What makes a good ball photo?

One of my favorites, a coach telling a kid to relax with the bases loaded ...

 

Wow! A thread I can actually apply to my daily life! I actually spent all yesterday trying to figure out how to get some interesting prep softball and baseball shots. I may try a couple of these ideas when I go back out today. As for shooting from the press box or from right behind the fence, anybody know the best way to shoot from behind a chain link fence? I'm considering investing in a small step stool to shoot over the fence.

 

This is what I was talking about. Good shot.

 

Consoling coach looks a little like Bobby Bowden.

Okay, I have a question about baseball and photography. How do you guys keep track of what was going on when you took the photo? My system is that I keep score for the game, and then if I get a good shot on that particular at-bat, I write down the photo DSC number somewhere in the box on the scorecard. It works all right, although sometimes I miss a cool shot because I'm busy writing things down. Does anyone know of a better system?

 

Loved those shots, Xan.

One thing I would suggest ... I really don't want my photogs getting their obligatory pitcher shots during warmups. For one thing, you aren't really shooting game action, so it's sort of misleading the reader. And more important, I don't know how many times I've gotten pitcher shots with the middle infielders or center fielder warming up in the background, or just unrealistic shots because the pitcher isn't cutting loose.

That sounds about right. Unless you're trying to keep ball-strike count in your scorebook, you should have enough time to catch most any play.

 

Not if your caption says Joey PrepStud has an 11-1 record with a 1.29 ERA this season, instead of misleading by saying "PrepStud fires home against Jimmy High in the 3-2 win Tuesday."

But I agree that warmup photos aren't good to use anyway.

 

EVERY SINGLE DAY.

 

Man, I have to say, this thread has been really helpful - and appreciated (by not only me, by the looks of it).

And Songbird: Some great shots.

I just can't fucking wait for the season to start! (pardon my French)

 

My favorite thing about shooting baseball is that the dirt itself can add something extra to your shots.
I took one last summer of a baserunner sitting on his knees after the inning was retired next to a big cloud of dust he made as he slid into third before getting thrown out.
It was a reaction shot, he sat there stunned, but the dust really added to the photo.
I love taking shots of players who have their jerseys covered with mud or dirt, too.

 

Agreed, jakewriter. Here's a shot I took a few years ago where the emotion of the players and natural elements of the field (i.e. the dust) tell a far greater story than just a standard photo of some kid sliding into second. Both players are looking at the ump for the safe/out call.



For the record, the press totally ruined this photo the day it ran in the paper. Fucking press operators. You'd think after a few years on the job, they could actually get the plates to line up properly.

 

Nice shots, Songbird. To parrot what has been said, sometimes a good facial expression or emotion shots trumps all.

The holes in the pants photo can be telling. If nothing else, it helped me get a kid off my back once. Understanding he was joking, he was giving me grief about not getting his photo in the paper. In a midseason game, he wore a hole in the butt of his pants. I took a shot of it, and told him if he griped agin, we were printing it. ;D

Later in the season, the emotion or celebration shot(s) can end up working well when every routine action shot has long been played out. It worked for me one year. At one paper where I was for almost four years, I got more compliments on a couple of celebration shots - they pulled them for Page 1 - than anything I wrote. Welcome to the powerful visual, eh?

 

Unless you have an SE who refuses to run anything that lacks the ball or puck.