 (Tue), 16:55

Jerry,

I'm new here, but this thread has given me great tips and ideas for next seaon of my son's league. He's in soccer right now and I've read a few soccer threads already. Some of the tips in this thread will work for soccer also. I'm only sporting a Canon S3 IS, but it'll do for now.

tkoutdoor

10th of March 2008 (Mon), 17:47

Oh that's right....you have that strange game they play with a flat board:)

Go to the Airport get on a jet and head to any large town in the southern US....Spring training starts around the first of March. You will get a lot of sun and might just decide to stay here.

For Baseball fans.....would it not be great to take the whole month of march and travel around to all the Spring training camps...winding up with a visit to Cooperstown, NY. This would be a dream for my son and I to do.

One thing is for certain....you are not going to see baseball in the Olympics anymore. The dropped it yesterday:(Baseball is as "American" as apple pie. I'm thinking this is a snub in this overly PC world of ours. (Nice, I just notice I pulled this thread outta storage!)

Aaagogo

11th of March 2008 (Tue), 02:09

perfect perfect tips for me to start getting into baseball

thanx.

TurboDean

11th of March 2008 (Tue), 12:23

Nice, I just notice I pulled this thread outta storage!

No harm in resurrecting threads such as this; just look at the response after yours!

dmwierz

11th of March 2008 (Tue), 12:25

I definately had an unconventional career in HS/College, but hey stuff happens.

Do you mean straighten as in it looks like the camera is tilted? This could be from the backgrounds, baseball stadiums have very different dimensions than say a gym or football field (with perfect walls or boundaries). Even if you are straight up with a player, sometimes the OF wall or foul territory just makes them look "off" a bit because the backgrounds are rounded a bit. I know in some stadiums the backgrounds make the pics very decieving. Sometimes "straighten" them according to the background and it makes the pic look great, other times it makes the player all screwy. Or, you are tilted and don't notice it. That's why I use a monopod as much as possible, cuz with my shoulder I'd never be able to hold the camera straight for 2-3 hours for the game.

Allow me to add my $.02 worth to Mr. Janes' words of wisdom. For a game like Baseball, where the fields are rarely "normal" shaped, and there are lines all over the place, and edges of grass, interfaces between walls and the field, etc., rarely will something that appears to be a horizontal reference actually end up being horizontal. A little tip I learned a few years ago from a veteran sports shooter is to use vertical things as your "horizontal" references. In general, with the dimensions we're taking about on a sports field, most vertical things will remain vertical and are unaffected by tricks of perspective. Items such as the edges of walls, fence or light posts, backstop supports, corners of buildings, vertical edges of signs, vertical grout seams on brick walls, etc, all are plumbed vertical during the building process.

I use the "ruler" tool in Photoshop to do my straightening. You can get to the ruler via the Eyedropper tool - either right-click or click and hold for a second or so on the Eyedropper and the ruler will pop out. After you get the ruler, click on something vertical, and drag the mouse up or down the vertical line until the line you are drawing coincides with or is exactly parallel with the vertical object then release the mouse. Doing this defines a specific rotation angle needed to pull the vertical reference line perfectly vertical.

Next you use this measurement to rotate the image. This is really simple in PS. Just follow the path Image > Rotate Canvas > Arbitrary and the Rotate Canvas dialog will pop up. See the number that appears in the "Angle" value for the dialog box? That's the precise angle your image needs to be rotated to true it up. All you need to do is click OK and the image is rotated.

You then will need to crop the image back to the appropriate aspect ratio or size desired since now the edges of your image will be all catywumpus, all of them rotated by the angle you set with the ruler.

Once you get used to this, you can even set keyboard shortcuts for "Arbitrary Rotate" like I have Command-Option-Shift-R on my computer to automatically pop up the dialogue box. It's a LOT faster than it looks - trust me.

However, as Mike said, sometimes a perfectly vertical or horizontal shot just doesn't "look" right, so there may be a bit of subjectivity involved.

Hope this helps.

