Setting suggestions

[nickstanley]

Hello all. Snowed in here in Texas. Ok, maybe not but we did get 1-2 inches.

Anyway, a friend of mine is throwing the first pitch as a NCAA baseball game. This is a huge moment as it is celebrating the 1 year anniversary of defeating pancreatic cancer. I will be on the field taking pics. Probably around the 3rd base line. I need some suggestions for settings. Since I will essentially only get one shot at catching his pitch, I need to be sure I know what settings I should use.

Luckily, the first pitch will be around 1130am so there will be lots of natural light. I will want to stop his motion. No blur. Should I shoot manual? If so, what speed? Aperture? Would shutter priority be "safer"?

Also, as of now, I only have my kit lense, and a 35mm fixed focal lens (Nikon)? Would either of these be suitable? Or should I look for a different lens?

Sorry for all the questions. I am new

Nick

 

[The_Traveler]

practice in advance.
shoot on 'multiple' rather than single exposure
decide how much you want in the frame.
that will decide the focal length
you will have to shoot in the 1/800 to 1/1000 range to stop motion of pitching arm.
then you find the aperture that will allow you to shot at that speed.

there is no magic to it.

 

[wyogirl]

Since its a one time deal, I would shoot in shutter priority at 1/1000 (most likely) and let the camera figure everything else out.
Like Lew said, practice ahead of time.

 

[Designer]

Also, as of now, I only have my kit lense, and a 35mm fixed focal lens (Nikon)? Would either of these be suitable? Or should I look for a different lens?

You didn't say what "kit lens". As already mentioned, go take a few shots of the field. If your focal length is too short, then rent, borrow, or purchase a longer lens. The practice session will also give you an idea of what aperture requirements will be. IOW: You might need to look for a zoom telephoto in the 70-200mm range with a maximum aperture of f2.8.

 

[hirejn]

If the subject is in full sun, use the sunny 16 rule: 1 over ISO @ f/16; i.e. 1/200, ISO 200, f/16. You can vary the exposure triangle from there. This won't work if the subject is in the shade. And it never hurts to turn on auto bracketing. If you had an incident meter, you probably wouldn't be asking about exposure so I'm assuming you don't have one. If you're not in the sun and unsure about metering, just take some test shots, check the histogram to make sure it's close to the right edge without touching it, and then lock that exposure in manually. No matter how you figure out the exposure you want, lock it in manually so that it doesn't change, but keep an eye out for changing light, in which case you'd need to re-meter. And shoot RAW. I don't normally recommend guessing or fixing in post, but when you're not a pro and you have one shot to get it right, then test shots, bracketing and RAW are fair game. RAW will enable you to pull back some detail if the exposure is off, but you'll need certain software like Lightroom or Photoshop (free trials are available).

There are ways to ensure good focus. If you're shooting from third base, he'll be moving generally along the plane of the sensor as he steps into the pitch, left to right, side to side, so the focus distance won't change much. If you have an aperture of 5.6 to 8, that should be enough for reasonable focus. You can use the depth of field preview button on the lens to get an idea for how much depth will be in focus. Use a specific focus point to focus on him just before he throws the pitch, and then switch to manual focus so the focus doesn't change throughout the pitch. Then you're free to fire on your fastest frame rate to get the sequence without worrying about the exact focus point being on target or the camera losing track, as long as you keep the subject parallel to the sensor plane.

You have to decide what's more important. If the correct exposure for the subject means the background is blown out, then you'll have to sacrifice the background. Set the ISO at the lowest setting that can give you the shutter speed and aperture you want. Also, you'll need more than a 35 mm lens if you want to get close from third base, more like 200 mm to start with, and it doesn't have to be fast pro glass since you'll be looking for an aperture of about 5.6 anyway.

 

[nickstanley]

Amazingly helpful everyone. I will start looking for a longer lens and do a little practicing. Noon in Florida should be great weather in April. Shouldnt be a cloud in the sky. Thanks again

 

[table1349]

Q

UOTE=nickstanley;3145037]Hello all. Snowed in here in Texas. Ok, maybe not but we did get 1-2 inches.

