Digital Sports Photography

9 Grand Slam Baseball Digital Photography Tips

SUMMARY: When at the ballpark, you can change the outcome of your game - shooting digital photographs - with these digital photography tips.

(7/12/2006)
- Andrew Malek

The bases are loaded....

There's the pitch...

A swing! It's a long fly ball deep to right field...

It's over the fence! A grand slam!

An electrifying event in the game of baseball, a grand slam instantly changes the pace and outcome of a game. With one swing of the bat, the long ball with the bases loaded lets a team instantly take a commanding lead of the game.

You can change the outcome of your game - shooting digital photographs - with these digital photography tips as well as my previous article's "Home Run" digital photography tips.

1) Arrive early at the ballpark and reward yourself with enormous opportunities to take pictures of your favorite players at batting practice. Shoot photos of your favorite college, minor, or major league baseball stars as they loosen up for the coming melee. Since all of your attention is focused on your favorite stars at the plate rather than potential plays on the diamond or in the outfield, this is a perfect time for player close-up shots and photos of baseball players swinging at the ball.

And, to quote the legendary Yogi Berra, "it ain't over till it's over". Even if a baseball game seems to be "in the books", unless you're worried about traffic leaving from the stadium, stick around till the end. An error here, a successful bunt there, and suddenly a blow-out becomes a game again. Wouldn't you want to be around to take photos of a brilliant comeback?

2) Creating a photo journal or scrap book of your trip to a minor or major-league ballpark? Don't get so caught up in getting to the baseball game and winding through the crowds afterwards that you forget to take a photo of the stadium!

Before the baseball game, use a wide-angle lens and look outside the ballpark for unique angles to photograph. If a high-rise or garage is nearby, see if you can use the taller building for impressive pseudo-aerial shots. Just make sure not to trespass on private property.

3) Don't be caught "off base" by the seemingly slow pace of baseball. When action occurs it happens fast. While adjusting your digital camera's shutter speed is essential to taking lightning-quick photos that remain crisp and clear, another technique is to increase your camera's ISO settings.

Raising your ISO settings makes your digital camera more sensitive to light, allowing for even quicker shutter speeds. However, your baseball photos may show visible grain (noise), and not be as clear as you would like, especially above an ISO of 200 to 400, depending on your digital camera. A digital SLR camera, if you own one and can take it to the ballpark, allows you to bump the ISO up to 800 and possibly higher without adding too much noise to the photo.

4) Cover your bases. Plan on enjoying refreshments at the game such as a hot dog or a cold beverage? When you're done eating and drinking and desire to take more photos, your hands cannot be dirty, wet, or sticky, else you may damage your camera!

Don't rely on the stadium restrooms for hot water and clean towels. Consider bringing along some wet hand wipes and dry napkins or towels to clean yourself before you handle your digital equipment. Smudges, dirt, and liquid can cause your digital camera to malfunction, so clean up before you "play ball".

5) After a member of the home team belts a grand slam (or home run), once the hitter finishes rounding the bases, your attention may shift quickly to the next batter. However, keep an eye peeled on their dugout. Some players, depending on their star status, importance of the hit, or how loud the fans cheer, may do a quick "curtain call", presenting a good (but quick) photo opportunity of the hitter as they wave to the fans.

Plus, some ball parks have traditions all their own when the home team belts a grand slam or home run, presenting great photo opportunities if you know where to look. At Shea Stadium, a Big Apple appears. At Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia, a Liberty Bell replica lights up. Or, just the opposite, if the visiting team hits a home run in Wrigley Field, with the right seat and a zoom lens you might see someone toss the ball back.

6) If your seat and digital camera lens's zoom capabilities allow, try to zoom in on the players' faces to capture their facial expressions. Show the stress and anticipation before a big play, the jubilation after a long ball is shot out of the ballpark, etc. Also consider zooming in on players as they pass hitting and base-running signals to each other, an important aspect of the game.

7) Make shooting the big play as easy as a batter hitting a "beach ball". Many digital cameras have a "burst" mode allowing you to automatically shoot multiple photos in the span of a few seconds. When you think a big play is about to occur, instead of having to time the shot perfectly to get the best photo (anticipating shutter lag), you can enable burst mode and shoot several photos in succession. As with anything else, practice this feature for best results.

Don't know your bazookas from your lollipop throwers? The following links will help you bat a thousand when discussing baseball lingo:

* Baseball Jargon at Wikipedia
* Baseball Slang at Baseball Tips.com

8) Sometimes the milliseconds before a play make a jim-dandy of a picture, better than a photo right as the play occurs.

Watch a great base runner anticipating whether or not to steal a base before the pitcher begins his wind-up. How many steps will he stray off the base as he plays mind games with the opposing pitcher and catcher?

Has the batter hit a pop fly behind the plate? Frame a catcher throwing off his mask about to catch the popup, and then time the action and shoot when the ball is in the picture. This moment of anticipation may prove more memorable than a photo where the ball actually is in the glove. The same can be true of outfielders about to catch a fly ball, or the first baseman with his hand outstretched ready to turn a double play from the second baseman. This technique takes timing and practice.

9. If you own and can bring in a digital SLR camera to the game, don't whiff when taking photos of the action. Especially at nighttime or in lighting conditions that are less than ideal, you'll need help when taking quick exposures. To use fast shutter speeds that still result in crisp, clear photos, buy the fastest possible lens you can afford (this is noted by the maximum aperture or a low f-stop number). These allow more light to enter the camera, reducing the required time of exposure.

Just as batters must study pitchers' habits and practice their swings, to take spectacular photos at the ballpark you must study your digital camera manual and practice your photo-taking skills. Follow these tips and you'll be well on your way to taking "grand slam" baseball photographs in no time.

Return to the Digital Sports Photography page.

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