Dennis

Zivnuska

11th of March 2008 (Tue), 14:28

If you can get field access, by all means do so -- you'll get consistently better results shooting closer to the action and you'll not have to shoot through the backstop which can get tricky. If you're not sure who grants field access ask the coach or school's sports information director. If you're granted field access, it's a good idea to talk with the head umpire prior to the game and ask what rules apply to you. BTW, don't assume that rules for photogs are the same at all venues and if you're issued written credentials be sure to read them before you go onto the field.

After Mike Coolbaugh, I'm surprised that so many of you are getting field access.

Sledhed

11th of March 2008 (Tue), 15:20

After Mike Coolbaugh, I'm surprised that so many of you are getting field access.

For those of you who do not know who Mike Coolbaugh was, he was a base coach for a minor league team. He took a line drive to the head and was killed last season. MLB is now requiring all base coaches to wear batting helemts.

I've already shot 7 MLB games this year and all of the base coaches had their helmets on. I'm sure HS and college teams will require them eventually too.

Zivnuska

11th of March 2008 (Tue), 16:03

Coolbaugh was a 35 year old former major league ballplayer. If he couldn't protect himself, imagine the hazard for a photographer on the field.

HS and college use high tech aluminum bats that yield very fast speeds. Safety is a huge concern at the HS level. Again, I'm surprised that so many of you get field access.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=2946422

http://www.nyssf.org/baseballbats.html

dmwierz

12th of March 2008 (Wed), 06:29

It wouldn't surprise me if proof of insurance will be required for field access in the near term, holding the league/town/facilities/teams/players harmless in case anything happens.

Coolbaugh was a 35 year old former major league ballplayer. If he couldn't protect himself, imagine the hazard for a photographer on the field.

Well, he was pretty close to the plate when this happened, was looking the other way (I've seen MLB 3rd base coaches more than halfway down the 3rd base line, looking at 2nd base when a runner was on 2nd - I've also seen the HP ump tell them to move back up the line right after the Coolbaugh tragedy) and don't forget, as tragic as this was, this happens very, very rarely considering the number of players, coaches and photographers covering HS baseball and beyond.

Plus, there's not much one can do to "protect" themselves from foul balls other than dive behind or under something or someone or use your arms to deflect the ball. If you shoot enough, you will get hit. I learned to shoot with both eyes open not so coincidentally about the time I started covering my first MLB games. I always try to have an "escape route" - something to dive under or behind. When you shoot in a photo well, sometimes it's not the inbound ball that gets you - it's the one that's bouncing around the walls inside the well.

There was a SportsShooter thread in the last week about how to protect yourself when shooting baseball that might be worth reading:

http://www.sportsshooter.com/message_display.html?tid=28573

Zivnuska

12th of March 2008 (Wed), 08:23

Play safe out there folks.

I plead guilty to having illusions of athletic grandeur but this 55 yr old dentist is also a realist. My reaction time while looking through a viewfinder, ass to the grass (or at least not in proper 'athletic position'), concentrating on making an image--perhaps distracted from the batter--is not sufficiently quick to defend myself if I attempted to be on the field.

Leagues around here, youth through HS, would never allow it anyway.

fslshooter

12th of March 2008 (Wed), 08:45

It's a good time of the year to revive this thread and for others to add tips and info. Dennis's tip for straighting images is excellent and one I use too. We just need to be sure the vertical reference used is in fact vertical and some poles like those holding backstops aren't. As for the possibility of being hit by foul balls, I think most baseball shooters accept it as an occupational hazard and the organizations we shoot for are aware that we do. I don't think we're much if any more vulnerable to being hit than fans in the front rows whose seats are beyond the backstop. Granted they don't have a camera pressed to their face but we're not confined to a seat thus we have more mobility. We're also watching the game while some of them are socializing.

dmwierz

12th of March 2008 (Wed), 17:29

I'm in FLA for the day, and just heard about this:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/02/27/coaching.helmets.ap/index.html

This article mentions Tim Flannery, of the SF Giants. I did a few Giants games last year when the Bonds Frenzy was heated up and visited the Midwest, and when there was a runner on 2nd base, Flannery was almost 2/3 of the way home, looking straight at 2nd base. He's the coach I mentioned about who was asked to move closer to the coach's box by the HP ump during a game in Milwaukee (just after Coolbaugh's death, BTW).

