Tuesday, October 19, 2010

How to Shoot Professional-Looking Baseball Photos


How To Shoot Professional-Looking Baseball Photos
Do you have an expensive digital camera and aren’t sure how to use it? Do your photos turn out blurry or too dark? Are you missing out on quality photos of your Little Leaguer? We have your solution. These do-it-yourself tips on how to use your camera to take professional-looking baseball photos will help you produce the pictures you see in sports magazines or on the Internet and turn them into priceless keepsakes for years to come.
Beginners start off with a simple point-and-shoot digital camera – which, quite frankly, is the most popular type of camera on the market. Simply point at a subject and shoot. VoilĂ ! The image is captured.
The more complex action shots, such as sports, however can often prove to be a bit more challenging, especially when it comes to photographing high speed action.
Here, we will discuss how to photograph America’s past time – baseball, and just in time for the summer. Topics include:
  • Become the Athlete
  • The Viewfinder is Your Friend
  • Crop in the Lens
  • Continuous Shooting
  • Keep Your Eye on the Ball
  • Let There Be Light
  • The Need for Speed
  • Angle is Everything
  • Bigger is Always Better
BECOME THE ATHLETE
The most important subjects in baseball are the ball, the bat, the player, and the fans. As journalism professor at Cypress College and an avid photographer Robert Mercer explained, “We become the batter or the runner or the pitcher. No matter the position or the player, we become one with him. So, just as he times the play, the jump for a stolen base or the pitch, you do the same.” The clichĂ©, “Timing is of the essence,” rings true in baseball photography.
If the batter is standing in the batter’s box waiting for a good pitch down the middle, you, the photographer should do the same. Study the subject and watch for his idiosyncrasies, such as: does he tap his foot two or three times; lift his back leg or twitch his head to the left or right before he loads up and swings at the ball? These nuances could be the difference in capturing a good swing just as he connects with the ball, or a swinging strike with his eyes closed. Which would you rather have?
THE VIEWFINDER IS YOUR FRIEND
Get into the habit of taking photos while looking through the camera’s viewfinder, and not by using the panel display on the back of the device, as you would in a point-and-shoot unit. The panel display is handy only when reviewing your captured images. You can quickly view the thumbnail and delete unwanted images or save those you do wish to keep.
“CROP” IN THE LENS
If you have a digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, such as a Nikon D series or similar, choose your longest lens when shooting action shots. This will allow you to zoom or “crop” in the lens and focus in on the intricacies of the player’s expression or the missed tag of a crucial game winning play made at home plate.
“Cropping in the lens will also save time rather than fiddling with the crop tool in the photo software,” Mercer said. “Oftentimes, we spend too much time trying to crop in closer to see a subject’s face, when if you cropped in the lens to begin with, more of your time and effort is used to enhance, sharpen or mask the image instead.”
CONTINUOUS SHOOTING
If your camera is equipped with continuous shooting, select this mode to shoot rapid frames per second. A Nikon D50, for example, shoots 2.5 frames per second, which averages up to 12 consecutive shots in JPEG format, according to www.dpreview.com. Continuous shooting mode is used widely by sports photographers when capturing, for instance, a pitcher’s start to finish motion, that is to say from wind up, release and follow through.
Continuous shooting mode is great when shooting runners touching all bases; batters timing their swing to make contact with the ball, or to capture the catcher’s bullet down second base to throw the runner out.
By its very name, continuous shooting captures frame by frame, thus producing some of the most exciting images of baseball. It captures each motion of the player(s) – in essence you become the “eyes” for many people who were not there to witness it. They live and experience the very moment through your images.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL
Jim Bryant, professional photographer from Port Orchard, Washington, in the online article “How to Photograph Baseball” said, “Pay close attention to the entire game, otherwise you may miss the shot or you wake up in the hospital covered in blood.”
Be knowledgeable of the game and what is to be expected during, for example, a pick off attempt at first base, a squeeze bunt to score the runner from third or a hard liner hit toward you in the third base foul territory. Keep your eye on the ball – because wherever the ball is, so is the photo opportunity.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Lighting, or lack thereof, plays a significant role in the way in which photographers shoot images, and can often dictate the outcome of their photographs. This is known as aperture, expressed in what is known as an F-stop, such as f2.8 or f3.2, according to the online article “What Is…Aperture?” The smaller the f-stop is, the larger the lens opening. This allows light to reach the film or image sensor. (Aperture, 2009).
Some terms you may hear people say are International Standard Organization (ISO) or American Standards Association (ASA), which are truly one in the same, and is the matrix used to determine how fast it takes for film to capture an image based on lighting. In all honesty, the rule of the thumb is this: The brighter it is outdoors, the lower the ISO should be (100 to 400 is ideal). The darker it is outdoors, bump up your ISO as high as your camera will allow (1600 in a Nikon D50, for example), and all should be peachy.
THE NEED FOR SPEED
You will also hear experts refer to how fast their lens is and at what speed they are shooting. This is known as shutter speed. Different digital SLR cameras have different speed capacities. The one thing to remember is once you set your aperture, so should you set your speed.
If your f-stop is set to a low number (wider lens opening that allows more light in), set your shutter speed to a fast speed such as 1/2000 sec or 1 /2250 sec. The highest speed for a Nikon D50 is 1/4000 sec. This simply means, the higher the shutter speed the less light it takes to create the image – and for indoor shooting or low light outdoor shooting, this is ideal.


