Cricket - Gloucestershire v's Somerset

[tigerroar]

My birthday usually indicates the start of the cricket season so it was a short hop down to Bristol today to see the County in action.

I attached my 2x extender onto my 70-200mm lens and did my best with the manual focus. I'll post up a few of the pics later if anyone's interested but here is probably the most topical pic that I got, Phil Weston being bowled for 54.



Any good?

[WyzMan]

Getting shots of the bails flying is always near impossible so well done for that. However, IMHO, you needed to be on the other side of the pitch, looking at the batsman from fine leg perhaps. That way you would stand a better chance of identifying who was so clearly out and generally get a more interesting picture. If there was more crowd behind the batsman from that side, that would have been a bonus - it is always difficult at county games, to get an interesting background.

Keep the cricket pics coming - I got told off last week at the opening friendly between Lancs and Yorks at Old Trafford. A security guard was told to ask me to put my camera away as I didn't have a press card or Press Association membership card - I was in a spectator area too - behind the fence and nowhere near anybody else!

Any other experiences of this sort of thing at Cricket grounds? Any ideas on how to get permission to take pictures with a decent camera? Last year at the Oval, I was told that I could take in a small camera but nothing too big - to me that sounded as though I would be allowed to take photographs but only if they were not much good.

Alan

[tigerroar]

I took a good number from, erm, let me see, long on (I think), if you know where I mean. I had the idea of trying three different positions but gave up after two when the heavens opened and there was a two hour delay so I went home.

I got a good few of Craig Spearman, and more of Weston because they had a session and a half together. Then Steamy Windows came in and I got a few of him.

On the Somerset side I only really looked for Tresco and Andy Caddick.

As for permission, I did notice belatedly that photos could only be taken with the "correct accreditation". I wonder why they insist on this? Without getting too heavy I feel that they are imposing on my rights with that suggestion because why shouldn't I be allowed to use my camera if I'm not looking to make money off them?

[tigerroar]

Andrew Caddick hurls one in watched by the umpire and Craig Spearman

[dave h]

Getting shots of the bails flying is always near impossible so well done for that. However, IMHO, you needed to be on the other side of the pitch, looking at the batsman from fine leg perhaps. That way you would stand a better chance of identifying who was so clearly out and generally get a more interesting picture. If there was more crowd behind the batsman from that side, that would have been a bonus - it is always difficult at county games, to get an interesting background.


Owzat?

[tigerroar]

Thats a tremendous picture there Dave. What lens is that?

I was impressed that I got the picture of Weston's wicket though, the only one to fall in four hours and the window of opportunity was less than a second!

[tigerroar]

Another one that I think is good (although the experts might not share that view)....

Craig Spearman is glad that he wore his box!!

[dave h]

Originally Posted by tigerroar

Thats a tremendous picture there Dave. What lens is that?

I was impressed that I got the picture of Weston's wicket though, the only one to fall in four hours and the window of opportunity was less than a second!

Thanks.

It was on a 300 2.8 on a 1d mk2. Cropped from centre of the image.

That is a problem with cricket. Which ball is going to bowl out or caught. At least in football you can see where the ball isgoing to go and there is more action.

4 Hours, how many balls was that? 17 overs an hour, 6 balls an over, thats 408 balls. Thank goodness it was not old rules where there were 8 balls in an over. That would have been 544 balls.

The problem I have is that doing other press jobs during the day, you do not always have hours to spend at the cricket and often have no more than an hour or two to get something decent.

[tigerroar]

Nice lens, so I think I did even better under the circumstances (70-200mm plus 2x extender plus manual focus!).

There was a guy a couple of seats up for me with Nikon gear and a HUGE lens, yet he was more interested in yakking to his mate than taking pictures. Still he got a telling off from my mate Tim, who is also the president of the NUJ cos he hadn't joined his union!

[tigerroar]

Four more for Spearman!

[tigerroar]

Phil Weston drives

[WyzMan]

TigerRoar - Some good pictures there. I spent a day with the Lancs official snapper last year actually on the outfield - what a cracking day that was. (Didn't get any tumbling bails though although there were a few).

http://www.rydersonline.co.uk/LancsYorks/index.html

Must say - the day was somewhat warmer than the one which you spent at Gloucestershire though. I have since upgraded both my camera body and lenses so I am really looking forward to more snapping this season - if I can escape the notice of those who want to stop anyone taking photographs.

Alan

[tigerroar]

The backdrops in your pics certainly look better because Old Trafford is a test venue and Bristol only looks good when they erect the temporary stand for the occasional ODI that they get (although I've never been to one, only seen it on TV).

It was good too see Andrew "yes I'm English, no I'm not" Symonds in you gallery. I have good memories of seeing him smash the ball all around the College Ground at Cheltenham about ten years ago. He got about 150 in 60 balls!!!

[Sir Vic Alsmear]

This was taken at Old Trafford at the back end of last 'Summer'!

[WyzMan]

Good capture Sir Vic!
I really cannot wait for the season to begin properly now that I have a new camera body (1D MkII) and new lens (Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 ), though I guess that for cricket, I am going to need either my 1.4X or 2X TC.
I really need some advice though on how to get permission to take photographs. Up to now, I have either just gone along with a relatively short lens (200mm) and stayed out of the way, or else asked permission from the local team managers when taking picutres of junior team games, (my son plays for Unsworth). Anyone have any advice on the sort of patter I need to come out with?

Thanks - Alan