Reyno

25th of March 2008 (Tue), 15:34

Very informative, thanks for posting this Jerry.

whuband

25th of March 2008 (Tue), 16:11

I frequently shoot two of the local universities. I have developed a good relationship with the coaches and the players by shooting candids and providing these on a website. I asked the coaches about this prior to the season and they had no problem with it. The players (and their girlfriends) love this. I just ask them not to pose if they see the camera pointed in their direction. I am careful however about what I post to the site, especially images of the coaches.

Probably half of my shooting now is from the dugout, and I can get the players to "spot" for me on foul balls. I would never trust them 100%, but there is a comfort factor with this arrangement. With close access at the home plate end of the dugout, the 70-200 is fine. Second base still requires a 300mm for good quality.

Oddly enough the visiting teams see where I am shooting from, and they have no problem with me in their dugout to shoot from the other side of the field.
Part diplomacy and sometimes you just get lucky.

Cowboymitch

18th of February 2009 (Wed), 21:21

I know its been a long time since this post was active, but I just want to thank everyone. I get to shoot my first baseball game this weekend, and I'm feeling a little more prepared fore it now after reading this post. Thanks

Mike Kelley

18th of February 2009 (Wed), 22:14

Thank you for the tips. I just got my 70-200F4. I cant wait until Pony starts, so I can post some pictures of what I shoot. Thanks again

Lumpy8

18th of February 2009 (Wed), 23:28

Very informative, thanks

mpbutlersr48

23rd of August 2009 (Sun), 23:24

Any tips for shooting night baseball games?

JMHPhotography

24th of August 2009 (Mon), 12:35

Any tips for shooting night baseball games?

Hope the field is WELL lit... and use fast glass. Also... get used to the idea that the images will have noise from high ISO because you will most likely be using it.

fslshooter

24th of August 2009 (Mon), 14:17

Any tips for shooting night baseball games?

Perhaps the best tip anyone could give on the subject is don't waste your time trying to shoot baseball under the lights. Some here might disagree with me but the truth is other than perhaps a few major league ballparks, stadium light are inadequate for good photography even when using the best equipment available today. About the only time I shoot under the lights is when I'm on assignment and I don't have my money shot(s) yet and then I shoot at f/2.8 and very high ISO. If I can't get a good histogram at max ISO and a SS of 1/500 and preferably faster, I pack it in. For what it's worth I've found that the area around second base is the best lit at most ballparks offering perhaps the best opportunity for decent shots under the lights.

Tareq

24th of August 2009 (Mon), 14:30

Perhaps the best tip anyone could give on the subject is don't waste your time trying to shoot baseball under the lights. Some here might disagree with me but the truth is other than perhaps a few major league ballparks, stadium light are inadequate for good photography even when using the best equipment available today. About the only time I shoot under the lights is when I'm on assignment and I don't have my money shot(s) yet and then I shoot at f/2.8 and very high ISO. If I can't get a good histogram at max ISO and a SS of 1/500 and preferably faster, I pack it in. For what it's worth I've found that the area around second base is the best lit at most ballparks offering perhaps the best opportunity for decent shots under the lights.

Couldn't agree more with you, that is why i stopped to shoot indoor sports after second time 2 years ago, i might go back to shoot again if they replace the light with better stronger lights around.

cstewart

24th of August 2009 (Mon), 15:43

I have a couple of recent threads on here regarding shooting low light, high ISO baseball. See HERE (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=735719) and HERE (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=741937)

I agree with Jerry. If you can't get 1/500 or higher on shutter, pack it in or focus on shots of players in dugout or on crowd shots. I have found greater success in my last two night games with the 50D and the ability to shoot at 6400 ISO (it also seems to handle noise better at 3200 ISO relative to what my 40D can do), although again, you need to pick your spots on the field well and deal with the noise as best as you can. On our local MiLB park, I find light on the mound is best, light at home plate is horrible and light at 2B is middle of the road.

mpbutlersr48

24th of August 2009 (Mon), 16:34

Thanks for all the replys.
I apreciate all your advice..

shellymascher

30th of August 2009 (Sun), 09:00

Jeff - the tips should apply for softball too. As a matter of fact I posted this thread just before I walked out the door today to shoot my first fastpitch game of the season. BTW I see you have a 70-200 and 1.4x TC -- I used this combo for every shot today. I've not processed the images yet but based on what I saw through the viewfinder and in chimps, I think that combo is excellent for daytime fastpitch.

