First Softball of the Year

[mestes]

Got to shoot my first HS softball of the year

Shot AV mode with ISO between 100 and 200 depending on what shutter speeds and histograms I was seeing.

Any suggestions it was my first time doing softball this year.

1.
http://www.mattestes.com/photos/HHS/4-15-09/IMG_6295_small.jpg

2.
http://www.mattestes.com/photos/HHS/4-15-09/IMG_6313_small.jpg

3.
http://www.mattestes.com/photos/HHS/4-15-09/IMG_6322_small.jpg

4.
http://www.mattestes.com/photos/HHS/4-15-09/IMG_6348_small.jpg

5.
http://www.mattestes.com/photos/HHS/4-15-09/IMG_6385_small.jpg

6.
http://www.mattestes.com/photos/HHS/4-15-09/IMG_6399_small.jpg

[Big K]

Tough lighting for your first night out.

I am a diehard M shooter so that would be my recommendation but I think your exposures did pretty well considering black unis on such a sunny day.

[mestes]

yea thats why I chose AV vs M plus I was unsure how much faster softball is vs baseball

If I had shot M what could I have used to gage proper exposure except the histogram with the black uni's?

Any thing else I might improve upon for next time besides trying to get exposure better?

[Big K]

I tend to use my light meter to get a good general setting then fine tune as I go based on the histogram and general conditions within the frame. The tough part is the bright refelction you tend to get from the infield surface so it makes for a fine line as to where to set exposure to balance the glaring highlights and the black unis. Again, I think yours turned out fine and everything was easily within range that could be fixed in post if necessary.

For next time I would say try to get more shots than just batters if at all possible but realize this is tough in softball where there is very little hitting if a good pitcher is on the mound.

You might also try either sitting or taking a knee to get just a bit lower with hopes of being able to catch their eyes under the helmets. The way things have progressed over the past few years, it won't be long before girls softball players are wearing solid steel full face helmets like the ancient Romans.

[cstewart]

Those face guards are tough for getting good shots of the batter's faces, so instead of trying to get "bat on ball" (BOB) shots (like 2-5) where their head is down and face obscured by brim of hat and guard, focus more on getting shots like #6 as they come out of their stance and their eyes and head come up to follow the path of the ball. Every so often you may get a BOB shot with the players face visible, but I'd much rather see a good clear facial expression, than a ball hitting a bit with the face obscured.

Also, if possible, get as low as you can go for shooting angle for the batters, again to try and get a "look" under the brim. I am guessing that you were standing? Maybe kneel or sit next time. I'd also move a bit further down the baseline (maybe even with first or third base) to help with the angles as well.

Here are a couple of examples of what I mean (and the first for a situation common to softball...bunting). For these I was down the line, opposite first base. Get batter as he is coming out of stance.

http://www.cjscons.com/cafbsa/apr11/bin/images/small/IMG_6949.jpg

http://www.cjscons.com/cafbsa/apr11/bin/images/small/IMG_6989.jpg

[mestes]

the first one was standing outside the back stop, but all the batters were taken from inside the fence alone the 1st base line and I was kneeling and even sitting indian style a few times.

I was not even trying for BOB was just trying to get faces as they swung if ball was there so be it, also was trying to get shots that in good focus as my AF on my Xti is a bit slow at times.

Thanks for the suggestions and the time to look at my shots guys.

[Big K]

You might try prefocusing for your batter shots. If you aim at the spot on the ground about 1 ft toward the pitcher from their back foot, you will be pretty darned close on the face during the swing. It won't do you any good for bunts or for batters that run around in the box but for more traditional swings, it is a way to work around AF issues.

[mestes]

I was trying to prefocus on their chest and then follow that as they swing, I will just need more practice I think as it was my first time.