Humbling experience

[IndyJeff]

Ok, so I am supposed to know what I am doing whenit comes to photography. Well the last two nights have been a humbling experience for me, altho night 2 was better than night 1.
First off if you can't use a flash, don't shoot girls softball at night, unless your camera is able to shoot higher than ISO 1000. The batters aren't bad but anything else in the field is terrible.
The second night was better but not by much. Being the dunce that I am I go back the second night but I don't check the ISO and I am still shooting at 1000. CRAP!!!! To put it nicely.

I am out of my element here so to speak and feeling lower than a snakes belly in a wagon wheel track. I am learning and hopefully by the championship game on Thursday I will have it down pat. Bad/Good thing is that on the first night a league director from another league came up and has a tourney coming up in early August and wants me to shoot that too. Damn I hope I get better before then LOL

Anyone else ever do any softball/baseball? Any tips or hints you might want to share. I am going this evening with the intention of getting everyone at bat, once that is done then I will get them in the field, hopefully doing something besides standing there.

Signed
Down in the dumps and disappointed

[danphoto1]

What are you shooting with for equiptment?? I had to shoot a night soccer games in Phonex and it was difficult I used a 1D and a 120 - 300 sigma. I had to wait for my shots because the range was only 300 I also had to kick up the ISO to 1600 and use the noise reduction feature in the camera . I used the flourecent or incadesint white balance and some shots auto. If the field's not lit forget it. there was a freelance guy there shooting witha d-60 and a rebel he was using flash but I can't figure out how he could get a clean photo

I used the 550ex but shots were poor to terrible. Just 2.8 lens and available light were much better and some were actually fairly clean

[IndyJeff]

Hey Dan that guy was me!!!! No, not really but, I am shooting with a D60. With an ISO high of 1000 it just ain't working under these lights. I did contact a couple of guys that do events and both said, "If it is a night game, grab a seat and a coke but, don't try to shoot it."
Tonight I got some pretty good shots. My improvement line went up over what it did from night 1 to 2. A lot of ball on bat stuff and today I finally did waht I should have done Sunday night. I sat down and made out a game plan, so to speak. I decided to get everyone at bat. Once that was accomplished I moved to doing them in the field. Came out pretty good.
I am going to be looking for a 1D over the winter which should help a lot.

Now back to the editting and publishing. Thank God this thing is only one more night.

[danphoto1]

yea your right now that I think of it. I kind of found the spots that the shots came out and stayed there. also you can kick the +/- up a stop or two above.. I shot in Fenway Park behind home plate 3rd row with the net in front of mee with a100-400 L lens ans a 1.4 shots came out ok. no way could I use a flash. Game plan is the best idea. Check my site http://danphoto1.tripod.com most of the basket ball indoors and available light. Try volley ball it's almost impossible. I think the 120 to-300 2.8 will help because I can get a shot at a right angle to the net .

[Tom W]

Hey Jeff, what lens are you using? Do you have f/2.8 available?

I shot a few at an evening women's softball game while I was up in Cleveland, and found that as soon as the sun got behind the tree line, I really didn't have enough light with the slower lens to deal with the action. That and there wasn't enough action in the game to make any really exciting pictures. :)

[IndyJeff]

Well I found a sweet spot last night after it was all lights, right behind home plate with the ever reliable 50mm 1.8. Even with the action of the swing, low lights and all things considered those shots came out pretty good. Motion of the bat and ball was real good. If anyone wants to take a look, PM me for the password. I am about ready to leave for the last night of shooting so I should be back by about 10 or so. I will send the password then to anyone who cares to view the shots.

[Bruce Hamilton]

I will send the password then to anyone who cares...

Were they that bad? :lol:

[IndyJeff]

I will send the password then to anyone who cares...

Were they that bad? :lol:


LOL No Bruce, they weren't that bad but these are 14 and under girls and I don't want to advertise their images to every Tom Dick and Uncle Pervy that may surf thru here.
If I don't recognize your nic from here I won't give you the password.

And based upon the response I got from the parents and coaches tonight when it was all over, it was pretty good. A lot better than what they have seen from other guys around here.

[geisha]

i have no technical help, sorry i use a 35mm, but can i say that your post made me smile.. and that is one thing i personally love about photography.. my brain can never switch off, i am ALWAYS learning or thinking outside of that box with every press of the button.. i am one of those that bores easy.. but with making images one can never loose fuel.

just my 2 cents.... :roll:

[IndyJeff]

Well an update, I have sold some pics from that tourney. Not enough but had two emails wanting to know if I can get shots of certain kids from one team. I sent an email back to the one lady and told her about the other email. I told her my rate for covering a game was $200 and if she and this other parent wanted to, they could combine a request and I would shoot both kids and give them a cd with all the images of their indivdual kid on it. Plus I would give them a release, in writing and on the disk, for personal printing use. It took about one hour and she called me. They want to do it this weekend when the kids have their next game.

Also I got a phone call and an email from the league treasurer of one of the teams that competed last week. They have a tourney coming up July 30- Aug 1 and want me to cover it.

So now this is my schedule for the next few weeks

July 17 two kids...$200
July 23- 25 8 and under girls softball....should be a good seller because of their young ages.
July30- Aug 1 tourney, 30 teams...who knows how much
Aug 6-8 The Brickyard....damn stringer job LOL
Aug 10 I meet with another league board to discuss doing their action and T & I shots next year.

I am feeling a lot better about this new venture and have my confidence back. I sent an email to Nashville Superspeedway and told them to cancel my credentials for this weekend. I have a softball game to shoot, of course I didn't tell them that LOL