Sweetest swing in all of baseball.

From today's Reds/Brewers game

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he can still swing the stick!!!

you sitting in the stands for this?

no, I was in row two, behind this chimper

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Hey, I shot that game!

I was in the first base photo well from the start of the game through the middle of the fifth inning and in the third base photo well from the 5th inning onward.

I'd say you did pretty well considering here are my versions of your shot (from the photo well and with a big white lens and a MkIIn).

BTW the second shot, which corresponds to your capture, wasn't a keeper out of my images. I find the first one more compelling since it has that "Griffey Jr" gaze to it, and his hands aren't distracting from his face.

Dennis

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Dennis - I thought that might have been you in the shot when I saw it.

dmwierz wrote in post #5306163
Hey, I shot that game!

I was in the first base photo well from the start of the game through the middle of the fifth inning and in the third base photo well from the 5th inning onward.

I'd say you did pretty well considering here are my versions of your shot (from the photo well and with a big white lens and a MkIIn).

Dennis

Which one were you? I see three guys in there. The gentleman I posted a pic of, another gent that had a mac book pro, and then one that showed up a bit later. I assume then maybe the pic I posted was you? Don't take offense to my "chimp" comment lol if that was you. Wasn't meant in a bad way. (especially since you are one of the best sports shooters around) If that was you in the green jacket I have a couple questions I wanted to ask you.

No, actually that chimper isn't me (though I will admit to chimping). This fellow was my inverse - he left the 3rd base well at the same time I left the 1st base one - so we basically shot across the field. I don't know him, as I had never seen him there.

I was wearing a tan polo shirt most of the time I was in the 1st base well until I got a bit chilly and put on a khaki windbreaker. The first couple innings, I was the only shooter in the 1st base pit, then a guy came who was using a Power Book, and a couple innings later, I moved and several other photogs entered the 1st base location.

dmwierz wrote in post #5306418
No, actually that chimper isn't me (though I will admit to chimping). This fellow was my inverse - he left the 3rd base well at the same time I left the 1st base one - so we basically shot across the field. I don't know him, as I had never seen him there.

I was wearing a tan polo shirt most of the time I was in the 1st base well until I got a bit chilly and put on a khaki windbreaker. The first couple innings, I was the only shooter in the 1st base pit, then a guy came who was using a Power Book, and a couple innings later, I moved and several other photogs entered the 1st base location.

oh ok.. Still funny how you caught the identical swing.

With that lens/camera setup, can I ask what your settings were? I was shooting at ISO 1600, 1/1000-1/1250 f2.8 all night. Of course I bought those tickets thinking day game, roof open and I'd great great bright pics with a fast shutter speed..lol Not so much.

I was shooting manual exposure around ISO 1600 f/2.8 and 1/800s - when I moved to the other side I bumped up my ISO to 3200 and moved my shutter to 1/1600s and 1/1250s and said "what the heck, let's try it".

So, the shot of Griffey was somewhere around 1/800s and ISO1600 at f/2.8. Your shot does look a little dark, and this is probably due to your shutter speed being a bit fast.

I was using a MkIIN and a EF 400 f/2.8L IS .

Here's another image taken from the other side. I don't like it as much because, like many bat-on-ball shots, the batter's face is not fully visible. This shot would have been much better had this been a REAL day game, with the roof open and sunlight illuminating the plate. When I agreed to do this game, I was looking forwards to covering a day game, which makes the 2.5 hour drive from the SW Chicago suburbs worthwhile. I wouldn't normally drive that far for a night game since the light is just not very good (in any MLB park, for that matter).

You can see the difference between a future Hall of Famer (Griffey Jr) and Corey Patterson, who never, and I mean never, keeps his head down and eyes on the ball. I have shots of him from his time with the O's and the Cubs where his eyes are off in the outfield while the ball is hitting his bat.

Note: it's not unusual for folks to prefer the wider shot (especially those new to sports photography), showing the surroundings, the catcher, and even the umpire, but there's a reason for the fact that virtually every shot you'll see in SI or ESPN the Mag narrows in on the batter (some even tighter than my images) - it's because you are capturing A moment in the game, not ANY moment, and because you are doing this, the catcher, the umpire, and all the space surrounding the batter are not material. The catcher is always there - the ump is always there - the dugout, etc., are always there. Whatever the batter is doing, though, should be specific to that pitch.

Unfortunately, Jr didn't do much of note in this game, nor on any of these swings, so journalistically, they are only stock shots.

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I need to go to a Braves game and see what I can capture

I actually like the first pic the best. May be a bit dark but it looks great!

dmwierz wrote in post #5306488
I was shooting manual exposure around ISO 1600 f/2.8 and 1/800s - when I moved to the other side I bumped up my ISO to 3200 and moved my shutter to 1/1600s and 1/1250s and said "what the heck, let's try it".

