My first ballgame-action shots

[lr0868]

I am pretty pleased with these, they were taken with a Canon 55-250, C& C is welcomed.


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/sfbullygirl/Photography%20file/img_13242.jpg



breaking bat

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/sfbullygirl/Photography%20file/img_13502.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/sfbullygirl/Photography%20file/img_14552.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/sfbullygirl/Photography%20file/img_14422.jpg

and my favorite set

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/sfbullygirl/Photography%20file/img_13982.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/sfbullygirl/Photography%20file/img_13992.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y165/sfbullygirl/Photography%20file/img_14002.jpg

[cstewart]

Nice seats! I notice all your shutter speeds are at 1/250. This is generally way too slow to really freeze the action in baseball and to get crisp images and to eliminate motion blur of the baseball as in your first shot. Shoot your lens wide open too (f4?) and use the extra light to boost shutter speed. It will also help the main subject stand out a bit more from the blurred background. Most shooters of baseball here (and myself) have been using SS up around 1/2000 and above in daylight games. In my latest thread (HERE (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=524398)) all were at 1/2000 or higher and even then there is still some ball movement.

Cheers!
Chris

[lr0868]

ooh thank you for the feedback I will do that at the next game..i did boost it a bit in some of the shots to 1/500, but I was not completely sure of how high to go. Now I am excited to go back next week and try again.

[MT Stringer]

If it was me, I would shoot in AV mode and adjust the ISO as necessary to keep the shutterspeed above 1/500th sec.
Mike

[lr0868]

I used TV mode which is supposed to be for action...so next time I will try that as well as AV and boost the ISO as well and see what that gets me

[MT Stringer]

I forgot to mention to set your aperature wide open. I'm not familiar with your lens, but I shoot at f/2.8 - f/3.2 to help soften/blur the background.

Mike

[cecilc]

... they were taken with a Canon 55-250, C& C is welcomed.

I agree with the other responders in that your shutter speed definitely needs to be quicker ... and you can tell yourself, just by looking at these shots, that 1/250 is just not a fast enough shutter speed to freeze or stop action. Also, these shots appear to be a little soft .... and the shutter speed may (indirectly) have something to do with that ....

I'd recommend (the next ballgame that you're at) shooting in AV mode with your shutter set to 5.6 (which is your most "open" aperture at the 250 end of your lens); try your ISO at either 200 or 400 and see if your shutter speeds get up above 1/500 (and if not, then up your ISO again) ... now, f5.6 is not going to blur a lot of backgrounds (particularly if you're shooting all the way across the field).

Good luck ...

[lr0868]

awesome thanks for the reccomendations, I hope to go thsi weekend again so I will see what I can do

oh and shows what I know I was thinking they were pretty sharp LOL , so if I can make them better by listening to you guys I will be even happier...thanks again!

[vetkrazy]

If you are going to shoot pro level players I suggest you get your shutter speed above 1/2000. I shoot college and low level minors and never go below 1/2500 until the light fails. If you intend to freeze the action at this level you need to shoot faster than 1/500.

[lr0868]

I will try the suggestions..I got front row seats to this weekends Giants vs A's game so hopefully with all the suggestions and no heads to shoot over I can improve upon my first attempt. :)

[Strnge]

Read DMWIERZ's post about half way down in this post.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=481856&page=3

Notice how he takes his shots with a high shutter speed in AV. Click on his name and read posts that he has made and you can see how he gets those incredible shots. He has taught me allot just from his postings here. Are you going to the Sunday game? Have you thought about renting a longer lens or even a 1.4 Teleconverter? They both can be had for cheap. I rent when I need a longer lens. In the A's stadium, you are seated 2 times the distance than the Giants stadium and I needed the 300 there.

[lr0868]

Read DMWIERZ's post about half way down in this post.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=481856&page=3

Notice how he takes his shots with a high shutter speed in AV. Click on his name and read posts that he has made and you can see how he gets those incredible shots. He has taught me allot just from his postings here. Are you going to the Sunday game? Have you thought about renting a longer lens or even a 1.4 Teleconverter? They both can be had for cheap. I rent when I need a longer lens. In the A's stadium, you are seated 2 times the distance than the Giants stadium and I needed the 300 there.


Yes it s Sunday's game.. I will be right at third base, above the dugout first row, so for close in shots at third and home I should be fine with my 250mm..out field shots is a little harder and maybe 1st base as well...I may get a teleconverter as I have been wanting one anyway and see how that works.

Thanks for the link I am off to read it now :)

[dmwierz]

I notice you shot these somewhere around f/9.0 . This aperture is WAY too small and results in a far too large depth of field. Almost everything in your shots is at the same level of focus (or lack of focus). As has been said, try Av, and select a wider aperture and get your shutter speeds up. You want your subjects to stand out against the background. Take a look at episode 1 of the podcast in my signature.

Don't get a teleconverter. You can't turn your $300 lens into a $6000 EF 400 f/2.8, or even a $1,100 400 f/5.6. Adding a 1.4X TC will make your lens a f/5.6 - f/8.0 which just isn't going to cut it.

Learn to use the gear you have, and work on your timing. Learn to accurately auto-focus. Learn to properly compose your shots, and how to capture peak action.

Looking forward to your next series.

Dennis

[lr0868]

thanks dmwierz I will try all these suggestions. Is there a good baseball lens that is around $1000-$1300, that will work for daytime and nighttime games ?

[Strnge]

Need a shooting partner? M wife sometimes lets me go, however Sunday is the only weekend day I get. I usually have to get permission several days out for Sundays:roll:. Once your married and have 2 small children, you almost always need permission to go outside to play.

[manutd101]

Well, real simple, the first one needs a little crop on the left, although this wouldn't have been a keeper for me because of the afore-mentioned ball blur and the fact the player's face can't be seen.

Second I wouldn't have kept either, too loose, blur in the bottom left, and some more blur.

For the third, again too much butt, not enough face.

I like the fourth but the image seems a little flat and a little oddly exposed, love the expression though!

Fifth is another one I wouldn't have saved, too loose, blurry, faceless, and ball, well, never mind, but it isn't conveying a story or message.

Sixth is nice, a little too early and loose (can't be managed obviously), and the SS was too low.

For the next game, you should try renting a 300 (f/4 or f/2.8, doesn't really matter for a day game, outside of size restrictions). It will give you very nice sharpness and constrast, plus 50mm more reach.

EDIT: Well, maybe that wasn't so simple, but...