ANGLE IS EVERYTHING
As a baseball photographer, the most photographed positions are the pitcher, shortstop, second baseman (middle infielders) and first baseman. According to sports photographer Darren Rowe, in his article “How to Photograph Baseball, be sure to position yourself appropriately along the sidelines or in the photographer’s well in order to capture the images you want. Position yourself along the first base sidelines in order to get the short stop dishing to second base for a 6-4-3 (short stop to second baseman to the first basemen) double-play, or the throw from short to first base. (Rowe, 2009).
To get the second baseman, position yourself along the third base sideline. The same applies to the first baseman. The best position for a pitcher is directly behind home plate. Concentrate on his wind up, release point and follow through.
BIGGER IS ALWAYS BETTER
Another tip is to set your film size to the largest setting (denoted by L = large,
M = medium, S = small). As you crop, trim or enlarge your images to the desired size, you will not lose clarity, thus preventing a photo from becoming “pixelated.”
Whether you are a novice or an avid sports photographer this do-it-yourself guide will help you capture vivid action shots for your scrapbook – a timeless masterpiece.


CITED SOURCES
(2009, June). In-Depth Review: Nikon D50 Specifications. [Online]. Available at http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/NikonD50/page2.asp
(2009, June). Photoxels. [Online]. What is…Aperture? http://www.photoxels.com/tutorial_aperture_print.html
Rowse, Darren. (2009). Digital Photography School. [Online]. How to Photograph Baseball. http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-baseball
Willis, Keith. (2009). School Curriculum in Photography. [Online]. Film Speed Basics. http://scphoto.com/html/speed.html

Monday, October 11, 2010

Locals Christopher Rivera and Kyle Twomey Help Lift Marucci Elite to the 2010 WWBA Underclass World Championship.


(FORT MYERS, Fla.) -- Christopher Rivera, (sophomore/SS/RHP) traveled to Fort Myers, Fla. this weekend to play with a team called the Marucci Elite based out of Baton Rouge, LA in the 2010 WWBA Underclass World Championship. Together with teammate Kyle Twomey (junior/LHP), both from El Dorado HS in Placentia, Calif., helped lift their team to the championship game where, just moments ago, the team took first place. Read the full article here http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=5042

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Thomas Gutierrez Shares His Faves

While on location at El Dorado High School (Placentia, Calif.) freshman basketball center Thomas Gutierrez tells RMPR his favorite NBA team, player and best advice. Watch his video interview during his photo shoot.

Aaron Rivera Shares His Faves

While on location at El Dorado High School (Placentia, Calif.) freshman shooting guard Aaron Rivera tells RMPR his favorite NBA team, player and best advice. Watch his video interview during his photo shoot.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Behind the Scenes at Victoria Lynn Peck Concert

See footage of Victoria, singers and the band while they rehearse for the Victoria Lynn Peck benefit concert to raise awareness and funds for the Tumaini AIDS orphanage at Knott Avenue Christian Church in Anaheim Friday, Oct. 1.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Live in Concert -- Victoria Lynn Peck


The extraordinarily powerful and moving voice of Victoria Lynn Peck has touched church-goers for years. Catch Victoria Lynn Peck in concert at Knott Avenue Christian Church, Friday, Oct. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Elite Baseball at UCLA

(LOS ANGELES) – Christopher Rivera once eyed the famous Jackie Robinson Stadium, just a stone's throw away from Los Angeles International Airport, home of the UCLA Bruins. Soon he would step foot onto a legendary breeding ground for Major League Baseball players like Eric Karros, Chase Utley and Troy Glaus.

Christopher, not fazed by the summer’s scorching heat and glaring sunshine, showcased his skills in front of college and professional scouts with Elite Baseball; a weekend he’ll likely mark as one of the most memorable, that is, second to his National Trials Identification Series at California State University, Fullerton, after which he was named to USABaseball’s 16U National Team during the summer of 2009.


Elite Baseball, founded by Joe DeMarco is the premier provider of amateur baseball services in the nation. Whether it is access to top talent and instructors, assisting with team and recruiting choices or learning how to become a professional, Elite Baseball will offer unlimited access. We ensure that each one of our clients will receive a COMMITMENT TO SUCCESS.
For more information on Elite Baseball, visit www.elite-baseball.com.
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

(BUENA PARK, Calif.) To kick off my newest blog site, for its inaugural post, I thought I would post a video of my youngest son, Aaron, during freshman (or more endearingly known as "frosh") basketball summer camp.

Aaron came on the basketball scene as a seventh-grader in middle school. His love for sports flourished and eventually blossomed into now his passion, basketball. A multi-sport athlete, Aaron uses his agility, stamina and endurance as a power forward, getting down low in the post, but soars like an eagle to muscle-down a rebound, only to finger roll or kiss off the glass for a put-back basket to score.

Aaron played for the 2009 National Junior Basketball Placentia League on the Lakers where he started at power forward and was named Defensive Player of the league and Co-Player-of-the-Game during the championship series. Named to his first All-Star Team, Aaron led his team in blocks and steals.

As the two guard, Aaron is aggressive on the court and never backs down on a challenge. He's fierce when he crashes the boards but aware enough to create shooting opportunities for other players while distributing the ball for assists.

Aaron is a great team player and often is called upon to lead by example for his teammates. This year marks Aaron's first in high school -- as a freshman at El Dorado High School, he is likely to be a starter, just as he was during the summer.


Aaron's Summer Team vs Northwood (2010)




Aaron's Summer Team vs Tustin (2010)

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About Annie Rivera
Annie Rivera holds a Master of Arts degree in Professional Communications and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Radio, TV & Film at California State University, Fullerton where she graduated Cum Laude and was named to the Dean's Honor List. Annie began her career as a freelance reporter for several local newspaper publications while pursuing her Associate of Arts degree at Cypress College. In 2011 Annie was named a recipient of The LAGRANT Foundation Scholarship and a grant from California State University, Fullerton. She is currently the Vice President of Marketing at California State University, Fullerton Alumni Association College of Communications Chapter.



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