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Something different - Detrick shot

Dbl

By Dbl
in Photography and Photo Sharing

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Dbl Grand Master

Dbl

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Just breaking up the recent run of excellent bird, duck and animal shots posted by everyone.

This is my take on a Detrick shot. A what you ask? This has become a shot many folks try now that photographer Chris Detrick of the Salt Lake Tribune first published a shot like this a few years back. The idea is to have the pitcher in the background out of focus against a dark background and then capture the ball in perfect focus. I got bored shooting the second game of a double header that ran into extra-inning's (14 to be exact) in Omaha last weekend.

Don't let the sunshine fool you, it was cold and windy. To top it off I was shooting a double header that was supposed to end around 5:30pm. I had to drive to Wichita (5 hour drive) after the game. The 7 extra innings made it 7:45pm and then I locked the keys for my rental car in the trunk and didn't get going until 9:00pm. Had a 5:00am appointment the next morning and every morning this week....its been a long week and getting longer! Double header in Duluth Friday or softball locally and then a double header in Grand Forks on Sunday. I am trying to figure out what day and city I am in right now.

My take on the Detrick shot. Posted a bit larger or you lose the ball effect. If anybody wants to give this a go let me know I will try to explain the procedure. I hope you enjoy it. \:\)

281135183_52dAY-XL.jpg

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Steve Foss Grand Master

Steve Foss

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Well, I did those shots in my own way but am very curious always to see if another photographer uses different methods to achieve the same ends.

I reckon Dan's still on his endless road trip and we'll hear from him one of these hours/days. grin.gifgrin.gif

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Dbl Grand Master

Dbl

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Thanks for the comments everyone. The shot is a bit more complicated than it looks because in order to pull this off you have to have the right background. This was shot at a field that happened to have a darker fence with four trees over the fence together to give a dark background so the hitter can see the ball better. That is what makes the shot, many fields just don't give you the right background.

The next step is to find the proper angle to get the ball and the pitcher in the full frame. With a right hand pitcher I like to be just to the left of the catcher. This keeps the catcher out of the frame and the ball closer to the pitcher. Depending on the background you need to experiment with the shooting from low or standing and shooting more down. The background will dictate that for you.

Really the tricky part of the shot is the above information, background, and angle. The mechanical part, exposure is pretty easy. I shoot manual for outdoor sports like this under constant lighting so it is just a matter of underexposing the shot. This was taken in the afternoon under bright light, I think I was at ISO 400, f3.2, 1/6400s for game shooting. I dropped the shutter speed to 1/5000s and shot a frame or two and adjusted per the histogram pushing it more to the left. This is easier to do if shot later in the afternoon when the sun begins to get lower in the sky.

This is best attempted at around f5.6 or so to give yourself a bit more latitude in depth of field. The depth of field in this situation is about 5 inches for the subject to be in focus at f3.2. Going to f5.6 gets you around 7 or 8 inches. I was already shooting at f3.2 and just forgot to stop down a bit for this shot.

The next thing is the focus. I usually focus on the grass around half-way to home plate, maybe a bit closer and at that point no more focusing is needed.

You need to shoot and chimp the shot to make minor changes to the angles until you get the look you are after. You want a dark background, pitcher completely in the frame with the ball perfectly in focus and somewhere around the center of the frame.

You only need to shoot one shot, bursting doesn't really help much, you just need to push at the right time to catch the ball in the 6" or so it will be in perfect focus. It helps to be able to see the writing on the ball as well, its a good test to see if the ball is in perfect focus and looks cooler.

You might have to fire off a number of frames to get the shot, you may or may not have success depending on all the factors above but if you keep at it you should eventually get a frame that works. Some days you may shoot 50 to 100 frames and not get one shot to work. This day I shot maybe 8 to 10 frames and had a few that were successful. Just something different to attempt and challenge your skills in the never ending quest to improve \:\)

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LeeKen Proficient

LeeKen

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Holy improved technology d BATMAN (+ the l - atman)

You make it sound simple.

The day I have the equipment I'll try it!

The day I have the skill may be much later.

A really cool shot!

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Dbl Grand Master

Dbl

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DD you cracked me up with that one! You must have some relation to Detrick with all the talent he has. ;\) LeeKen and finn thanks again. Ken you should really give this a go next chance you get, I've got a few of these laying around from the last number of years shooting ball sports.

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