My first Baseball Tournament

[steven_gabriele]

<p>Hello everybody!<br>

I have my first Baseball tournament coming up this weekend and I will be selling and printing action photos on-site. This is my first time shooting Baseball and I was hopeing for some advise from anyone who has experience.<br>

The Tournament is going to be played on 3 out of 4 fields that are all right next to each other. Games are from 8 am - 8pm Fri, Sat, and Sunday. My equipment is a Canon 40d with a 70-200 f2.8 IS. As of right now I only have access to one person to shoot for me who also has no baseball experience. I have a pretty big set up with 3- 10x10 tents, with 5 viewing stations, and a Sony Dye Sub.<br>

My first question.<br>

Is a 70-200 going to have enough reach to be able to get some decent shots on the fly?<br>

Second question.<br>

What are the best place(s) to shoot from to get the most amount of action?<br>

Third question.<br>

How many shooters would You suggest for a 3 field tournament? keep in mind im trying to keep overhead as down as possible because of the long hours.<br>

Thank you for your help in advanced guys!</p>

 

[daverhaas]

<p>Steven -</p>

<p>1. 70-200 should be fine. </p>

<p>2. for batters - First base line for righties / third base line for lefties - in the dugout so you don't worry about fences or if they won't let you in - then get a step ladder to get above the fences. First base line for base running - steals, catches ,etc....<br>

for pitchers - just the opposite or also behind the plate - through the fence.</p>

<p>3. baseball is a slower paced game than most - meaning - it's not going to kill your sales if you miss an inning or 2.... so - I'd suggest 2 shooters - primary for fields 1 and 2 and then both cut to field 3 every so often... I've done 3 fields solo but it's not fun. 90% of what I shoot is swimming - where if I miss a heat of an event - I've missed my shot at that individual for the day (potentially)</p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

[frank_page]

<p>I have done my son's little league. The easy photos are of batters at the plate and pitchers off the mound. Shooting from the lines is good for batters and pitchers. You can also get behind the place and put the lens right up against the fence to get both the pitcher and batter in the photo. Those are the easy shots as they are basically set pieces. </p>

<p>Action shots in the field are harder. The 70-200 will not really reach across the field nor into the outfield. 2nd base and centerfield are a bit of a stretch - as is 3rd base from the first baseline and 1st base from the 3rd base line. If you can rent a 300mm lens (450mm on the 40d) that would help for action shots deep in the field. Also, these shots are best when anticipated - e.g. if you want a shortstop shot, focus on him and wait until he gets a fielding chance. It is much more difficult to try to follow the ball to the fielder.</p>

<p>Finally, be careful with exposure of white uniforms under bright sunlight - it is very easy to overexpose and blow out the uniforms. </p>

<p>Good luck and enjoy the day.</p>

[geoffrey_bolte]

<p>You mention its a baseball tournament but not what age group as that plays a major factor in if your 70-200 is long enough. If its Little League or below you should be ok, you won't be able to get any outfield shots but infield should be ok.<br>

If age 13+ then your in for a whole lot of hurt, the 70-200 will be no where close to long enough, where a 300-400 2.8 is the primary lens for that age level and above.<br>

Since this is your first time shooting baseball, why decide to handle a tournament? Do you really feel your strong enough to make enough to cover expenses and make a profit. Seems a lot to get into without having shot the sport, and FWIW, baseball onsite sales are hit and miss. Just make sure you have the organizers promoting your sales end so you get potential customers to the booth.</p>

[ron_hall3]

<p>Wondering how you did at the tournament. What angles/players did you decide to concentrate on? How did the families of the players react to your photos?<br>

And, of course, how were sales?</p>