Corning Red Baron softball regional playoff action
May 19, 2023 20:20:00 #
The shift to some junior college softball playoff action as the Corning (NY) Red Barons softball team made their playoff push through regional action. With their victory, they are heading to Nationals near Syracuse, NY next week.
These shots were taken with a Z9 paired with the 100-400 f4.5 - 5.6 S lens in shutter priority mode. Shutter speed ranged from 1/1000 - 1/5000 with most being around 1/2500. ISO mostly at 320. Aperture settled in most of the time right around f5.
I found the focus speed a little slow when moving from one place to the next quickly. Ex: Capturing thirdbaseman fielding the ball and trying to throw to another base. Initial capture was pretty good but the subsequent shots were missed most of the time. Any time I could "pre focus" where action was going to take place worked very well. Trying to follow the action not quite as well. 3D focusing helped some. I guess that is what shooting sports is about, though, eh?
These shots were taken with a Z9 paired with the 100-400 f4.5 - 5.6 S lens in shutter priority mode. Shutter speed ranged from 1/1000 - 1/5000 with most being around 1/2500. ISO mostly at 320. Aperture settled in most of the time right around f5.
I found the focus speed a little slow when moving from one place to the next quickly. Ex: Capturing thirdbaseman fielding the ball and trying to throw to another base. Initial capture was pretty good but the subsequent shots were missed most of the time. Any time I could "pre focus" where action was going to take place worked very well. Trying to follow the action not quite as well. 3D focusing helped some. I guess that is what shooting sports is about, though, eh?
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May 20, 2023 10:52:01 #
May 20, 2023 12:50:23 #
Fabulous collection of pivotal moments Rick... Quality and magnitude of successful capture is breathtaking!
I'm guessing this may be in part due to the fact that the Nikon Z9 shoots very well at 120 FPS with full AF and autoexposure with excellent tracking, something I believe no other camera can do. Albeit this is at 11 MP, an image size which is very close to what the Nikon D3 was capable of back in the day...
Where you actually shooting at 120 FPS?
Next question... In both baseball and football players often apply Eye Black (a grease strip applied under the eyes) to reduce glare... though its effectiveness may be debatable. Oft said it is more for a psychological effect it may have on players (War Paint effect) as used by combat troops in night battles.
In this series I'm taken aback at the day-glow red/orange "Blush" applied to these young ladies zygomaticus major muscle... Are they attempting to make a social statement? Sorry but I hold a Cosmetologist license in Makeup Artistry from the state of Maryland which required extension training... What I'm seeing here is definitely Theatrical Makeup NOT glare suppression... Unless you added the vivid hue and chroma in post processing...
Rick I'm incredible impress at the quantity of pivotal moments you'll amassed in this series...
If I sorted through a years worth of my captures I doubt if I could amass the magnitude of pivotal moments that you have accomplished in a single day. In my humble estimation Sport Photography as now entered a era where equipment is even more paramount. The barrier to entry is now having the latest and most advanced sophisticated kit.
Even worse yet is the brutal fact that still photography is rapidly being eclipsed by those who have migrated to cinema especially in coverage of "Live Events". IG videos now garner a magnitude more "Likes" than stills... And at a commercial level we now compete on the number of "Likes" and "Followers"!
Those who don't believe this are very likely in denial...
Fortunately my expertise in studio portraiture is one of the few bastions of still photography that remains viable... Besides with Transgender Women currently invading young ladies "personal spaces" I'm rapidly moving out of the young ladies sport arena. That travesty is not something I'm comfortable accepting yet and more shocking it's become the default for Title IX Federal dollars! Nope High School and College Sports are soon very likely to become a continuous legal battleground that may tarnish what I've come to cherish in woman's sports for the past fifty years.
Sorry for my brief but poignant Exposé on the current state of "Women's Sports Photography" as I now perceive it. Rick this in no way diminishes my admiration of what you've brought to the table in your post here.
Your efforts here should be a wake up call for anyone thinking they can monetize their work in the sport genre without a substantial initial (and continuous) investment in the latest/greatest equipment.
Please keep up the good work Rick, you've set a very high bar for those wishing to challenge you here.
Cheers! Thomas
I'm guessing this may be in part due to the fact that the Nikon Z9 shoots very well at 120 FPS with full AF and autoexposure with excellent tracking, something I believe no other camera can do. Albeit this is at 11 MP, an image size which is very close to what the Nikon D3 was capable of back in the day...
Where you actually shooting at 120 FPS?
Next question... In both baseball and football players often apply Eye Black (a grease strip applied under the eyes) to reduce glare... though its effectiveness may be debatable. Oft said it is more for a psychological effect it may have on players (War Paint effect) as used by combat troops in night battles.
In this series I'm taken aback at the day-glow red/orange "Blush" applied to these young ladies zygomaticus major muscle... Are they attempting to make a social statement? Sorry but I hold a Cosmetologist license in Makeup Artistry from the state of Maryland which required extension training... What I'm seeing here is definitely Theatrical Makeup NOT glare suppression... Unless you added the vivid hue and chroma in post processing...
Rick I'm incredible impress at the quantity of pivotal moments you'll amassed in this series...
If I sorted through a years worth of my captures I doubt if I could amass the magnitude of pivotal moments that you have accomplished in a single day. In my humble estimation Sport Photography as now entered a era where equipment is even more paramount. The barrier to entry is now having the latest and most advanced sophisticated kit.
Even worse yet is the brutal fact that still photography is rapidly being eclipsed by those who have migrated to cinema especially in coverage of "Live Events". IG videos now garner a magnitude more "Likes" than stills... And at a commercial level we now compete on the number of "Likes" and "Followers"!
Those who don't believe this are very likely in denial...
