HS Baseball (more)

I had a few more opportunities for shots in this game than last week. I lost count how many times they went through the batting order in the forth inning. Final score was 18-1

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The good is you have captured some good action shots. The bad is most are out of focus. The crops just don't work on a lot of them. Some need cropped much tighter like the outfielder. Others have distractions in them like the back of players or looks like base coaches. Keep shooting and try to frame your shots better. You are off to a good start. Sports are hard and backgrounds don't cooperate most of the time.

like the action, the focus is a bit off.

stock28 wrote in post #14742842
The good is you have captured some good action shots. The bad is most are out of focus. The crops just don't work on a lot of them. Some need cropped much tighter like the outfielder. Others have distractions in them like the back of players or looks like base coaches. Keep shooting and try to frame your shots better. You are off to a good start. Sports are hard and backgrounds don't cooperate most of the time.

I agree with the other posters, some look out of focus and the crops look odd

Of this bunch, the only keeper for me is the pitcher close-up and maybe the last batter shot if you crop out top. Others are either OOF or do not show any good action or faces (critical in sports photography IMO).

Specifically:

1. The first batter shot would have been great pose wise, but it is out of focus (delete). If it was in focus, Crop tighter to remove bottom and left sides.
2. outfielder - you could try cropping real tight here but again player is moving away from you...no ball in photo, so it does not show much (see HEREto see an example of how you can crop hard (I'd guess my full frame was similar to your shot) and get all components of a good diving shot in the frame)
3. Best shot, nicely cropped. I prefer shooting from a pitchers open side but this is a good result from that side.
4. boring slide into third, no play at base, coaches ass is focus of foreground...DELETE!
5. I'd try to first save this by cropping tighter on play at base only. coach adds nothing to photo. Even with that though, again backs are to you so not the greatest capture
6. out of focus, peak action already over - DELETE
7. straighten horizon, try cropping horizontally at 8x10 ratio and this could work better. focus looks OK. And while on the subject, 99% of the time I will shoot batters in camera horizontally and then crop to vertical afterward as warranted.

Like cstewart said getting good action and faces are the key to sports photography. You have some great action but most shots are out of focus which makes them worthless. But its good that you are catching some good action because I believe thats the hardest part of sports photography. You just need to learn more about your camera and get us to using it and you will be there. What did you shoot these with? Also what were your settings?

crop, and focus seems to be your main issues.

1. focus falls in front of the batter, thus the batter is soft.
2. diving player looks sharp, crop in and get rid of the extra space.
3. best shot out of those posted.
4. focus falls on the red player, black player is out of focus. Coaches back and behind is in the way. Move around so he isn't in your line of sight.
5. again, crop tighter, much like what you did in the next photo.
6. Nice crop, but totally out of focus.
7. crop tighter on the batter

Christian and Dave, thanks for the specific feedback again. This game was mostly under lights, so I had the ISO up to keep shutter speed up and it was still lower than I liked or have been advised.
I did change some Cn-III settings on the 7D. I was using a 70-200 with a 1.4x TC on the 7D and the 300 f2.8 on my 450D.

I will keep working at it.

Good action here!

I went back to the rest and cropped a some of the other 'good' shots;

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1st image (in the new set) is a nice one. Sadly the other two are out of focus. I think you need to revamp how you choose photos. The truth is that your 70-200 and your 300 are your weak links as well as your xsi. The autofocus on those lenses and the body are not very good. I would upgrade.

canonnoob wrote in post #14758737
1st image (in the new set) is a nice one. Sadly the other two are out of focus. I think you need to revamp how you choose photos. The truth is that your 70-200 and your 300 are your weak links as well as your xsi. The autofocus on those lenses and the body are not very good. I would upgrade.

The Tamron and Sigma lens could be the "weak links" but I don't have any problems getting sharp pics with the XSi/450D in soccer, lacrosse, birds, etc.
It could be the low shutter speed the OP used (1/400)

one time I stuck my lens thru a baseball field fence (it was next to the soccer field)

XSi (450D)
Canon 100-400
f6.3
340mm
1/2000

watt100, I assume the above was shot during the day?
The last set was shot during a cloudy evening game for me, partially under lights, so ISO was up and shutter speeds not where I needed them sadly. I haven't shot the 450D over ISO 800 nor the 7D over 1600 without too much noise.

I am now questioning what I shoot (night games), or what I shoot with.

Although most of the issue is still likely operator error.

V4her wrote in post #14759349
watt100, I assume the above was shot during the day?
The last set was shot during a cloudy evening game for me, partially under lights, so ISO was up and shutter speeds not where I needed them sadly. I haven't shot the 450D over ISO 800 nor the 7D over 1600 without too much noise.

I am now questioning what I shoot (night games), or what I shoot with.

Although most of the issue is still likely operator error.

yes, that was in good (morning) light. Next time try shooting a game in the daytime and adjust the ISO so you can get at least 1/2000 shutter speed and f6.3 - then it's almost impossible not to get a sharp pic!

watt100 wrote in post #14759115
The Tamron and Sigma lens could be the "weak links" but I don't have any problems getting sharp pics with the XSi/450D in soccer, lacrosse, birds, etc.
It could be the low shutter speed the OP used (1/400)

one time I stuck my lens thru a baseball field fence (it was next to the soccer field)

XSi (450D)
Canon 100-400
f6.3
340mm
1/2000

Yeah at those settings everything will be sharp, unfortunately, even though sports can be shot with the xsi, it is not the best tool for the job. You can get sharp images, but can you or the op do it at 2.8 in most situations? Doubtful