The Week That Was In Sports

It felt like spring for the games that I photographed this week. We have entered that time of the year when even if a game is on the schedule it may not happen because of weather. Luckily I had some great weather this week to photograph a few Purdue games.

Triples And Jube

Saturday at the Purdue softball game I started off at the end of the dugout. I was hoping for a slide into third. In the first inning I got that slide and a little more. To start off it was a great head first slide. Then after the slide I got some great jube with it. I stayed with my 300mm lens the entire time making sure that I was tight on the whole thing. Sports can be messy. You don’t always make the photo that you set out to make. You kind of have to take what the game gives you, and hope that you are in the right place. Here I lucked out and I was in the right place for these photos.

A BIG Win

The win last Saturday for Purdue was against a ranked Oregon team. After last spring I am starting to get used to Purdue softball taking down good teams at the Bitt. It is fun to see how far this team has come in a short time.

Going Tight

For the Purdue softball game on Sunday I took my 200-6oomm lens and nothing else. I really wanted to make sure that I used that lens and went a little tighter on everything. Here it let me get right in on the pitcher as she starts her motion to the plate. Over the course of this year I will throw this lens in from time to time to just change things up.

Guessing Right

Over the course of the two days at Purdue softball I would pick a player with the hope that the ball would go to them. On Saturday I was on a fielder for nearly three batters. With two strikes on the third batter I switched to the pitcher for emotion and a line drive went out to the fielder that I switched off of. I missed a good diving shot because of that switch. Here on Sunday I made this photo of the shortstop catching a line drive because I was on the shortstop before the pitch.

Having Fun With Timing

Over the course of a game I will try and freeze the ball in different spots. Later you will see me do it with a fielder. Here I found a way to freeze the ball with the coach in the frame. I really don’t know who these types of photos are for, but I like them. It gives me some timing plays to try as the game goes on. This time of year it is all about me getting my timing back.

Back At The Diamond

Tuesday night was my first baseball action of the year. I had about an hour from when I dropped my little one off just down the road until I would pick her up so that meant that I had a very short time to make photos at the Purdue baseball game. It was a chance to see my first baseball action of the year though. I was able to see about two innings of action on the day. Of course all of the fun stuff happened after I was gone, but any amount of baseball is a good thing.

A Quicker One Hour Challenge

I used to go to games and do what I called the one hour challenge. I had one hour to make the photos that I needed. It was a way to help me see things other than peak action at games. This game was far shorter so I really had to be on the lookout if I wanted anything worth posting. Baseball is a waiting game most of the time. You can’t really force photos. A few did present themselves though while I was at the park.

Baseball Opening Day

I was a couple of weeks late for Purdue’s home opener. Thursday was opening day across baseball though. It is a day that I still celebrate, but it is weird without dad around. Baseball was our language. When something cool happened he is the one that I would talk to about it. There were multiple times during the World Baseball Classic when I had my phone in hand to text dad. Seeing Alexei Ramirez on the field was one of them. Nobody loved to see my baseball photos more than my dad. While he isn’t around to see them now I usually wear his Sox hat to the games. I bring him with me in a small way.

More Photos From The Week

Below are a few bonus photos from this past week. This coming week is all about softball if the spring weather permits. For the most part this blog is going to turn into a softball sports blog for the next couple of months.
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