 |
Home Run Baseball Photography Tips
by Home Run Baseball Photography Tips
http://malektips.com/
Strike one! Strike two! Strike three!
Baseball! America's Pastime, and a sport growing in
popularity throughout the world, where the Boys of Summer
slug it out. A baseball game is the perfect way to spend a
lazy summer afternoon, plus it provides opportunities to
take photos that last a lifetime.
While many claim the sport of baseball is a slow-paced
affair, when action does occur, it can happen very swiftly,
almost too fast for an unskilled photographer to shoot the
photos they desire. Baseballs fly quickly when hit or
thrown, and timing the action for when to take a digital
photograph requires split-second reflexes. Thus, before you
plan on taking photos at a baseball game, you may wish to
read the following advice:
1) First, make sure you are allowed to bring your digital
camera to the baseball game. Some ballparks have no
restrictions, others on the zoom length, some on using
flash, and some may not allow you into the baseball game at
all with your camera!
2) Change your camera settings to take the quickest
photographs possible while still providing plenty of light
for the photograph. You'll need to read your camera's manual
on how to change these settings; for example, consider
saving photos as JPG instead of RAW to take photos faster.
Just remember that the quicker the shutter speed, the less
light enters the camera to take the picture. Thus, you'll
need to compromise picture speed and the amount of light to
take great photos. That is why baseball games work well with
photography - many games are played on sunny days or in
well-lit domes or stadiums that allow you to take crisp,
high-action photos.
3) Before going to a big league ballpark, make sure you know
the rules and nuances of the game. Practice taking photos at
a minor-league, college, or high school baseball game. The
stakes aren't quite as high if you miss a shot, and taking
your camera to a game will give you more insight into when
action occurs and when players just stand around.
4) Have extra batteries and digital camera memory handy and
practice switching both out quickly before the game! A three
and a half hour game can put a tremendous strain on even the
most power-miserly camera, and more often than not you will
have to switch out power or memory in the middle of an inning.
5) Don't worry if you miss a shot! Unless you have tons of
digital camera memory, you may not be able to continuously
shoot photograph after photograph. If you miss a key pitch,
the swing of a bat, or a forced out, don't get angry! More
often than not, new opportunities will arise for great
photographs.
6) Study the lineup first. Know who are the key players and
those who barely know how to swing a bat. Likewise, learn
who has loose hands in the outfield and who is likely to win
a Gold Glove. Focus your attention on the stars as they most
likely will make the best photographs, but don't be so drawn
to celebrity that you miss a role player making a crucial
steal or diving catch that wins the game for their team!
7) When the opening lineup starts, look at the dugout. If
you're rooting for the home team, the beginning of the game
is a great time to get player photographs as they are
running out onto the field. If not, take photographs during
the middle of the inning. If you don't get the perfect
photo, delete bad photographs during lull times and try
later during the game.
8) To take a picture of a swinging batter that will last a
lifetime, do the following:
*) Preparation is the key. First, before the game, know how
to operate your digital camera. Practice focusing the camera
and quickly deleting unused photos - sometimes you can
delete an unwanted photo before it is completely saved to
the camera's memory.
*) Before the pitch, focus your viewfinder on the batter's
box and try not to cut out any of the batter's body. Zoom in
as appropriate, but remember the more you zoom in, the
slower the potential shutter speed needed to take a clear
photo.
*) Anticipate shutter lag. Lock your focus before the pitch;
this usually is done by pressing the shutter button down
half-way.
*) Time it... time it... then as soon as the ball is about
to hit the bat, press down fully on the shutter button.
*) If the pitch is a strike or the swing is not one to be
remembered, cancel the save so your picture is not written
to memory. This way, you can save room for other photos.
9) Look around for photo opportunities not directly related
to the action. Take a photograph of the grounds crew
cleaning the bases and raking the dirt between innings. Get
a few shots of the crowd. Take a picture of the scoreboard.
Look at the surrounding area. If you want to remember the
full experience of a baseball game years from now, you
should take advantage of one of the best features of a
digital camera - the ability to take lots and lots of
photographs - and shoot photographs showcasing the FULL
baseball experience.
10) Take a break during the game! You came to the baseball
game to enjoy the spectacle, not just to take pictures,
right? Designate a few innings as photo-free time where you
just sit back, munch on a hot dog, drink a soda, and soak in
the environment.
Remember to study your digital camera manual first and
practice, practice, practice! Follow these ten tips and
you'll be on your way to taking "home run" baseball
photographs in no time.
Copyright 2005 Andrew Malek.
Andrew Malek is the owner of the MalekTips computer and
technology help site at http://malektips.com/ . Want more
great tips on buying and using digital cameras? Visit
http://malektips.com/camera/ for more free digital
photography advice.
Submit An Article
|
|  |
