Where to shoot on a HS baseball field?

I am wanting to shoot some HS baseball in my free time away from coaching. But my question is simple I believe, where do I shoot from?

Most high school fields are not very nice and the access to shoot seems limited from what I have seen. Where do most of you shoot when shooting HS baseball?

Thanks (also who do you get permission from to shoot it?)

I haven't done it myslef but I would contact the AD of the school for persmission. I think for better shots you have to shoot from the field. For picthers you can shoot through the fence.

Matt, I usually shoot from 1st base to 3rd base to include behind home plate. Depending on what lens I use (either 70-200 2.8 or 300 2.8 + 1.4 TC) will determine the distance and what I shoot. I like to shoot tight so I have a tendency to get a little close + I get permission for field access from the AD and coach. Here is a link to some of my shots from this year to give you a little bit of an idea. Best of luck.

http://flauri.zenfolio​.com/p537633291/

flauri wrote in post #5387768
Matt, I usually shoot from 1st base to 3rd base to include behind home plate. Depending on what lens I use (either 70-200 2.8 or 300 2.8 + 1.4 TC) will determine the distance and what I shoot. I like to shoot tight so I have a tendency to get a little close + I get permission for field access from the AD and coach. Here is a link to some of my shots from this year to give you a little bit of an idea. Best of luck.

http://flauri.zenfolio​.com/p537633291/

Hey Flauri

I've been struggling with this a bit too. I have permission from the AD and everything but not sure how far within the fences i can venture. The fences extend to the 1st and 3rd bases respectively, and I'm mostly shooting from those locations, although this can be limiting depending on where the 1st and 3rd base coaches are. I've started to shoot a little from the dugout entrances too, when that team is on the field.

I never have really shot through the fence, but maybe with a long enough lens, it doesn't matter. ...but to get some of the shots you are, I'm assuming your inside the fences between 1st and home or 3rd and home....and how are you getting the shots right behind the catcher? ...they are terrific shots by the way.

I shoot with a 70-200 and with a 1.4 TC option.

thanks for any advice.

Greg...the shot behind the catcher are shot through the fence backstop. Sometimes during warmups I'll get behind the catcher but not often. For this particular team and school I'm permitted in the dugouts, behind the backstop and anywhere down the lines that is not in play. I know most of the umpires and they are pretty good but I'll always ask how lenient they are that day on how much they will allow me inside the white boundary lines. Most of the times if I'm shooting behind 1st & 3rd, they give me between 5-10 feet. As far as the base coaches go, they have the green light so I shoot where they aren't and if they get in my line of sight, I move around.

I've been involved in many sports organizations here and know many of the coaches and officials so they really don't give me alot of grief. They have been very accommodating and I don't get in their way.

I didn't get my 300 until October so all of my shooting the past few years has been with the 70-200 2.8 and 1.4 TC.

That gallery is here http://flauri.zenfolio​.com/p514988562/

The 300 has allowed me to distance myself more and at least now I have some reaction time.

Best of luck to you.

Matt, lucky for me the HS I cover in my area have low fences on both 1st and 3rd base sides about 6-7 feet past the bases so I usually stand there. One school I cover has six foot fence all the way around, when I cover that school I call the coach ahead of time to let him know that we are cover that game, and he will draw a white box 6 feet pass the 1st and 3rd base sides against the fence. This is required by the officials on the field this is called the dead zone. This lets me go to either side for shooting. In my area FHSAA does not allow photogs in the dug out.

I usually shoot from the edge of the dugouts, on the 1st and third baseline.

When I have the time, I would shoot at my Wife's alma mater high school, since her godfather is the baseball coatch. Too much work and not enough play time.

The school here has some marking for photographers. The size isn't very big. It is usually a triangle that is behind the dugout. I got permision from the coaches/umpires, and understood their rules. LIke in Wrestling, every referee has their pet peeves, so I try to know what they are. Last thing I want is a scolding, or impact the event cause the referee is distracted.

