Baseball Photo Contest Winner

[WCS]

Up until last summer, I played baseball in a men's over 28 baseball league. When not on the field playing, I often brought the camera and took photos for the team and the league. The league is a member of a national organization called Men's Senior Baseball League (MSBL). MSBL publishes a quarterly magazine for members and puts on an annual photo contest. I submitted 4 photos this past winter to the magazine. 1 photo won photo of the year, another made the cover of the 2007 year book issue and the other 2 were also published in that issue. For the photo of the year, I won a cash prize as well as an oil painting of the winning photo. Here are the photos that I submitted.

Photo of the Year

2007 Yearbook Cover Photo

Photos published in yearbook issue

[MN Shutterbug]

Let me be the first to congratulate you for a well deserved recognition and honor. That's amazing. Way to go.

[finnbay]

Very nice shots, WCS! I like to shoot baseball as well (as does Dbl)and know how difficult it can be to get into positions to take the great action shots. Congrats and well done!

[DeeDee]

I like them all but I love the cover shot. He looks like he is daring him to touch base.

[Steve Foss]

Very sweet work, WCS. A big congrats from me on getting the recognition you deserve (not to mention a bit o cash).

[Dbl]

Congratulations on the recognition of your work WCS! You submitted some very nice work. Ken is right, baseball is my favorite of all the sports to shoot. I can really say that after spending the entire morning on this hot and windy day shooting soccer at the Schwan's Cup in Blaine!

[machohorn]

I really need more practice, Great Photo's!

[WCS]

Thanks everyone. Ken and Dan, I agree it is hard to beat shooting baseball, especially since it is the sport I have played most of my life. Dan, I admire your work as a sports photographer. I have learned a lot from the photos and tips that you post.

[fishinchicks]

Congratulations!

I love the expression on the catcher's face in the second one! All are great shots.

[mcary]

Well done and congratulations!

[mmeyer]

Congratulations! As usual, very well done!!

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Real nice work! Was this the 70-200 2.8?

i didn't know so many older guys play hardball!

What's the scene at the concession stand?

"Lemme have 2 snicker bars,a diet coke,and that bottle of Advil"

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, with those old guys, you gotta watch so you don't get beaned by a 51 mph high inside fastball.

[WCS]

Yes it was the 70-200 lens and yes, there was always a bottle of ibuprofen being passed around the dugout. At one time we had a Mayo Clinic cardiologist playing on my team that would hand out prescriptions for Naprosen before it went over the counter.

51 mph was no big deal. I could still reach low 80's last year. Now running the bases is a whole different story. 90 feet never looked so far. You learned to run about 75% or you were almost certain to be grabbing the hamstrings somewhere between home and first.

[Dbl]

Good friend of mine still is playing at 52 in the "old mans" league. One ball one strike count. I think its great, IMHO beats softball! I can't throw anymore, bad rotator cuff or I sure as heck would.

[finnbay]

I hear ya Dan. I quit playing about 20 years ago but still try to get a couple of games in a summer in a rec league. My mind tells me I'm still 25, but my body quickly reminds me differently. My dad played until he was 66. Don't know which genes I didn't get!

[WCS]

Hey, only 15 more players and we can get an FM Photo sharing baseball game going! We could have Steve be the event photographer. He wouldn't need the fast lenses as slow shutter speeds should be able to catch all the action.

[Steve Foss]

But I actually have a fast lens, now, man. I picked up the 70-200 f2.8L because of all the indoor wedding work I was getting.

All those outdoor sports I shot for four years with slow-aperture lenses, and now that I'm out of sports photography I get the fast one. Figures.

Anyway, I'll be happy to do the shooting and let you other older-than-averages play the games!

[Dbl]

Hey, only 15 more players and we can get an FM Photo sharing baseball game going! We could have Steve be the event photographer. He wouldn't need the fast lenses as slow shutter speeds should be able to catch all the action.

The bulb setting would work well for me rounding the bases, you wouldn't need to time me, a calender would work just fine.