Yep, if it snows in Texas, Texas locks up. :mrgreen:

Anyway, a friend of mine is throwing the first pitch as a NCAA baseball game. This is a huge moment as it is celebrating the 1 year anniversary of defeating pancreatic cancer. I will be on the field taking pics. Probably around the 3rd base line. I need some suggestions for settings. Since I will essentially only get one shot at catching his pitch, I need to be sure I know what settings I should use.

Luckily, the first pitch will be around 1130am so there will be lots of natural light. I will want to stop his motion. No blur. Should I shoot manual? If so, what speed? Aperture? Would shutter priority be "safer"?

If you are comfortable shooting in manual then do so. If not then set your camera to Aperture Priority. Yes I know, you want no blur, so you are probably thinking you need to set it to shutter priority. Here is why you want Aperture Priority. There are two kinds of sports photographs, sports shots and sports snap-shots. What's the difference? In a sports snap-shot the photographer is trying to capture one single thing, a person, the ball etc. and doesn't think of the overall photo. In a sports shot, the photographer is still trying to capture the person, ball etc. but they are not only wanting to capture that action, they are wanting to make it the focus of the photograph so your attention is immediately drawn to that action. That it done by using the smallest DOF possible and still capture all of the action without all the other fluff, like other non involved players, officials fans etc. If only the action is in sharp focus it pops off the page.

So set your camera to Aperture priority. Figure out the amount of DOF you will need based on the distance you will be away from the action. There are DOF calculators on line that will help if you need. Shoot as wide as possible. I rarely shoot above f2.8 for any sport. Okay, so now we come to shutter speed. You need at least 1/500th of a second and 1/1000th would be better depending on the shot you are trying to get. We will get back to that. So how do you get the necessary Shutter Speed. That is where your ISO comes into play. Adjust you ISO as low as possible but will still give you the necessary shutter speed. If I am looking to freeze a baseball, then that is what I want. A little digital noise is acceptable and can be dealt with later. You can't fix motion blur. If you have a nice sunny day for this you should have no problems. It is when it is extremely cloudy, late in the day or under the lights when your ISO gets bumped up pretty high.

As for the shot you mentioned. Here is an alternative shot idea for you for someone throwing out the first pitch. Usually the home plate ump is out of the picture so to speak. He's not calling a ball or strike on this one. Me, I prefer to get the first pitch from behind the catcher. That way the person throwing out the first pitch is facing you. Normally if the pitcher is right handed i will get a few feet behind the catcher on the catcher's right side. I shoot from a low position over the catcher. Usually I will have a bit of the catcher in the photo at the bottom. With a wide Aperture he will be blurred. The reason I shoot from the right side for a right hand pitcher and the left side for a left side pitcher is I want to capture that ball right after it leaves his hand so it is crossing in front of the pitcher on it's way to the catcher. Also, by shooting from a low angle you generally get a good shot of the persons face as they throw the ball. FYI if you go for this shot, you want to be above 1/500th.

Make sure you set your focus to continuous focus. Sorry, don't know what Nikon calls it. There should be a setting in your custom menu that will let you do this. That way the focus is tracking all the time as the person moves. Secondly set your focus point to a single point. Usually the center point is the best, especially if you are not used to this. Focus on the person throwing out the pitch and try to capture right after the ball leaves his hand. Set your camera to take continuous shots. I am not a big spray and pray fan, but this may help you capture the ball where you want it. One thing to remember too. With a shot like this you want to freeze the person. A small amount of ball movement is fine, in fact in can impart a bit more drama to a shot like this then a perfectly frozen ball. If you are catching a ball off of a bat then you want it the other way around and capture the ball and bat with no movement. That way you see the ball being deformed by the bat.

If you want to get the shot from the either 1st or 3rd base side make sure you are shooting from the pitches open side. IE. Right handed pitcher from 3rd base, left handed pitcher from the 1st base area. Either shot can be dramatic. Part of you choice may be dictated by your friend. If he has a good motion behind the plate can be a great shot. If not then you may want to consider the side shot. With a side shot you will to be in that 1/1000th range. Keep in mind, with a side shot it you might want to get the shot before the ball is thrown with his arm at it's full upper extension or moving forward a bit. Once he throws the ball he will be in a closed position again with his body.

