Atlanta Braves Spring Training

[fslshooter]

Atlanta Braves Spring Training pitchers and catchers camp has started at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida. Here are a few shots of pitchers I got today. The sun was intense and shining directly behind the pitcher toward home plate so I had to do quite a bit of shadows/highlights work.

#1 - Roman Colon
http://www.ourcubs.com//potn/colon.jpg

#2 - Mike Hampton
http://www.ourcubs.com//potn/hampton.jpg

#3 - Tim Hudson
http://www.ourcubs.com//potn/hudson.jpg

[dandan]

they all look a TINY bit washed out.
great pics though. its probaly realy hard to get shots like that. they move dang fast

[SonicZoom]

yea i hope their season isn't as washed out as your pics :-P Looks like you have a nice zoom lens to get that close to the pitchers mound. What are your settings? Overexposed?

[ayotnoms]

I'd have to agree with the previous posters about being a tiny bit washed out especially since I remember seeing one of you baseball shots a while ago that was dead on.
Did you do something different?
Don't get me wrong, I love these kind of shots. I look forward to more Spring Training photos...

[fslshooter]

they all look a TINY bit washed out.


I know -- that's because of the post processing. I was shooting into the sun with a very bright background -- here's the original of #1.

http://www.ourcubs.com//potn/colon-orig.jpg

its probaly realy hard to get shots like that. they move dang fast

The trick is to pre focus on the spot where you think the pitcher will be when he releases the ball and using a high shutter speed. This was shot at 1/1600.

[fslshooter]

Looks like you have a nice zoom lens to get that close to the pitchers mound. What are your settings? Overexposed?

Canon 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM -- ISO 200, f4, 1/1600. The originals weren't overexposed but it was a tradeoff between having a pic with the guy's face being a silhouette or a washed out image. In post processing I tried to pick up enough facial detail without washing the image out too much.

[fslshooter]

I remember seeing one of you baseball shots a while ago that was dead on. Did you do something different?


The difference between that shot and these is that the background in that one was mostly grass and darker than the backgrounds in these. I could get away with a bit more shadow/highlight work on it than I could with these.

[ayotnoms]

Seeing what you began with, you did an excellent job revealing the detail on the pictures' faces.

Just curious. Do you shoot RAW?

If you follow the Braves there, you're going to love a competitor like Tim Hudson. I had the pleasure of watching him from the time he broke in with the A's; a real gamer.

[fslshooter]

Just curious. Do you shoot RAW?

If you follow the Braves there, you're going to love a competitor like Tim Hudson. I had the pleasure of watching him from the time he broke in with the A's; a real gamer.

I've never shot RAW before but I'm trying it now. These were shot RAW -- I serioulsy doubt that I would have ever been able to rescue them if they had been jpg. I have a LOT to learn about RAW conversion but the folks here have convinced me that it's the best way to go.

I've been a Braves fan for years and my first impression of Hudson is good. I love his stretch and it sure looks like he can bring some heat.

[blinking8s]

i wanna shoot the braves...not fair!

RAW is wicked stuff...but sometimes, especially at sportsing events...its not an option for me. My editor doesnt like it...slows down their work process.

[fslshooter]

i wanna shoot the braves...not fair!

RAW is wicked stuff...but sometimes, especially at sportsing events...its not an option for me. My editor doesnt like it...slows down their work process.

Sports is about all that I shoot and not much other than baseball at that. Braves ST is about an hours drive from my house and sort of my practice before the Florida State League season gets started. As you're well aware we don't always have an option of where we shoot from in sports and last season I lost way too many shots shooting into the sun. I hope that shooting RAW will help. I'm my own editor and have the time for post processing so I want to learn RAW conversion before opening day.