I have just bought a Canon Rebel XS to shoot my daughter's 12 and under comp. fastpitch team. (my husband is manager). She is our starting pitcher and plays 1st. Although I will shoot all of the girls for fun, my primary interest will be action shots of her. My question: Which lense will be best for those shots from off the field. I am not sure which one to invest my money in. Most of our games are in the daylight.
Thank you- Shelly

fslshooter

30th of August 2009 (Sun), 09:36

Shelly - A 70-200 f/2.8 should do the job perfectly and it's one of Canon's best lenses. They're a bit expensive but excellent investments and IMO a lens every sports shooter should have in their kit. If the f/2.8 exceeds your budget then a 70-200 f/4 would be your next best choice if most of your daughter's games are in daylight.

shellymascher

30th of August 2009 (Sun), 10:26

Thanks! Can you tell me the difference between the 75-300/70-300 and the 70-200? Also have you ever used the Tamron lenses? I appreciate your time and input.

gromeo

30th of August 2009 (Sun), 13:21

Thanks! Can you tell me the difference between the 75-300/70-300 and the 70-200? Also have you ever used the Tamron lenses? I appreciate your time and input.

Both of those lens have variable apertures, which means the aperture will change as you zoom in and out. The 70-200 2.8 has a fixed aperture, if you set it at 2.8 it stays there as you zoom in and out same as the f4 version. The Canon 70-300 has IS. Tamron and Sigma makes good 70-200 2.8 lenses as well. Good luck and happy shooting

MJPhotos24

30th of August 2009 (Sun), 19:19

Thanks! Can you tell me the difference between the 75-300/70-300 and the 70-200? Also have you ever used the Tamron lenses? I appreciate your time and input.
As mentioned Sigma & Tamron both make decent lenses, though the IQ with a Canon is better off. I used the 70-200 2.8 Sigma and never touched it again after getting the Canon version.

fslshooter

31st of August 2009 (Mon), 12:41

Shelly - What gromeo and MJPhotos24 said. I've owned and used Tamron glass but like Mike (MJPhotos24) when I upgraded to Canon I never used the glass I replaced it with again. I've found that the image quality (IQ) Canon lenses yield is just better than anything else I've ever used on Canon bodies plus I've never been able to resale non Canon glass for anything near what I paid for it new. So after wasting money on other lenses and being disappointed with the IQ I got from them I've finally learned to just bite the bullet and pay the price that Canon glass sells for.

shellymascher

6th of September 2009 (Sun), 00:15

thank you guys for all your input.

MDJAK

15th of February 2010 (Mon), 20:49

Great thread that needs some updating from the OP.

I think the game's changed a bit with the introduction of the MKIV and the D3s; would you agree, Jerry? High, very clean ISO opens up a whole new life/window on night shooting from what I've seen.

Your shots are excellent and your input invaluable.

mark

fslshooter

18th of February 2010 (Thu), 21:37

Scott V

19th of February 2010 (Fri), 11:07

Mark -

The game of baseball hasn't changed and I don't have nor expect to upgrade equipment so I'll leave updates to you youngsters. I'm still shooting with the same MkII I've been shooting with for years and I'll probably retire when it wears out -- I'm about worn out myself.

I'm anxious too see what you guys and gals can do with the newer high ISO capable bodies especially in dealing with weird cap shadows cast by multiple lights from several angles. I have both enjoyed and applied many of your posts. I look forward to the next one always. Jerry, thank you for sharing your knowledge with all us new and aspiring photographers.

Sincerely,

Scott Vestal
SV Action Photography
"if it moves, we'll shoot it!"
www.svactionphotography.com

txdude35

17th of March 2010 (Wed), 01:32

MJPhotos24

17th of March 2010 (Wed), 10:24

I'm new to shooting sports and have just started the softball season. My football and basketball shots improved dramatically over the course of those seasons but I'd like the learning curve to be a bit shorter with softball. I shoot with a Mark 2N and a Sigma 70-200, sometimes with 1.4 tcon. My problem is getting decent action shots in the infield off hits. I've tried prefocusing on a player, say shortstop or second base, and the ball is invariably hit somewhere else. I've found that the Sigma with the tcon attached slows the focus acquisition down enough that swinging the camera around and catching action is next to impossible. Any suggestions?

