All-Star Game Frustrations -- Baseball (7 pics)

[fslshooter]

Unbelievably poor planning by event organizers, a last minute request for me to shoot the team photos, my own equipment failures, togs who seemingly had no idea of proper protocol when shooting on a baseball field and an overzelous staff member who called security because he thought I was taking photos in an unauthorized area made for a very frustrating shoot Saturday night.

#1 - West team photo -- I had about 30 minutes notification that I'd be shooting the team photos.
http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//potn/allstar1.jpg

#2 - Skydivers landed on the field just prior to game start time -- I nor any other togs knew this was planned.
http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//potn/allstar2.jpg

#3 - I got one shot of a pre game schoarship donation check being presented to my boss then my camera died -- and it was the one with a flash unit mounted. So I grabbed my backup camera that didn't have a flash unit and got this shot with terrible shadows.
http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//potn/allstar3.jpg

#4 - Not long after this shot, when I spun from portrait to landscape orientation the lens mount broke and my 300mm separated from the camera body.
http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//potn/allstar4.jpg

#5 - So I grabbed my 70-200 and held it to the camera body to get this.
http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//potn/allstar5.jpg

#6 - Then I headed to the clubhouse where I tried to make some camera repairs. I got the first camera with flash fixed in time to get a shot of my boss presenting the MVP award.
http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//potn/allstar6.jpg

#7 - Then I got a few shots at the post game party before an overzelous staff member had me thrown out.
http://www.jerryhalephotography.com//potn/allstar7.jpg

[JasonW]

Well Jerry you wouldn't want your life to be boring would you.....

[MJPhotos24]

Well Jerry, you have me just itching for tomorrows All-Star game for the MWL with this story! Oh man, I've had those days and actually so far my trip out this way has been horrible msyelf with a bunch of problems and spending about $300 more than I planned becasue of my computer breaking down a bit and other problems arising with trips.

Anyways, nice shots for having so many problems. For obvious reasons I'm choosing shot #7 as my favorite! hehe. The team pic looks good to! hopefully they do one tomorrow, I told them I would volunteer but heard nothing back as its not scheduled right now.

[RonnieA]

Seems like you did all right all things considered.

What's your setup for the team pic shot? I took my first one this past weekend and wasn't happy with how it turned out. I shot it with my kit lens at 24mm (should've went wider and gotten closer) and feel there's too much empty space above and below the players. Is that typical? I see you used the scoreboard as the backdrop to fill up the top of the photo.

I see Darold Knowles in the team photo. He was my pitching coach when I played for the Cleawater Phillies. Great guy and teacher. See he's now with the Dunedin Blue Jays. You know he's been the only pitcher to appear in all 7 games of a World Series.

[fslshooter]

JasonW - To the contrary and adding to the frustratiuons I had finally muddled through the boring parts of the shoot and as evidence shows in #7 had finally reached the interesting part when I was told to cease and desist. ;)

Mike - Actually the team pics came out better than I expected -- not as good as I hoped but OK under the circumstances. I took another shot similar to #7 just before that one and the subjects insisted they see it -- how could I refuse their request especially when we had to huddle real close to see the LCD. During the huddle I convinced them we needed to try another shot. :D ;)

Ronnie - I shot the team pic with my 10D, 28-135 zoom @ 28mm and one 550EX flash. I think two or three flash units would have been better but I had to go with what was at hand. As for empty space you need some so that player names can be added either at the top or bottom. But it's also best to try and come up with something that will make an 8x10. You'll need to get several different captures either using zoom or feet so that at least one pic will crop to the ration that you'll need. I was already at my widest so I was zooming with my feet which brought chuckles from the guys. BTW, If that pic is good enough that you can recognize Darold in it then it might be even better than I thought.

[Sledhed]

I have to agree with Mike, #7 is my favorite. Excellent as always, sorry to hear about your troubles but it looks like you got the shots you needed.

[fslshooter]

I have to agree with Mike, #7 is my favorite. Excellent as always, sorry to hear about your troubles but it looks like you got the shots you needed.

Hey Chris -- #7 was the most fun for me so I guess it's my favorite too ;) . And I did get the shots I needed to get -- for the FSL they were #s 3 and 6. It also looks like MiLB found enough stuff among the images I sent them to cover news of the event plus images for their FSL All-Star Game Photo Gallery.

I really do wish the insident with the overzelous staff member hadn't taken place though because we created a rather ugly scene in front of folks who never should have witnessed it -- players, managers, GMs and their staff plus invited guests. The unbelievable part of the story is that the same staff member challenged me the previous nite at the post FanFest party and the director of media relations told him to back off and said I could take all the pictures I needed to. Unfortunately the director of media relations had not arrived at the post game party yet when overzelous challenged me the second night. Perhaps the best part of the entire story for me is that after I got tossed, the AGM tossed overzelous, told me I could go back to the party and take all the pictures I needed then stay as long as I wanted and partake of the food, beverages and socialize with the guests.

Hope you have fun at the MWLAS game tonight and that you and Mike can hook up for a few beers there. Good luck too!

[throw_n_gas]

Jerry,

After reading your post and accurate description of events, IMHO I think your images came out quite well. It's always interesting seeing the images and reading "How they were made" stories.

In regards to #7 if you need an assistant for the next shoot of said subjects CALL ME!!!



Rick

[royv]

What a story!! what a pics!! and what a hot girl standing in the middle at #7!!!!!!!