Babe Ruth Basebase Ball

Last night I was asked to shoot our local Babe Ruth BB Game by our sports editor. I got there just as they started. Introduced
myself to a few of the coaches. as the game was starting. After the third Inning I was asked to leave by the umpire. Didn't want to make a seen so I just shot near the opening of the dug out.
I was there for a while and one of the parents who also is a umpire for the same league asked me why I was standing there and not on the warning track. To make a long story short. The league President was there and also got involved with the discussion. After that I was allowed to shoot there. I find It very frustrating. I have permission from the HS AD,
Babe-Ruth President , Sports editor, HS Umpire commissioner. There got to be an easier way.

Shooting AV mode - I'm finding my exposure is all over the place.
Dark shirts, Light colorer pants. I know some of you prefer to shoot in AV when it's cloudy. How do you deal with it?

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the bob shot was Av mode and was a little over exposed.

Also the lighting at 7:00 PM was tough - It was blinding me for the last part of the game

Comments welcome

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Did you talk to the umps before hand?

When I shoot, I have usually been asked to by one of the coaches, who will get everyone else to ok it before I come. The one thing, which has usually not been done though is checking with the umps.

I too like to shoot Av, but often end up going to M, if I have dark or white uniforms. I shoot a lot of soccer as well and by kids jerseys are burgundy or white.

Late afternoon light is pretty tough but can be done in Av and can produce great results. It would help to post your EXIF info.

Here's what I extracted from your BOB shot:
Exposure Time: 1/1600 sec
F-Number: f/2.8
Exposure Program: Aperture Priority
ISO Speed Rating: 500
Lens Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Metering Mode: Spot

Part of your problem might be due to the fact that you were in Spot Metering mode. In this mode, you're really dependent on keeping the middle 3.8% (what it is on the MkIIN - dunno about your MkIII) on the subject and not on the much brighter background FWIW, I use evaluative for almost all Av situations. In any event, watching your histograms would have told you the images were over-exposed by maybe 2/3 of a stop. I'd have dialed the shutter speed up or bumped the ISO down, then fine-tuned with EC.

Regarding you having permission to shoot, as you discovered, the umps frequently can over-rule anything you've received prior to game time. They are ultimately responsible for conducting the game and for the safety of the players. I always introduce myself to Blue before the game so they know who I am, why I'm there and for whom I am shooting. Sure, other "officials" can reverse the ump's decision after the fact, but as you found out, it's a lot easier to avoid this. Do you have press credentials, BTW?

You also might want to size your shots no larger than 800 pixels on the long side to make them easier to view.

dmwierz wrote in post #5744198
Late afternoon light is pretty tough but can be done in Av and can produce great results. It would help to post your EXIF info.

Here's what I extracted from your BOB shot:
Exposure Time: 1/1600 sec
F-Number: f/2.8
Exposure Program: Aperture Priority
ISO Speed Rating: 500
Lens Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Metering Mode: Spot

Part of your problem might be due to the fact that you were in Spot Metering mode. In this mode, you're really dependent on keeping the middle 3.8% (what it is on the MkIIN - dunno about your MkIII) on the subject and not on the much brighter background FWIW, I use evaluative for almost all Av situations. In any event, watching your histograms would have told you the images were over-exposed by maybe 2/3 of a stop. I'd have dialed the shutter speed up or bumped the ISO down, then fine-tuned with EC.

Regarding you having permission to shoot, as you discovered, the umps frequently can over-rule anything you've received prior to game time. They are ultimately responsible for conducting the game and for the safety of the players. I always introduce myself to Blue before the game so they know who I am, why I'm there and for whom I am shooting. Sure, other "officials" can reverse the ump's decision after the fact, but as you found out, it's a lot easier to avoid this. Do you have press credentials, BTW?

You also might want to size your shots no larger than 800 pixels on the long side to make them easier to view.

Thanks for you feed back. Will change the metering setting. I had no way to check the histogram. It's was useless as I could not see anything on the display because of the sun. Tonight we will try again in AV .

Pack- I should have gotten there a little earlier and talk to the UMP's. I think I will make a point of that from now on.

Dennis, I do have a Press Credentials. Would it be worth laminating the back with signed written permission from
the other parties ? AD - etc.?

Thanks

Paul S wrote in post #5744725
Thanks for you feed back. Will change the metering setting. I had no way to check the histogram. It's was useless as I could not see anything on the display because of the sun. Tonight we will try again in AV .

Pack- I should have gotten there a little earlier and talk to the UMP's. I think I will make a point of that from now on.

Dennis, I do have a Press Credentials. Would it be worth laminating the back with signed written permission from
the other parties ? AD - etc.?

