A Few more Duke Baseball shots....

[Croasdail]

Ran out and with my littlest one and shot about an hour of baseball - overcast, cold, dim.. actually really nice lighting - no direct lighting to deal with. Tried to shoot without the 1.4 tc and frankly it was too short. Anyway, here they are... and any comments or improvements are welcome.

#1

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/Duke_vs_Elon018_edited-1_web.jpg

#2

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/Duke_vs_Elon055_edited-1_web.jpg

#3 Light was going on me and shutter was getting slow - but in the end I kinda like the motion.

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/Duke_vs_Elon082_edited-1_web.jpg

#4

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/Duke_vs_Elon147_edited-1_web.jpg

#5... and I like this one - hardly peak action or anything but the ref was sure interested in the pitchers grip.

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/Duke_vs_Elon027_edited-1_web.jpg

[Carlos05]

great shots...colorful and sharp....HOpe i can get shots like that one day...keep it up.

[Sledhed]

Nice job Mark. Try a little faster shutter speed. It's amazing how fast the hand is moving when the ball is released.

[fslshooter]

Mark - Nice crisp action stuff -- you're absolutely nailing the focus. I especially like #1 -- great timing and you've captured his intensity superbly. As Chris said, it's incredible how fast the pitcher's hand is moving at the release point -- sometimes it's impossible to get enough shutter speed to stop it too. #1's a perfect example -- even at 1/1250 second you didn't stop the motion of his hand but did stop that of the ball he just released. That might be why a lot of baseball photogs opt for other positions during the delivery to shoot -- my personal preferences are 1) when the pitcher drops his ball hand down toward the ground during the windup and 2) with his ball hand and arm cocked behind his head. These appear the be the two slowest positions during delivery and often work in very low light conditions.

[Croasdail]

Carlor05 ~ thanks.... it was perfectly overcast which really helped with the color

Sledhed ~ yep - the Sun was going away from me... this was shot between 4:40 and 5:15 so light conditions were dimminshing fast. Should have bumped ISO but didn't.... lesson learned.

Hey Jerry ~ yep, lights were coming on but I had to run. I also didn't have my 1.4 tc with me so I was shooting a little short too. But fun none-the-less. I was trying to get a few shots before the Georgia Tech - Duke basketball game. I know this sounds like a dumb reason to pick a side to shot from but the first base side has a grass hill my 4 year old loves to roll down.... so it was shot from that side and let him play or go to the other and try to shoot and entertrain him at the same time. Of course he ends up looking like a giant grass ball that I then need to explain to mom when we get home.... but were bonding... we both get to sit on the stairs in timeout. Cheers.

[zeker]

I really like the first shot. Having the ball in view (preferably in flight) really adds to the action and you really nailed that first shot -- maybe worthy of SI.

I hope Duke's baseball team isn't as good as their basketball team so my Hokies can at least compete.

Zeke

[Croasdail]

Zeke - no worries there.... Dukes baseball team is in a building phase with a new coach this year... it will be a while before anyone in the ACC needs to worry about them. Thanks for the comments.

[go_mac]

FYI, in baseball they are called umpires not refs.

[troutbreath]

I like #4. You can read the whole uniform. That, and the combination of the pitcher's expression, the blur of his hand, and how his front foot is dug into the ground really make the throw look powerful.

Really nice shots.

[LMP]

Mark, #1 is a cracking shot. Great timing..nice and crisp...and the ball is in shot, I really like this one!

[Croasdail]

Troutbreath ~ many thanks, I shot again today this time without the motion blur and personally I like a little blur... it just has to be right though.

Marc ~ appreciate you looking and commenting...sometimes it works for me... sometimes it doesn't. Todays game - it didn't.