Buy faster glass or wait and hope the ball is hit to certain players. Having owned both the Sigma is slower than the Canon a bit. Should be able to swing and get something though depending how fast the play is. Even with a Canon 400 2.8 and III I still pre-focus on infielders at times and hope, many times you're left disappointed but other times you get lucky.

txdude35

18th of March 2010 (Thu), 07:10

The Canon 70-200 is in my future but right now I just don't have the budget for it. I've just got to do the best I can.

John Hayes

19th of March 2010 (Fri), 04:57

Shot my first baseball game today.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4444483823_1da6187fcd_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4445252900_e5122bd79b_o.jpg

marino420td

21st of April 2010 (Wed), 09:27

MDJAK

21st of April 2010 (Wed), 09:30

I'm no expert, but I'd say your TC is slowing your focus. That was my experience.

Also, try to prefocus. For instance, when shooting the pitcher, with his body movement, arms flailing, it may knock the focus off. Prefocus on him, stop down a bit for wider DOF, and see how that works.

Prefocus on 2nd base with a runner on 1st and less than two outs and hope for a steal. Then snap away.

Same thing at home with runner on third.

You can't cover the whole field and swinging your camera around is a rough thing to do.

When I had the 300 f2.8 IS, it had a prefocus feature. I would lock focus on 2nd, then refocus on the pitcher or batter. If there was a play at second, a simple press of any of three buttons surronding the lens would immediately relock focus on 2nd.

mark

Tareq

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 07:32

John,

Nice images. So sharp and great colors. What lense did you use for these, the 70-200? What fstop?

I shoot with a 50D, 70-200 F2.8 L IS with a 1.4 TC and I'm struggling to get sharp images. Some are ok but rarely do I get one that pops off my screen like yours above.

I believe I'm having problems getting exact focus. I never have field access (just an amateur shooting because I enjoy doing it) so most of my shots are through fence or backstop. I put my lense hood against the fence and center the lense opening in an opening in the fence. A1 servo mode, center point focus on * button, focus and fire.

Can you guys give details on exactly how you shoot? Do you lock focus on the pitcher above or keep the focus button pressed through his delivery? Same with batters.

From his shot exif it is showing that he was using 7D + 70-200 f2.8L IS, and the fstop of those were : f3.2, f2.8, and the shutter of both were: 1/8000, 1/6400, so no doubt he froze the action completely, in conclusion, i will never use 5D for sports or actions even it is a great camera, either 1-series [1D mostly] or x0D or 7D, the focus on those camera as i can see is better than 5D whatever others trying to say that 5D is better or equally good, i have 5D and i can't see it as equal focus of 1-series not even my 30D, also with that high shutter speed it will give you sharper results than 1/250-1/400 even these are enough sometimes, depends on the speed of the action and the players and so.

Focus on the face or the eyes if you can

MDJAK

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 08:39

It goes without saying everybody's experiences differ.

Let's harken back a few years, before Canon had 1 series cameras. Did we, or our dads, take pics of us playing sports? Were some great shots? Of course they were.

I am not the proud owner of the 5DII. I have owned the 1DsMKII, 1DMKIII and the 1DsMKIII. I then switched to Nikon and owned the D3 for the past two years. I just switched back for no particular reason other than I enjoy it.

That said, I shot high school baseball last night. The 5DII had no problem whatsoever focusing and tracking with center point. I was using my 200 F2 IS for the first time.

I also just got the new 24" wide Epson 7900 printer. I printed two pics, one of the pitcher, one of a batter with the ball just off the bat. Printed them at 24x32. The pics are sharp and stunning to see in that size.

For baseball especially, all one has to do is prefocus on the batter, pitcher, or a base. Even without doing that, the camera had no problem tracking the batter running out of the box.
http://MarkRichman.zenfolio.com/img/v7/p171319522-4.jpg

http://MarkRichman.zenfolio.com/img/v12/p288680658-5.jpg

MDJAK

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 08:40

One more:
http://MarkRichman.zenfolio.com/img/v10/p162722738-5.jpg

MDJAK

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 08:41

I was all the way by first base with the 200mm. Obviously, these are heavily cropped.

