USC Softball - First Outing

[rpearce12]

University of South Carolina that is. Today was the first day that I have ever shot softball. There was a little bit of a learning curve, but I did a little homework and it seemed to pay off. I took just over 1000 shots. It was a ridiculous amount, but I shot a lot of bursts of the girls while swinging away at the plate. If you have any critiques, comments or suggestions, please feel free.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USCvsCoastalSoftball602copy.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USCvsCoastalSoftball916copy.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USCvsCoastalSoftball217copy.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USCvsCoastalSoftballPartIII042copy.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USCvsCoastalSoftball737copy.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USCvsCoastalSoftball275copy.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USCvsCoastalSoftballPartII026copy.jpg

[Pete's Prints]

Nice series of photos, especially like #6. What camera/lens did you use? I shot a tournament this weekend and have 2500 to go through. Again nice series of images!

[rpearce12]

Nice series of photos, especially like #6. What camera/lens did you use? I shot a tournament this weekend and have 2500 to go through. Again nice series of images!

Thanks, Pete. I was using my 1d mark II and my 100-400. I wish I had a 70-200 for the closer shots because most of my shots are in the 150-300 range, which i could have covered with a 1.4x tc. What was your combo?

[MT Stringer]

most of my shots are in the 150-300 range

Seems like that is my range also, thus the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8! :-) It has been a workhorse for me.

[DHMN]

Don't forget the follow-through shots .. especially if a player gets ahold of a ball and hits it out
http://www.viewthroughmylens.net/Galleries/Thunder/Softball/VsHibbing/ThunderSoftballHibbing9.jpg

Just a thought :)

[rpearce12]

Great idea on the follow through. I completely forgot about those!!! And stringer, let's see some shots with it!!!!

[Sledhed]

Nice shots for the first time out. The only thing I suggest is a little faster shutter speed on a couple of them, 1/800th is a little slow for softball at that level.

[MT Stringer]

And stringer, let's see some shots with it!!!!

Here's a few - some taken with a 20D, 30D, 40D and 1D MK3. But all were taken with the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8

Sample 1 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Home-Run01.jpg)
Sample 2 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/BB02-1.jpg)
Sample 3 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Runningtofirst.jpg)
Sample 4 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/03Pic.jpg)
Sample 5 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/480-IMG_7460.jpg)
Sample 6 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/PPG1.jpg)
Sample 7 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Pitcher01-480.jpg)
Sample 8 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/SpringHS01-480.jpg)
Sample 9 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Baseball/BB1-650.jpg)
Sample 10 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Baseball/BB-2-650.jpg)
Sample 11 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Baseball/LongFlyBall-600.jpg)
Sample 12 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Track%20Meet%20at%20Episcopal/StartingBlocks.jpg)
Sample 13 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Soccer/Soccer06.jpg)
Sample 14 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Soccer/Soccer08.jpg)
Sample 15 (http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Soccer/Soccer05.jpg)

[rpearce12]

Great set of shots, stringer. I saw a couple of night shots on there, but how does it normally perform at night? And the 20d at 3200 ISO? wowow

[Pete's Prints]

Thanks, Pete. I was using my 1d mark II and my 100-400. I wish I had a 70-200 for the closer shots because most of my shots are in the 150-300 range, which i could have covered with a 1.4x tc. What was your combo?

This season I'm using a 35-350mmL with a 50D, as a backup I have a 40D which I keep a 17-40. I borrowed a friends 70-200 2.8IS and boy it was great for the night games. Again a nice series of photos, my fav is still #6bw!
Pete

[MT Stringer]

but how does it normally perform at night?

I am not sure how to answer that question. Football , and baseball also, usually require ISO 3200, f/2.8 and 1/400 sec. Sometimes the lighting is worse. So, I just shoot and shoot and pick out the good ones; chunk the rest.

Here's one I really like. 1/320, f/2.8, IS 3200 with the 20D.
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd265/mt_stringer/Baseball/BB-3-650.jpg

[RGolfJ]

MT....I like that shot also.....think I would like it better if he were left handed and the runner was on third.

[rpearce12]

I am not sure how to answer that question. Football , and baseball also, usually require ISO 3200, f/2.8 and 1/400 sec. Sometimes the lighting is worse. So, I just shoot and shoot and pick out the good ones; chunk the rest.

Here's one I really like. 1/320, f/2.8, IS 3200 with the 20D.


Mike, I should have been a little more specific. I was asking what your shots were like while shooting at night games with your camera(s). But that is in a large part the camera.

I'll be shooting some high ISO shots soon and am a little worried about it since I only have the 100-400. We'll see what I am able to do.

[MT Stringer]

I'll be shooting some high ISO shots soon and am a little worried about it since I only have the 100-400. We'll see what I am able to do.

I also have the 100-400. It doesn't take much to render the lens unusable. I tried it at a field hockey game. The later it got, the higher I had to raise the ISO.

I am not sure what you will be shooting, but I used the 100-400 for a couple of football games along with the 580 EX II flash mounted on a monopod. It worked pretty good. The 580 is a real workhorse.
Game pics here (http://www.maxpreps.com/photo/gallery.aspx?imageid=5fdebe36-11a3-4cf3-9a80-8693ce69ede9&photogalleryid=89170af6-42c9-4b4e-93cd-8a3cf4b6615c#imageid=5fdebe36-11a3-4cf3-9a80-8693ce69ede9).

[Pete's Prints]

Richard these are a couple from this past weekends tournament, still going thru them.

[rpearce12]

Mike, great set of photos from under the lights. I have a 430 EX, but I'm not sure if you can use it in Softball and baseball during the game???? Division 1? Also, what was your distance to the targets? I feel like my flash would have a little bit of trouble hitting something that far out.

Anyways, here's one of the better shots from the night game. I was at 1600 ISO for all of them, tried 3200, but it was miserable. I had to open up as wide as I could go, usually affecting my focal length because I tried to get as much length on the glass without going from f/5 to f/5.6. What kinds of lenses are people using for night softball and baseball games????
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m70/rpearce12/USC%20Softball%20vs%20Coastal/USC%20vs%20LU%20Softball/USCvsLUSoftball853copy.jpg

P.S. I have better shots from the first game of the double header, but I wanted to post a night shot. Also, this one is going in the paper tomorrow I believe. We'll see how it looks.

[MT Stringer]

Richard, I think my ISO goes to about 1000-1250 when shooting night football with flash. I am usually pretty good out to about mid field on a high school field.

For high school baseball and softball, I have been shooting without flash, thus the high ISO. I usually have field access so I shoot from behind first or third base. The pic of the pitcher checking the runner on first was shot outside the field of play. I shot it through the green backstop netting.

[rpearce12]

All of my softball pics, except for a couple and it should be fairly easy to tell which ones, have been shot form the 1st and 3rd base lines. I'm shooting 3 games, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the season opener baseball games. They will be my first baseball games as well. All but the 3rd are 3 o'clock games, so I should be ok for those, but I need to figure out what I need to shoot those late-night softball and baseball games and basketball indoors. If only I had a huge budget.....:(

Any tips on baseball as it is different from softball?