So, the shot of Griffey was somewhere around 1/800s and ISO1600 at f/2.8. Your shot does look a little dark, and this is probably due to your shutter speed being a bit fast.

I was using a MkIIN and a EF 400 f/2.8L IS .

Here's another image taken from the other side. I don't like it as much because, like many bat-on-ball shots, the batter's face is not fully visible. This shot would have been much better had this been a REAL day game, with the roof open and sunlight illuminating the plate. When I agreed to do this game, I was looking forwards to covering a day game, which makes the 2.5 hour drive from the SW Chicago suburbs worthwhile. I wouldn't normally drive that far for a night game since the light is just not very good (in any MLB park, for that matter).

You can see the difference between a future Hall of Famer (Griffey Jr) and Corey Patterson, who never, and I mean never, keeps his head down and eyes on the ball. I have shots of him from his time with the O's and the Cubs where his eyes are off in the outfield while the ball is hitting his bat.

Note: it's not unusual for folks to prefer the wider shot (especially those new to sports photography), showing the surroundings, the catcher, and even the umpire, but there's a reason for the fact that virtually every shot you'll see in SI or ESPN the Mag narrows in on the batter (some even tighter than my images) - it's because you are capturing A moment in the game, not ANY moment, and because you are doing this, the catcher, the umpire, and all the space surrounding the batter are not material. The catcher is always there - the ump is always there - the dugout, etc., are always there. Whatever the batter is doing, though, should be specific to that pitch.

Unfortunately, Jr didn't do much of note in this game, nor on any of these swings, so journalistically, they are only stock shots.

Great info.. thanks. One more question (or a few..lol) .. I noticed pretty much everyone carries the 70-200 on the second body, but it is almost never picked up. Were you over at 3rd when Kendall ran down Hatteberg on the 3rd base line? Would you even have time to grab that camera in that instance. I assume that 400mm would be far too long to catch that action. Also, I noticed that a lot of times I am focusing on the batter vs a fielder. How do you go about capturing that great defensive play" Do you just focus on a player and hope that it's hit to him? Outfield diving catches I know you have time to focus and capture a dive as it takes a bit to develop, but the hotshots to the infield? do you have any examples of diving infielders that you have captured?

carp -

The 70-200 (and I sometimes substitute the 24-70 if I want to only grab close action) is not used much, but when you need it, you need it. I maybe take 10 shots each game with the 70-200 during a baseball game, at most.

Being able to go from shooting the batter to catching an infield play isn't easy. Sometimes I'll use the pre-focus switch to pre-focus on the most likely infielder. Sometimes I'll just aim at the SS (for RH batters facing pitchers who are throwing a lot of off-speed stuff) or 3B and hope. Sometimes I'll try to swing and get the action. In any event, shooting with both eyes open. But, yes, it ain't easy.

If I've gotten enough shots of all the batters, I'm free to try and catch the fielding plays without having to aim at the batters.

In yesterday's game, every single time I was able to swing and catch an infielder, either another player got in the way or the umpire did. On the one play where Weeks went behind second base and came up throwing across his body to first, I actually had him in focus making the play, but the ump moved RIGHT into my frame and obscured the entire three frames I had. Stuff happens...

dmwierz wrote in post #5308389
carp -

The 70-200 (and I sometimes substitute the 24-70 if I want to only grab close action) is not used much, but when you need it, you need it. I maybe take 10 shots each game with the 70-200 during a baseball game, at most.

Being able to go from shooting the batter to catching an infield play isn't easy. Sometimes I'll use the pre-focus switch to pre-focus on the most likely infielder. Sometimes I'll just aim at the SS (for RH batters facing pitchers who are throwing a lot of off-speed stuff) or 3B and hope. Sometimes I'll try to swing and get the action. In any event, shooting with both eyes open. But, yes, it ain't easy.

If I've gotten enough shots of all the batters, I'm free to try and catch the fielding plays without having to aim at the batters.

In yesterday's game, every single time I was able to swing and catch an infielder, either another player got in the way or the umpire did. On the one play where Weeks went behind second base and came up throwing across his body to first, I actually had him in focus making the play, but the ump moved RIGHT into my frame and obscured the entire three frames I had. Stuff happens...

thanks again.. this is pretty much what I was doing last night as well. I'd get some batter shots and then I moved on to trying to catch fielding shots (except when Griffey, Dunn, Braun, or Fielder would come up) It is frustrating trying to catch action with the umps and base coaches in the way (and fans' heads for me)

You guys are making me jealous. Griffey was on the DL last year when I shot the Reds and I'm hoping he can stay healthy until the 27th when I get another shot at him. I want to get him at least once in a Reds uni before he returns to Seattle next year

Great shots from both of you!