Daily Snap: Yep, more track

More track today. Only had a few runners to worry about, so I tried something a little different in between my races. Here's a shot with the 400mm and 2x teleconverter -- an effective 800mm focal length shot.

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III; Canon 400mm f/2.8 IS + Canon 2x (Version II) teleconverter
Settings: f/8, 1,600th of a second, ISO 1600, 800mm

Pleasantly surprised with autofocus speed with the 2x. Keeper rate of maybe one in three or four, which is more than enough when you're spraying.

Fired off a few at the minimum aperture of f/5.6 as well, just for fun. Keeper rate during pole vault was significantly lower. But this one below turned out pretty darn sharp, which blows my mind. Depth of field with 800mm at f/5.6 with a subject around 30 feet away is about 2 inches.

Daily Snap: More track

Caught a regional championship of high school track today in Amherst. State meet at Ohio State University's Jesse Owens Stadium is up next.

Daily Snap: On the track

Done with baseball and softball, but a few track meets before we can call it a season. Nice side light for today's meet in Tiffin, Ohio.

Daily Snap: Last of high school baseball

Boy, those seasons fly. Last of our high school baseball squads went down in the state tourney.

Daily Snap: Curious deer

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III; Canon 70-200 2.8L
Settings: f/2.8, 1/400th of a second, ISO 3200

Hiking through Findley State Park in Wellington, Ohio. This curious friend and I locked eyes for a bit. Only had the 70-200 with me, but I think this makes a nice little environmental portrait.

Daily Snap: Out of the way

I was at a high school track meet today. It was a conference championship, and the day was winding down. I had most of what I needed. Near sunset.

Anyway, I see one of the athletes from our local school hike up a set of infield bleachers. She lays down underneath the top row, just about hidden from view, and puts her legs straight up in the air -- resting on the bleacher handrail.

I give her a few minutes (maybe she's just resting?) before hiking up there to investigate. This was a girl I had known for a long time, and I had taken her portrait a few times.

"So ... whatcha doing?" I smiled as I hopped up the bleacher.

"Tendinitis," she responded. "I'm trying to drain all the blood from my legs."

"Well, that's unusual," I said cheerily.

And so in this very unique position, she looks back at me and gives me a little smile. My camera was on aperture priority, 17mm, and I snapped one off.

I know it probably isn't a picture for everyone. It's a little snapshotty. But when I think back to this day, this track meet, I'll definitely think about this photograph before any other.

Daily Snap: 400mm

Got to borrow the 400 2.8 of my photo chief for baseball today. FUN. (That third photo of the pitcher was with a 1.4x tele)

Daily Snap: High jumper

Gear: Canon 5D Mark III; Canon 70-200 2.8L
Settings: f/5.6, 1/1,250th of a second, ISO 250

Thought: A nice high jump photograph, which is sometimes hard to come by. It depends on a few things to go right: the jumper's tendencies, the setting, the light, the orientation of the bar in relation to the sun. I think the bit of blue sky adds a nice touch to this photo -- a pure white background would be dull. And a great face, which is also requires a bit of luck/patience in high jump photography.

Daily Snap: Graduation season ... commences

Daily Snap: Baseball/softball

Gear: Nikon D300S; Nikon 300mm f/2.8 IS

Settings: f/4, 1/2,500th of a second, ISO 320

Gear: Nikon D300S; Nikon 300mm f/2.8 IS

Settings: f/5.6, 1/2,00th of a second, ISO 400

Daily Snap: Airborne at Second

Gear: Nikon D300S; Nikon 300mm f/2.8 IS
Settings: f/5, 1/2,500 of a second, ISO 800