What makes a good ball photo?

Surfing the wire tonight, I saw a lot of baseball shots of players running the bases, have already finished their swings, etc. — basically non-action action shots.

With baseball's pace, what makes a good photo and how do you go about getting one?

I ask because I know I will have to occassionally shoot some games again this season and I'm curious.

I usually focus on a batter during a "hitter's count" and focus on second when there is a runner on first. But doing all that sometimes leads to missing a pop-up behind the plate, something in the outfield, etc.

 

Aim for runners sliding into second base. Nobody ever takes those.

 

Prick. You beat me to it.

 

And that's what I'm saying. All the photos from baseball look the same, yet baseball has the potential to have action all over the damn place!

 

I dunno, I like to see some emotion on a face, no matter what they're doing. Maybe they just struck someone out. Maybe they just struck out themselves.

People find faces interesting, and so do I.

 

Well, I've been asking for years here to no avail, so I'll suggest to you:

The starting pitchers. Just one fucking photo of each starter. Might not get used, but please have it available. Because, odds are, one of them is going to do something noteworthy.

 

As far as I can tell, there are only four types of baseball photos photographers are allowed to take:

1. Runner slides into second base
2. Pitcher grimaces while delivering pitch
3. Batter finishes swing with bat cocked
4. Batter looks toward the outfield while running down the baseline.

By the way, mustardbased, great call. I've pleaded with the photogs at my place for just that kind of shot from every game, and after every game, I find myself sorting through a stack of shots of second basemen turning double plays.

EDIT: AP shot one of each kind of photo from today's Rangers-Padres spring training game. It's always nice to be vindicated right away.

 

Here's a solid trick if you can get on the field.

Shoot from the first base side, right in line with the base or a little behind, depending on your lens and how close to the action they'll let you get.

Kneel and zoom in tight on the batter. Shoot that, and if there is a pickoff play at first, whip over and shoot that.

 

Yeah... no one ever gets a runner diving back to first base any more...

 

Try to catch them shooting up before the game or asleep at the wheel with a green light. I haven't seen any of those.

 

Baseball photos are boring. Nothing groundbreaking there.

I say it's about emotion and perspective.

If you want something different than what every other photog will take, try finding a unique perspective. Sit on top of the dugout, shoot from the press box, take low angle shots of the kids in the dugout, borrow a 400mm lens and shoot from beyond the outfield. If you want something different, do something different.

Either that or shoot the same old standard shit and try to be on alert for when a kid shows some emotion. Whether it's the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, those pictures usually tell more of the story than a standard action shot of the pitcher grunting while he throws a pitch.

My two cents, anyway.

 

This is softball but one of the best shots I ever saw was fairly closeup of a girls face as she rounded third, he coach in a slight blur on the left. Girl had hit a homerun and had a huge smile on her face. Had to see it to understand it....but the point is this...baseball/softball shots are boring. Do try to capture emotions a bit more than action.

If you had all day and could focus on an outfielder, zoom in on him and maybe he'll make a dive/snowcone catch. Unfortunetly, you can't ever predict those, so good luck.