Nothing says springtime like the start of baseball season.  Sunshine, the overwhelming scent of hotdogs, and the classic “swing batta batta swing!” chant are constant characteristics that make up the distinct environment of a baseball stadium.  However, as a photographer, it also means shaking off the cobwebs.  

You see, unlike almost every other sport I frequently photograph, baseball and softball are in  a league of their own.  The action is baseball is not constant nor does it last long.  Sure the pitcher is always pitching and the batter is always batting, but you can only photograph them so much.  The best action shots of baseball are the ones of players sliding into bases, players giving it their all to catch a ball, home run celebrations, etc.  And those take a combination of luck, anticipation, and quick reflexes.  

I’ll admit I never played baseball (assuming tee ball doesn’t count) and was completely clueless how to photograph baseball when I first started.  But after a few seasons under my belt I have begun to get a hang of it.  For me, the best photos result from having my camera pre focused on first base because it sees the most action. This way I can capture runners sprinting to the base as well as pitchers getting tricky as they quickly throw the ball to first instead of throwing to the batter.  The latter can result in some nice sliding photos as the runner desperately tries to get back to base.  

Other than that, it is key to just stay focused on the game and try to anticipate what players are going to do.  If you see the bases are loaded, you can expect the guy on third to make a dash for home if given the chance.    

Oh, and hope for the best.  Lousy games almost always make it that much harder to get good photos.  With that said, I’ve got my fingers crossed for a good year of exciting baseball games!