Matt, like many here, I shoot from the edge of the first and third dugouts and behind the catcher through the fence. I switch from first to third depending on the pitcher (righty or lefty) and the upcoming batting order. Unlike pro venues, you can move around lots so I usually try to get a roster pre game to know the order and move accordingly.

I have not had a chance to say this, but thanks to all that responded with advice.

I should be getting my new Sigma 120-300 lens with the sigma 1.4 extender as well. Can't wait till I am hoping next week to try it out at a local high school up here in WA.

AthleticsPhotog wrote in post #5431393
I have not had a chance to say this, but thanks to all that responded with advice.

I should be getting my new Sigma 120-300 lens with the sigma 1.4 extender as well. Can't wait till I am hoping next week to try it out at a local high school up here in WA.

that's quite a lens Matt. I shot some with a borrowed one last year and really liked the results. One piece of advice....make sure you have a monopod, that thing's a beast! I'm going to borrow it again in a week or so for a tournament, should be interesting to see how I like it since I think my technique has improved quite a bit since then.

Anxious to see your results with the new glass. Have fun bud.

AthleticsPhotog wrote in post #5431393
I have not had a chance to say this, but thanks to all that responded with advice.

I should be getting my new Sigma 120-300 lens with the sigma 1.4 extender as well. Can't wait till I am hoping next week to try it out at a local high school up here in WA.

You might be able to get out on the back fence and shoot some good pictures of the batter head on. It will also be really good for outfield plays.

Asking the AD is just the first step. The umpires can still remove you if you are on the playing field (even out of bounds area) if you are inside fenced areas. Most umpires I deal with know that I am working for a newspaper, so they allow me to roam pretty much wherever. If you are lucky enough to get this as well, I like to shoot inside the dugouts. If you can't get inside a fence, bring a small step ladder and shoot over it, or see if you can get on top of the dugouts. Shooting through a fence can work in a pinch.

Asking for field access starts by submitting a formal request to the Athletic Department's secretary. I say formal because you have to be professional how you approach this so they take you seriously and to present yourself as a professional.

In the request ask for the secretary to forward the request to the AD's for consideration and that you would appreciate a response either in writing, phone call or email, whichever you prefer and it also depends how you submitted your request.

In the request include your full name, webpage, email and other information for contacting purposes. Then introduce yourself by stating your experience or your desire to get experience by shooting their team(s), what services you want to provide and what your intentions are with the pictures. In other words, is very hard to give access to someone who is a stranger so use this opportunity to not be one. Your writing style should be friendly, approachable and courteous at all times and remember that you're the stranger to them so you have to make the best out of it.

Once you get access to the field the AD usually has a "Media Circle" drawn for this purpose, it is located by first base which is a great spot to cover 3rd base and home while you have a long lens. If you have a 70-200mm then you can cover all four bases etc. The media circle is the are that is assigned to you for shooting purposes.
Be very careful not to talk to the coach, players, umpires during the game, unless they talk to you you're okay. Also be careful to follow the umpires rules at all times, umpire rules/request/directio​ns should be strictly follow or they will throw you out of the field for not following their rules and not showing respect to them, the game and the athletics.

If you're allow to roam around make sure you ONLY DO IT between innings so that you do not disturb pace of the game.

If you do not get field access you can still shoot through the fence(s) by placing the lens as close as possible to the fence you're shooting through, this will help you get the fence out of focus and out of your way. Sometimes if the sun is hitting the fence then you might get a reflection, when that happens move to an area that doesn't one or have someone hold an umbrella over you to minimize the reflection. If you have a double fence area the only solution for that is to get a ladder and shoot over one of the fences.

Best spots to shoot from:

first base, third base and right behind the catcher by the stands.
This can go on and on but I think you get the idea.

If you look at my pics in my gallery, all were shot through a fence and from the spots mentioned. I'm in a new city and I just received field access this week so I won't be shooting through the fence anymore except the pitcher's shots of course.

here's my website: www.passionforsportsac​tion.com

--William