End of 8U Softball

So my team was eliminated in the second round of the 8U softball playoffs. The girls all improved a lot this year and I had a ball shooting the games. Here are a couple from the late season for your comments:

#1 - I like shooting runnners. There are few really tight runner plays for action, but a lot of the girls are explosive from the bag on a hit. How is this one?

#2 - Pitch - catch is about the best for action in 8U. In this shot I left the pitcher who threw the ball on the side of the frame (OOF). Does this work for you?

Thanks!

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I like both of these pictures...typical 8U softball. I umpired ASA youth softball for 8 years, I loved calling the 6U & 8U games, you never knew what was going to happen! The first baseman looks like me at age 8!

Love the first shot. The colors are so good. I think I need 300mm f2.8 IS.

bobbyz wrote in post #5773429
I think I need 300mm f2.8 IS.

Heh, me too! These are with the 300/4.

Jeff, that first shot is fantastic. Great isolation, colors, and sharpness. I'm not as wild about the second. Colors an sharpness are awesome but I'm distracted by the player on the right of the frame and even the the true horizon looks okay, the effective horizon created by the field is off and that kills it for me. Gald to see these were with the 300 f4. It's a lens I've been thinking about although I think I'm ultimately going to for the 2.8.

JeffreyG wrote in post #5774222
Heh, me too! These are with the 300/4.

Was it the IS or the non IS model?

I am in process of selling some of my gear for 300mm f2.8 IS but I think 300mm would be less and 400mm would be ideal but it is lot more money and weight.

Thanks guys. I guess I should clear up all of the details.

For starters, these were shot with my 5D which is the only body I have. I used my 300/4L IS, and both were shot using a Canon 1.4X II TC wide open at f/5.6.

I find this combination is sharp and focusses very fast. I'm overall very impressed with the 300/4 IS both with and without the TC. I'm sure the 300/2.8 is nicer, but it not only costs a lot more, it's more size and weight than I really want to be using if I don't have to.

I do appreciate everyone's comments on these shots. I was on the fence myself on the second one. On the one hand I like the OOF pitcher because she tells more of the story in the shot. OTOH she is distracting.

First shot is my daughter. She loves the game and shows signs of being very good at it. I posted the first shot to some extent to see if my liking it was partially due to the 'it's my own kid' factor.

Jeff, here's the true test, what does your daughter think of them? My kids are my toughest (and arguably most honest) critics.