As others have said no matter where you shoot from, you need to practice your shot. Sports photography is not a simple thing. I have been shooting sports for 40 years now. At the beginning of every season I still go to one of the local colleges, with the coaches permission of course, and shoot practices. Gets me back into the grove for that particular sport.

Also, as of now, I only have my kit lense, and a 35mm fixed focal lens (Nikon)? Would either of these be suitable? Or should I look for a different lens?

Sorry for all the questions. I am new

Nick

Okay, now to the lens. Don't know what your kit lens is. For me, this is the perfect setup for a 70-200 f2.8. Gives you an excellent focal length range to capture a full human but still shoot tight enough not to get too much fluff. Again, practice, practice, practice. That way you will know what you want when you get there and should know exactly what you need to do to get the shot.
Good luck.

 

[Light Guru]

Luckily, the first pitch will be around 1130am so there will be lots of natural light.

That may not actually be "Lucky" for you. Sun directly over head and baseball hats do not make for great images of the persons face, as the face will be in a harsh shadow while the rest of the image is properly exposed.

Also, as of now, I only have my kit lense, and a 35mm fixed focal lens (Nikon)? Would either of these be suitable? Or should I look for a different lens?

Probably not, you should look into renting longer focal length lens, probably a 70-200mm

 

[nickstanley]

You guys are great. I only hope that at some point I will be as knowledgeable as everyone on here. Thank you again.

 

[weepete]

When is he doing this mate?

I'd really suggest going with your mate to a wide open space and carefully lay our where you both should be (I dont know baseball but I do know that football (read soccer) pitches can vary slightly, aka home advantage). There may be a baseball park (or is it pitch?) that you could use already. Get him to pitch as fast as he can and take some practice shots at a similar time of day.

The go to lens for a lot of pros is 200mm f2.8 or possibly more or less depending on your distance, angle, what you want to capture and how much you want in focus vs how much background blur you want. Dont forget you can rent a lens too, this will give you the oppertunity to try it out in real terms and use it for the game at much less than you can buy one for.

Now for settings, for me apeture priority mode doesn't work. Neither does shutter priority. The best combination I have found with an automatic component is Manual Mode with auto ISO, CWA Metering mode and AI Servo (or continuous af). In my sports shots I don't shoot raw, I shoot jpeg with all in camera processing off to maximise my buffer and framerate. I let the background and ISO do what it wants to do and expose for my subject. You still need to be able to time it right though so practice is really important. Good luck!

 

[TCampbell]

A few things...

What hand is he going to throw with? Before you decide where to stand, you want to consider what he will look like and where he arms will be as he's throwing the ball. What side of his body do you want to capture as he's throwing?

It's great that you are asking for advice before the event. Even better will be to practice the shot before the event. Get a couple of friends to throw the ball back and forth and you practice shooting at approximately the distance you think you're going to be. Part of the benefit of being an experienced shooter is that you know what works... because you've actually DONE it many times before. So... to that end... go and DO it many times before.

I'd rent a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens... here's why.

It's roughly 60' (60.5' from mound to home-plate) from each base to the center of the mound. If we use that as an assumption for a working distance, the dimensions of the field of view at 60' using a 100mm focal length is a little over 9-1/2' high by 14' wide on a Nikon APS-C body (1.5 crop factor sensor camera). At 200mm you'd be framing a half-shot horizontally... but turned vertically you could just barely fit a person (but not while throwing). A 70-200mm lens is going to give you the angular field of view to frame up your subject from a 60' working distance pretty much however you want.

Assuming bright sun... the sunny 16 rule is in effect. This means we can use a base exposure of f/16 and set the shutter to the reciprocal of the ISO. ISO 100 would use 1/100th sec. But this is just the base for establishing exposure. You can use ANY equivalent exposure you want. And in this case you want a fast shutter speed to freeze action. If we drop the aperture down to... say f/4... that's a difference of 4 full stops. That would mean we'd have to compensate by speeding the shutter 4 full stops... instead of 1/100th, you'd use 1/1600th as the shutter speed. As a side-benefit (or not -- you decide) the f/4 is going to provide about 18' feet of DoF at 60' focus distance (everything from 52' to 70' is focused). Beyond that... the stands on the far side of the feed will be blurred. Some people want to help draw attention to the subject by blurring the background... some people WANT the background focused. If you want the background focused then you could always boost ISO a few stops to allow you to close the aperture a bit. That's up to you.

