Best Practices for Baseball Photography

Photographing baseball games can be a challenge at times due to the combination of the fences, limited close access and the often uneven pace of the game. That said, America’s Game is also a summer tradition for many, and with a few tricks in your toolbox, you can grab those stellar action shots you’re hoping to capture. Here are some of our favorite tips: Go Wide: Wide-angle lens, that is. A wide-angle lens will provide better ability to take in the entire field and keep proper perspective when including players, fans and other objects in the field of view. A wide-angle lens is particularly valuable in those instances when you are a fair distance from the field and want to encompass the overall area of play. That said, you’ll also want to include a telephoto lens, if you have one, so that you can better capture close ups of specific plays and players. Go High: Sometimes a stadium view can be the ideal vantage point from which to capture the action. While it’s fairly easy to stay close to the field in a youth or even a minor league game, a major league event poses some unique challenges, including one of access. In this instance, taking to the higher plane and shooting down can provide benefits, including a more unobstructed view and some flexibility with angles. Anticipate Action:  Some have criticized baseball for being a slow game, with small bursts of action interspersed throughout the innings. Having a working knowledge of the game helps in this circumstance because it better positions the photographer to capture action. Keeping the camera at the ready and anticipating the crack of the bat after a pitch or a dive into third base can be tiresome, which leads us to the next point… Go Mono y Mono:  Combining action with camera shake can result in blurred images, so make sure to bring a monopod for stability. A monopod will also help keep your camera balanced and ready while waiting in between plays, which can sometimes take awhile. The support and stability of a monopod can mean the difference between a shaky shot and a spectacular one. Our line of quality monopods are popular and with very good reason. One of our favorite monopods is the MeFOTO WalkAbout Monopod is surprisingly useful. We know from experience that once you own a monopod, it's something you just can't live without. When you're on an outing where you need just a little lightweight stability, such as a sports event (not to mention weddings and graduations) the MeFOTO WalkAbout Monopod is made for precisely that, walking about while taking photos or video without the hassle of setting up a tripod. And if strolling is on your agenda, it converts to a walking stick!