Brian Ditoto (#3, right) of Port Jervis steals second base as James I. O'Neill second baseman Jimmy Doonan (#10, left) misses the throw during their game at Roe Park in Highland Falls, NY on Thursday, April 9, 2009. Times Herald-Record/CHET GORDON"Spring is (finally) Here..." OK, I know it's cliched and all that, but while most of the NYC Metro area media are still buzzing about the two new MLB ballparks in the Bronx and Flushing, Queens; I had the opportunity today to photograph a well played HS varsity baseball game at noontime on a beautiful Spring day. All by myself down the third base line of a nice, quiet neighborhood park. It was good to shoot the season's first outdoor game on long glass (a 300mm f/2.8 with a 1.4 tele-extender "welded on" camera #1) and a second camera with the 70mm - 200mm f/2.8 zoom.
I really like the tight looks that the long 300mm provides, particularly the soft or out-of-focus backgrounds. Fast shutter speeds and high (wide open) f/stops helped to clean up the backgrounds and stop the action clean. I'm digging that dirt in the face of a diving base runner (top), and the ball stopped clean on several occasions where you can actually see the laces and seams on the baseball in a pitcher's delivery (above.). Should I need anything wider, I'll probably just bring out another body with the 16mm - 35mm short zoom. Can't wait to start running a remote camera down the third base line soon as well as shooting other outdoor sports like lacrosse, and track & field. Big track meets coming up in May soon I believe. Stay tuned. -cg.
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