Paigek

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 16:12

Great shots! Great thread!
I currently use a Canon 40D and shoot most sports with a Tamron 70-200 2.8 I work for a 7000+ daily newspaper who also happens to own a tiny weekly paper and I get published regularly in both. I do not work solely as a staff photographer. Most of my time is spent in the customer service department. I shoot little league, seniors, etc. on nights and weekends.
I'm ready to move on to bigger and better clients and jobs. I want to improve my sports photo quality to National and International publication levels. I understand this is way in the future but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to move on from the 'amature hobby' level. Currently im working on perfecting my baseball softball skills since that is the season, and I have some questions concerning sunlight.
I fight with the sun constantly just like everyone else, and I seem to be having problems with the harsh shadow that the baseball hat casts over the player. I try to expose for the player's face, but then everything around them ends up blown out and loses color quality. In post procession I bring back some of the color but you know as well as I do if there aren't any pixels in the first place you can't bring them back.
Also I'm having problems with soft focus on the player, but I'm wondering if that may just be the quality of the lens, since I didnt spend the extra $900 on the Canon version. Does anyone else have the same issues with the lens?
For the paper they are just happy to have a face and jersey number to print, but I really want to take outstanding photos, not just mediocre newspaper photos. Anyone have any advice?

John Hayes

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 17:05

John,

Nice images. So sharp and great colors. What lense did you use for these, the 70-200? What fstop?

I shoot with a 50D, 70-200 F2.8 L IS with a 1.4 TC and I'm struggling to get sharp images. Some are ok but rarely do I get one that pops off my screen like yours above.

I believe I'm having problems getting exact focus. I never have field access (just an amateur shooting because I enjoy doing it) so most of my shots are through fence or backstop. I put my lense hood against the fence and center the lense opening in an opening in the fence. A1 servo mode, center point focus on * button, focus and fire.

Can you guys give details on exactly how you shoot? Do you lock focus on the pitcher above or keep the focus button pressed through his delivery? Same with batters.

Thanks marino420td, It was shot with the 70-200 F2.8 L IS. I had to micro adjust my lens +6 maybe you need to look into ma your lens.

If you use Firefox here is a cool little tool that will let you look at the exif data from images to see what settings were used. Link (https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5673)

Good luck

Methodical

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 20:25

Never shot baseball. Is a 500mm lens too much lens for little league baseball? I don't have my 300 2.8 yet (have the f4 version) and I don't have access and from seeing post about the coach being killed I guess it may not be the best option for not having shot baseball.

Thanks

Tareq

22nd of April 2010 (Thu), 20:43

Is a 500mm lens too much lens for little league baseball. I don't have my 300 yet and I don't have access.

Thanks

Go and try it, this is the best answer you will get.

mikekarlovec

29th of November 2010 (Mon), 01:20

I am still trying to figure out what my camera is capable of but here is one of my shots from Arizona last spring. I am still using the automatic sports feature on my old rebel in this one. I have upgraded to a 50D now and look forward to taking some great shots this spring. I also plan on learning a bit more about manual settings and see if i can get some great shots. I also plan on renting a 70-200 f/2.8 for this next trip so that will help as well

http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee135/mikekarlovec/Spring%20training%202009/KendryMoralesbrokenbat.jpg

manlou

3rd of March 2011 (Thu), 11:38

Thanks for the shooting tips! they're great. I have a chance to take photos the baseball team of the university I work for. They happen to be ranked in the nation for division III

bokster

24th of June 2011 (Fri), 10:53

Hello all:

This is my first year shooting 10u baseball and I am thoroughly enjoying it! I am using a Canon 30D with a Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 without any TC. I shoot usually from the 1st base side. My settings are usually F/4 –5.6 and 1/1600 t0 1/2000.

I have a question regarding using the back focus (also center single focus point) with AI Servo to shoot the outfielders. I find that it's hard to focus on an outfield player because the lens always ends up focusing on the fence instead. Is there anything I can do to resolve this? My thought is that the target is so small that the back focus can't quite pick it up. Or if I close the aperture to get a deeper DOF might help? Any thoughts?