Thanks

Paul, it can't hurt, but if you find yourself in a situation where the umps are questioning who you are and why you're there, you're already on the defensive rather than being pro-active and asserting yourself like the pro you are. Like I said, regardless of whose permission you have prior to the event, at the moment of the game the umps (and even the host team's head coach at many HS fields) hold all the cards and they are the ones you need to convince of your legitimacy and right to be on the field.

In Illinois, photographers working HS games are required to be within a marked-off area that is determined by the host team's coach, and enforced by the umpires. When I shoot HS baseball, I carry a can of white spray paint with me to mark off this box which is usually against the fences along the base lines, and when the ground rules are discussed, this area is noted as being a dead-ball zone. I will approach the host team's coach before the game and introduce myself, state my purpose for being there, and ask him where he would like me to set up. I always wear my credentials around my neck and my EF 400 f.2.8L lens doesn't hurt my appearance of "knowing what I'm doing" .

Not all umps require these boxes but they're supposed to, so by talking with them and the coach before the game, I demonstrate my respect for their authority and positions as well as showing my knowledge of the rules. Then, and only then, if they question why I need to be there, will I bring up having the approval of the AD, et al. BTW, having the approval of your PE will probably not mean much to the officials at the game. They are more concerned with safety of the players and others on the field, and the liability of the school in the unlikely event that something should go wrong. I also carry a copy of my $2 Million liability policy which frequently will have named the school as being covered.

You'll always run into people trying to assert their authority. It happened to me last hockey season, sometimes no matter how many people you ask you end up missing one yahoo.

The warning track?

cmarion wrote in post #5744933
You'll always run into people trying to assert their authority. It happened to me last hockey season, sometimes no matter how many people you ask you end up missing one yahoo.

The warning track?

These folks are NOT "yahoos", and if they are asserting their authority it is because they ARE the authorities, and you/me/Paul, as photographers, are NOT. It is one of the jobs of the photographer to identify the appropriate authorities and receive the proper permission to shoot the event before the game. If the shooter misses one, or contacts the wrong people, then it is their fault and their responsibility to correct it, not that of the umps, coaches, AD's, ref's et al. Running a safe event is far more important than any picture you or I might shoot, regardless of our deadlines or pressure we might be getting from our respective "bosses".

I get your point, and I do respect their authority, it just seems as if sometimes people on the periphery or with less experience go overboard. It's almost never the refs/umps.

I guess the question to ask the person in charge is "Is there anyone else I need to coordinate with?".

dmwierz wrote in post #5745059
These folks are NOT "yahoos", and if they are asserting their authority it is because they ARE the authorities, and you/me/Paul, as photographers, are NOT. It is one of the jobs of the photographer to identify the appropriate authorities and receive the proper permission to shoot the event before the game. If the shooter misses one, or contacts the wrong people, then it is their fault and their responsibility to correct it, not that of the umps, coaches, AD's, ref's et al. Running a safe event is far more important than any picture you or I might shoot, regardless of our deadlines or pressure we might be getting from our respective "bosses".

Agreed 100%. The safety of the athletes is far and away more important than us getting the shot.

dmwierz wrote in post #5744825
Paul, it can't hurt, but if you find yourself in a situation where the umps are questioning who you are and why you're there, you're already on the defensive rather than being pro-active and asserting yourself like the pro you are. Like I said, regardless of whose permission you have prior to the event, at the moment of the game the umps (and even the host team's head coach at many HS fields) hold all the cards and they are the ones you need to convince of your legitimacy and right to be on the field.

In Illinois, photographers working HS games are required to be within a marked-off area that is determined by the host team's coach, and enforced by the umpires. When I shoot HS baseball, I carry a can of white spray paint with me to mark off this box which is usually against the fences along the base lines, and when the ground rules are discussed, this area is noted as being a dead-ball zone. I will approach the host team's coach before the game and introduce myself, state my purpose for being there, and ask him where he would like me to set up. I always wear my credentials around my neck and my EF 400 f.2.8L lens doesn't hurt my appearance of "knowing what I'm doing" .

Not all umps require these boxes but they're supposed to, so by talking with them and the coach before the game, I demonstrate my respect for their authority and positions as well as showing my knowledge of the rules. Then, and only then, if they question why I need to be there, will I bring up having the approval of the AD, et al. BTW, having the approval of your PE will probably not mean much to the officials at the game. They are more concerned with safety of the players and others on the field, and the liability of the school in the unlikely event that something should go wrong. I also carry a copy of my $2 Million liability policy which frequently will have named the school as being covered.

Dennis great tips !!! Thanks