Baseball Close Calls

Yesterday evening ominous dark clouds glowered on the horizon as we made our way to the ball field. After two cancelled games last week and what seemed like a week of solid rain we were not optimistic for the evening's prospects. At game time, however, the sun broke through... and we've had beautiful weather ever since!

The sunshine did present some challenges for photographing the game, though. Early on the outfield was cast in shadows while the batter's box and parents' row were still bathed in bright sunlight. So, as I shifted around the field I was constantly adjusting settings to try and get exposures right.

It's a pity the coach pitch league doesn't allow instant review of some of the calls, 'cause I captured some pivotal plays where the call on the field may have been overturned under review!

Here are a few of my favorite shots from what turned out to be quite an exciting game. These kids are really coming along!

There was no question that this second baseman edged out the runner in a clutch play.

Same runner. Same call. But didn't he really beat the shortstop to the bag?

Here the runner took a ball to the helmet to avoid the out!

This was a close call. If the 3rd baseman has a foot on the bag then the out called on the field stands!

This was a close play that turned out not to be once the ball was discovered in the dirt instead of in the 1st baseman's glove. Our first base coach hasn't spotted the ball yet here...

Runner called out. Is the ball in that glove?

Here's an amazing play shaping up. Until...
(See next photo)

Noooooooo! The luckiest base runner of the game got away with one here when they bobbled this ball. We'll work on this next practice.

Now for the artistic shots. This may well be too many pictures for one post... What are you gonna do?

Hit it to me.
IF YOU DARE!

Stealing bases. Fine.
Stealing the base ball? Fun!

Two good-looking parents, too good-looking to leave out.

The aftermath.

Scenes from the Ballpark

Do you still shoot in Auto mode? Up until recently I shot almost exclusively in my Nikon D-90's 'P' mode. 'P' - It's like Auto mode only for cool kids. The Nikon has such good automatic settings that it turns out consistently good results.

Then my friend Amy (who happens to be a fantastically talented photographer) challenged me to shoot my son's next baseball game in fully manual mode. She speculated that once I really tried to teach myself to use the manual settings I would never go back to auto. I was a bit skeptical and more than a little bit intimidated but I embraced the challenge.

That was fourteen days ago. Several hundred (thousand?) photos later I can definitely say I will never go back to shooting in Auto mode. I actually find that I ruin a lot more pictures this way but I really like the ones that I get right.

Here are a few captures from my first foray into full manual mode.

How many Rangers does it take to open a bucket of balls?

Fans, young and old, enjoy an evening at the ballpark

Safe or out?

You make the call!

Play Ball!

Spring is here. So, oil up the glove, dig the cleats out of storage, and grab your cap 'cause its baseball season!

Here are a few pictures I shot while watching my favorite team this evening.