If it's overcast, you'll appreciate having an f/2.8 lens.

If you're renting a lens... rent it MANY DAYS before the day you actually need it. This is so that (1) you can be sure it will actually arrive on time should there be any delay in shipping and (2) more importantly... it gives you time to practice with the lens and make sure everything is ok with it (just in case the shipping company decides to be a bit rough with it.)

 

[rambler]

Here is how I got the shot of a pitcher at the end of his wind-up with the ball stopped in mid air, center fielder in the background: (Use all of the info above)
From behind the backstop, and a bit off to the side, not directly behind the catcher, I pre-focused on the pitchers belt as he stood facing the plate. As he started his wind-up I started the continuous firing of the shutter. Use the fastest shutter speed available to stop the action.
If you can get to practice that would be great. Again, focus as the pitcher is standing still.

 

[JoeW]

You've gotten good advice on the settings. Shutter priority at f1/1000 and multiple shot settings (or bracketing if that's not an option with the body you've got) are good ideas. However, an even more important one is for you to practice. You said you're new. Not to scare you, but photographing motion is tricky even for experienced photographers if you haven't done this a lot. Get someone else (neighbor kid, your friend, aging jock, a significant other--anyone), and have them throw the ball while you attempt to take the picture. The setting and light likely won't be the same. But you'll get a better idea of how to anticipate the shot (b/c that's what you want to do: anticipate rather than wait for the moment and then shoot).

 

[PBlais]

JoeW has great advice. There is a baseball field near everyone! Just get a friend that can even toss a ball and see what YOUR stuff is like. It may not be in the greatest stadium with a crowd but you'll get a feel for the distance and what the shot looks like. I think you've got enough setting advice so do a few test shots. All the pros do this! Now you need to feel what it's going to be like. The idea is at least you'll look good! Looking good - feels good! You won't choke because you'll know what it's like. Setting up shots in advance is what separates the photographers from the pros that get the big money. Nobody wakes up knowing how to get the perfect shot and collect a big fee. You are allowed to stack the deck to get the shot in ONE!

One last thing. You better post hit here too!

 

[vintagesnaps]

How you'll need to set your camera will depend of course that day on whether it's sunny, cloudy/overcast, which way you're facing, etc. - I shoot manual and use the meter to let me know if I have the right amount of light coming into the camera for a proper exposure; my starting point is usually f8 and 1/125 for general use; when I shoot sports I'd be obviously going to a faster speed.

The day of the game I'd go early so you can figure out possible camera settings, figure out a vantage point, etc. Might depend on where they'll allow you to stand, maybe see before/during warm ups which way the sun is hitting where he'll be from 3rd and see if that will work or if you have other options.

Besides a fast shutter speed to freeze action I'd go with a midrange to smaller aperture - I'd probably want a decent amount of depth of field. If he steps into the pitch and as his arm stretches forward I'd want all of him in focus. Being outdoors you should probably get enough light to be able to get a fast enough shutter speed and not have to open up the lens too much.

Being a rink rat I've mostly done some ceremonial puck drops; I've usually gotten my spot picked out during warm ups and I'd get set before they come out to drop the puck. I get the camera framed and focused where they'll be coming to, such as the carpet that's rolled out; once I'm set then I can adjust focus etc. as they come into my viewfinder.

If you feel you can adjust your framing and focus quick enough you might get some pictures of him walking out; if you want to be sure to get the pitch you might want to be set and waiting for him to get on the mound.

As you said you might only get one good shot of the actual pitch thrown but there should be time to get a number of photos of the occasion (try counting seconds sometime, you have more time than you might think to get some shots). I'd keep taking photos after the pitch, don't chimp (look at the back of the camera and go ooh-ooh), stay on him - there might be some hand shakes, a wave to the crowd, etc. Keep him in your viewfinder and stay on him til he's leaving the field and it's over.

You might get some photos of him before the event starts, depends on where he'll be pregame and where you'll need to go get set. I'd think about getting some photos too of the venue/the field, the stands/fans, mascot, anything else that's going on pregame to capture the atmosphere of the event, since he might enjoy having some photos of the day.