Fortunately my expertise in studio portraiture is one of the few bastions of still photography that remains viable... Besides with Transgender Women currently invading young ladies "personal spaces" I'm rapidly moving out of the young ladies sport arena. That travesty is not something I'm comfortable accepting yet and more shocking it's become the default for Title IX Federal dollars! Nope High School and College Sports are soon very likely to become a continuous legal battleground that may tarnish what I've come to cherish in woman's sports for the past fifty years.
Sorry for my brief but poignant Exposé on the current state of "Women's Sports Photography" as I now perceive it. Rick this in no way diminishes my admiration of what you've brought to the table in your post here.
Your efforts here should be a wake up call for anyone thinking they can monetize their work in the sport genre without a substantial initial (and continuous) investment in the latest/greatest equipment.
Please keep up the good work Rick, you've set a very high bar for those wishing to challenge you here.
Cheers! Thomas
May 20, 2023 15:02:54 #
Thomas902 wrote:
Fabulous collection of pivotal moments Rick... Quality and magnitude of successful capture is breathtaking!
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.
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Please keep up the good work Rick, you've set a very high bar for those wishing to challenge you here.
Cheers! Thomas
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Please keep up the good work Rick, you've set a very high bar for those wishing to challenge you here.
Cheers! Thomas
Wow. Thank you for the kind words, Thomas. If I ever get discouraged with my photography, I'll look up your comments! ;o)
Now to try and answer/address some of your questions.
Frame rate: I shoot at 20 fps so I can get the RAW format to work with.
Eye Black: When I played softball I would occasionally use eye black. It did help make a difference. Subtle, but it was noticeable. These girls are using the shades of red as red is the primary school color. No other statement. Still very young (1 or 2 years out of high school) and really just having a lot of fun. I will readily confess there are many times I am unable to stop myself from smiling ear to ear as I watch their enthusiasm and energy. Good times in front and behind the camera!
Pivotal moments: Thank you! I credit experience for capturing some of those photos and some times just plain dumb luck! I've played to some degree or another most of the sports I photograph. Those I haven't, I have learned to anticipate possible action by watching them. For example photographing softball- when trying to anticipate where a batted ball might go, I look to see if the batter is swinging ahead or behind prior pitches. I can take an educated guess as to where a hit might go. I try to imagine what the situation calls for based upon the game. A sacrifice, is the count in favor of the pitcher or batter.
In general - I have the upmost respect for those who do studio work. It is something I am uncomfortable with and am absolutely impressed by those who do it. In regards to the other - I reserve the right to determine what I photograph. Mine is a labor of love and if I don't like it, I don't photograph it! Fortunately, I have not run into the situation you described.
Because of what I photograph, I went for the Z9 for the improved focus, shutter speed and low light capabilities. Prior to it, I was using a D5. The quality of the images is not that different. I just get more potential keepers with the Z9 than the D5. Frankly, had the Z9 not given me better results in those features, I would have had no problem returning the Z9. But alas, the improvements in those features were there. My wallet became lighter and trying to decide which image to keep became tougher! I tried the 30 and 120 fps and frankly found I was getting more images to review than what I wanted to work, so I don't even use those capabilities. I also get images in the 25 mb range as well. I will confess to wanting to try photographing lightning with the precapture mode, so should the occasion arise, I will get to play with those 120 images! LOL!
Again, thank you for your kind words and support.
May 20, 2023 16:38:53 #
"...thank you for your kind words and support." Rick they are well deserved, you are indeed a master of your craft!
And yes to have played the events you're working is a huge advantage, nearly impossible to reach the zenith of the art otherwise...
Amazing to see what is possible with 20fps... and a healthy amount of experience to deploy them.
As with nearly all crafts there is no substitute for experience... Studio work is just the same here with countless hours setup and balancing illumination before the talent ever walks onto the set... My typical quantity for an 8 hour session is less than a couple hundred exposures... less than a dozen for each wardrobe, hair or makeup change...
"... Mine is a labor of love..." Rick your imagery truly reflects the aforementioned in spades!
It's oft been said that "When your work is your play and your play is your work you've arrived... Until then everything else is a compromise"
To this end I focus primarily on the "Team" mission for our assignments, since studio work is a huge collection of talent working in synergy... Many of our team members are outstanding in their field with dozens of tear-sheets and fashion magazine covers which I can only dream of... While the photographer typically holds © Copyright this is drafted by a charismatic model with thousands of IG followers... They are the "Face" of the image and work with the maximum stress to deliver. Hope this makes sense...
Again looking forward to more of your epic renderings Rick, they are a window into what is ultimately possible in the sports genre...
Cheers! Thomas
And yes to have played the events you're working is a huge advantage, nearly impossible to reach the zenith of the art otherwise...
Amazing to see what is possible with 20fps... and a healthy amount of experience to deploy them.
As with nearly all crafts there is no substitute for experience... Studio work is just the same here with countless hours setup and balancing illumination before the talent ever walks onto the set... My typical quantity for an 8 hour session is less than a couple hundred exposures... less than a dozen for each wardrobe, hair or makeup change...
"... Mine is a labor of love..." Rick your imagery truly reflects the aforementioned in spades!
It's oft been said that "When your work is your play and your play is your work you've arrived... Until then everything else is a compromise"
To this end I focus primarily on the "Team" mission for our assignments, since studio work is a huge collection of talent working in synergy... Many of our team members are outstanding in their field with dozens of tear-sheets and fashion magazine covers which I can only dream of... While the photographer typically holds © Copyright this is drafted by a charismatic model with thousands of IG followers... They are the "Face" of the image and work with the maximum stress to deliver. Hope this makes sense...
Again looking forward to more of your epic renderings Rick, they are a window into what is ultimately possible in the sports genre...
Cheers! Thomas
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