The Past Week In Sports

This was another fun week of capturing softball images. I covered everything from 10u rec league to the Big Ten Championship game during the week. My softball season is winding down. I think that I am done with college softball now, and I might only have one high school game left unless the schedule clears during the playoffs. I have had a blast making softball images this spring. I really don’t want it to end just yet. Below are a couple of quick stories from the past week.

The Sony 16-35mm Lens

This is a lens that I wanted for years on the Canon system. I don’t use it a lot, but on a championship Sunday it is perfect. I knew that I would end up in scrums close to the players with the trophy so having that 16mm end of the lens was nice. Being able to get back to 35mm for the team photos was great as well. I have wondered if this was a good purchase ever since I bought the lens. I realize that it was perfect for me after making the celebration photos last week.

Finding The Details

When you have 11 games in 4 days you will do anything for a different photo. I started really looking for details to change up the look of the gallery. During the anthem the players for Michigan were holding hands so I started trying to find photos there. I like how this one turned out with the towel.

Having A Plan…And Being Flexible

As the game was winding down I started planning what I would do after the last out. I knew that I would get that initial celebration with my 135mm lens. I would then rush the field to get the players celebrating up close. I was ready to go when TV came and got in front of us next to the door to get to the field. I quickly changed course and went to the other side of the field. It was a good call as I allowed me to make the photo above.

Making Choices

When you are covering a tournament for the league you have to constantly make choices. You are never making photos for a specific team, but sometimes you lean one way. For the final game I leaned more on the Michigan side pregame. UCLA had two photographers working the scene. I knew that they were pulling images from their own stuff so I would give Michigan some more time early. They didn’t have anyone on site and they were pulling heavily from what I was sending in. At the end of the day that was a good choice.

Two Bombs, One Day

West Side sophomore Eleanor Hurt hit two home runs this week at Delphi. This was my home plate photo from the first. I was just a bit too low to get the photo that I wanted. When she hit her second home run I jumped into the stands to get a higher view. Of course the celebration was not the same and I didn’t get that better photo. Short of being on the field I have to figure this one out. How to get that photo from the stands.

Road Photography

When I go with the local high school team on the road I am always trying to fit parts of the road stadiums into my photos. I want to create memories of where the players were. Here they had the old Purdue scoreboard so it was fun finding ways to get that into my photos as well.

The Little Things

I really like this photo. I put it in my Instagram gallery because of that. The thing that I liked the most about it though doesn’t show up very well. The little splash of a rain drop on the helmet made me very happy, but you really have to look to see it. I always think that if I have to tell you about the photo I didn’t do a good job as well. Sometimes though you make the photos that make you happy. This is one of them.

Another Senior Day

Thursday just before the game started I saw that Harrison was playing at home. I decided to head down there to photograph a few innings of the game. I had no idea it was senior day. As I was pulling up to the field I saw the players and families already on the field being introduced. I rain into the stadium just in time to make a photo of all of the seniors on the field. I have covered some of these players for four years now. I would have been upset if I had missed senior night.

Harrison Emotion

Harrison always has a couple of players that play the game with a lot of emotion. Second base has been locked down for the past few years with a player that is my go to for emotion. I love this photo with all of the dust and emotion in it. It made the trip down there worth it for sure.

A Proud Dad Moment

My little one had a night the other day. Pitching is not easy, and it is starting to click for her. She struck a couple of batters out in her two innings on the mound. At the plate she is starting to really see the ball too. She went two for three on the day including a shot to the fence to end the game. It was a true inside the park home run. I become the worst photographer when my kids are doing something cool. I am glad that I made a couple of photos of her that I liked from her big game.

More Photos

Here are a few bonus photos that I liked from this past week. Like I said I photographed everything from 10u softball, to high school varsity and jv games, to the Big Ten Championship this past week. It was another fun week of softball photography.