Daily Snap: Softball fun, tennis

Back from vacation, trying to get back into blogging mode. Here we go.

Gear: Nikon D300s; Nikon 300mm f/2.8 IS
Settings: f/5.6, 1/1,600th of a second, ISO 2000

Sent out to a youth league softball game the other day. Settling in down around the first-base line when the coach near me barks out: "Sprints -- right now!" It was right after a lackluster inning, and all the girls raced to the foul pole. But it wasn't mean-spirited ... the coach even added: "And make sure you're laughing the whole way!" Snapped this one as they ran back to the dugout.

And another:

Gear: Nikon D300s; Nikon 300mm f/2.8
Settings: f/4, 1/2,000th of a second, ISO 400

Tennis: probably my favorite sport to shoot. And I'm a sucker for good, tight action at the net. A colorful shirt always helps, too.

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.