Shooting Baseball - Through the Fence!

This is sort of a random topic, but I was digging through some older shots and stumbled upon a couple where I had shot the Pitcher through the backstop fence. Usually, I always schlepped out onto the field between innings and got in front of the backstop, but I remember that I always enjoyed the effect created when shooting from behind.

Here are a few examples below, all nearly SOOC with very minor exposure/contrast adjustments. The fence provides a very 'unique' texture and aperture blade effect in the out of focus areas. Obviously i wouldn't want to try to shoot any action or the rest of the game like this.

So what do you think? Enjoyable effect or something that just looks weird?

PS: Pay no attention to my crooked horizons...

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/74405569@N02/7​445201174/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/74405569@N02/7​363840240/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/74405569@N02/7​445204986/

The really bright ones seem distracting, but very fixable in post. The rest actually looks pretty cool!

Definitely keepers! what aperture where you using?

Thanks! Both shot at f2.8.

I would agree that a couple spots are fairly distracting, although the catcher's helmet in the softball image was the only one that I felt was particularly so.

I only felt that one and maybe one in the first one, the others looks really cool!

I'm going to try this out, thanks!

Strouty wrote in post #15634366
This is sort of a random topic, but I was digging through some older shots and stumbled upon a couple where I had shot the Pitcher through the backstop fence. Usually, I always schlepped out onto the field between innings and got in front of the backstop, but I remember that I always enjoyed the effect created when shooting from behind.

Here are a few examples below, all nearly SOOC with very minor exposure/contrast adjustments. The fence provides a very 'unique' texture and aperture blade effect in the out of focus areas. Obviously i wouldn't want to try to shoot any action or the rest of the game like this.

So what do you think? Enjoyable effect or something that just looks weird?

PS: Pay no attention to my crooked horizons...

I've only shot baseball pics thru the fence - I wish I could get on the field!
yes, it creates a unique type of "bokeh"


XSi (450D)
Canon 100-400
shot thru the fence

Really impressed with these!

What are you shooting with? I shoot through fences adn mesh nets all the time and don't get that circle in any of my photos. Are you right on the fence? I have my lens hood almost touching the fence.

I believe I shot these with my Sigma 120-300 2.8. I also left the hood on so the lens is actually about 6 to 8 inches away from the fence, which I believe helps create the effect. With smaller glass (physical aperture openings), it's easier to mostly shoot through the chain link fence, so you can mostly avoid the 'fence effect' if you'd like. If you look at the second softball image, on the catcher's helmet, in the bright aperture blade you can pretty much see how my lens was overlapping the fence.

When I shoot through the fence I like to leave the lens hood on. Get's me close to the fence but affords some protection.

I left alot of pix I normally wouldn't post because I knew two of the umpires and wanted to give them the chance to see the shots, even if they weren't the test.

This one is cropped. This one one was at Volunteer Stadium.