More Softball

[DHMN69]

Back to the D2 Minnesota Duluth Bulldog team today, with actual field access and not through the fence like the first time..

1/4000 F4 (with the 1.4 extender on the Sigma 70-200 still) ISO 400 when I started.. ISO 200 at the end.. shot the ISO 400 because of the dreaded facemasks and nasty shadows on the faces.. by the end the sun had moved to right field and made it better without the sun face on the batters, took a bit of blown out pants/helmet over fixing faces in post.

1. Home run swing early in first game.


2. Angle to show how the pitcher is hiding/disguising her pitch on the windup


Down to ISO 320

3.


4. Dorms, and a slope, and uneven fence.. what a great shooting background yes, I should have cropped the glove, and the arm on the left but couldn't keep it 8x10 so I just left it.


ISO 200
5. Second game home run.. you can really tell they hit the weight room during their offseason workouts.. I've seen her hit 3 home runs in 4 games.. and she has 3 in her career.


6. I don't aim or burst for 'BOB' (bat on ball) shots so it's rare when I do get one.. same batter above in a later at bat, she crushed this one but not a home run, can actually make out the ball flexing on contact.


7. One of the few fielding plays I even attempted... the sun made them really tough to get exposure on without correcting and aiming only on outfielders (I'm NOT saying I'd rather shoot indoors either!)


THE REST

[dereitz]

I have really enjoyed your photos and i take for our high school softball and baseball teams - and want the best clarity and stop action shots ---- I am using the sigma 70-200 2.8 also but no extender yet... did you find the ss 4000 f 4.0 and iso 200 the best unless shadows on face then go to iso 320 or 400

[DHMN69]

It all depends on the time of day and sun position.. the doubleheader started at NOON yesterday so shadows on the batters (from facemasks mostly) and fielders from the bright sun at their backs made it hard. I kept the shutter up at 4000 to at least attempt to combat the white jerseys/helmets..I could have gotten away with 3200 or even 2500 SS at ISO 100 maybe but then the shadows were darker yet.

One that I put online that I didn't post here.. showing just how hard it was to get fielders exposed with the strong backlight.. a full 280mm shot with a little crop also