I know I should use a longer lens but this is only what I have and can afford at this point. Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers!

clarence

24th of June 2011 (Fri), 22:23

Never shot baseball. Is a 500mm lens too much lens for little league baseball?

I usually mix it up... 200 or 300 on one body and 600mm on another.

600/4L on a 5D Mk II:

http://loco-photo.com/images/2011-06-11_4068.jpg

http://loco-photo.com/images/2011-06-11_4089.jpg

charlesu

26th of June 2011 (Sun), 09:13

Where were you 5 years ago when I started shooting a lot of baseball??

Thanks, great topic and example shots. I'd love to see folks do this same thing for other sports!!

pfjbaldwin

26th of June 2011 (Sun), 11:17

I've shot a lot of youth baseball with the exact camera & lens you are using, and the only outfield position you can get with a 70-200 from the first base side is right field and left field from the 3rd base side. You should be able to pick up a Sig 1.4TC at a reasonable price and this will give you better range. A high fence behind the outfielders will drive your single point AF crazy because of the lack of contrast needed to focus quickly. You'll get a much better DOF and plenty of stop action if you lower your shutter speed. I usually shoot youth ball sports at 1/640 using SS priority with excellent results. The attached image is of the right fielder using your camera & glass combination.

pfjbaldwin

26th of June 2011 (Sun), 11:38

I'm always surprised when shooters with equipment like 30D & Sig 70-200 ask questions that are answered with examples from high end 1D and long L prime lens images. A 30D shooter would find the focus speed and accuracy of this level equipment to be amazing at the cost of a good used car.:lol:

mckinleypics

26th of June 2011 (Sun), 13:44

You can get shots with a 70-200 but you have to cheat a little. It helps being the coach and having kids young enough that you aren't keeping score yet.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/5798176785_5fc44f74d5_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22918854@N04/5798176785/)
IMG_1173 - Version 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/22918854@N04/5798176785/) by mckinleypics (http://www.flickr.com/people/22918854@N04/), on Flickr

BlueDevil08

26th of June 2011 (Sun), 22:39

You can get shots with a 70-200 but you have to cheat a little.

You can even get decent results with this combo at the High School Level. I shoot with a 7d and 200 2.8L II. I'm fortunate to have access to the dugouts so that helps. I can cover the entire infield and parts of left/right field depending on which dugout I'm it just takes some cropping. Here's some examples....

http://ksb.smugmug.com/Sports/LIT-2011/i-XTfKhsP/1/X2/MG6945-X2.jpg

http://ksb.smugmug.com/Sports/Henry-Clay-Vs-Bourbon-4-16-11/i-Z66mFfz/1/X2/MG3838-1-X2.jpg

http://ksb.smugmug.com/Sports/Henry-Clay-Vs-Bourbon-4-16-11/i-pR4ZVqM/1/X2/MG4018-X2.jpg

bokster

27th of June 2011 (Mon), 14:57

pfjbaldwin

27th of June 2011 (Mon), 22:41

bspawr

28th of June 2011 (Tue), 16:41

Thanks for your reply. After mulling over for a few days, I purchased a 1.4x TC just now. Getting a longer lens is just not possible for me. :-) I always thought the single point AFcan't focus fast enough because the target is too small. I will attempt to manual focus next time.

Late to the conversation but you should be able to get adequate reach on the 70-200 + 1.4x combo. I used that same set up for these shots:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2403/5756536397_7ba361ba75_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bspawr_photography/5756536397/)
St. Louis Recruits - 10u Baseball- Billy Pitching (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bspawr_photography/5756536397/) by bspawr (http://www.flickr.com/people/bspawr_photography/), on Flickr

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5756523913_fe24588269_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bspawr_photography/5756523913/)
St. Louis Recruits - 10u Baseball- Zach Takes the Throw at Second (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bspawr_photography/5756523913/) by bspawr (http://www.flickr.com/people/bspawr_photography/), on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3174/5753028379_1289d0e80b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bspawr_photography/5753028379/)
St. Louis Recruits - 10u Baseball- Braden Catching (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bspawr_photography/5753028379/) by bspawr (http://www.flickr.com/people/bspawr_photography/), on Flickr

Keep shooting! Anxious to see some posts.