Two of my favorite hobbies are photography and Major League Baseball (specifically Major League Baseball ballparks). Since picking up my first SLR (single lens reflex) camera in 2001, I have visited and photographed over forty parks for all thirty major league teams. And although I have hit every team, I still have a couple of newer parks to visit as old ones go extinct with the wrecking ball (or dynamite). Almost all of the stadiums that housed big league ballclubs in the 1980s and 1990s are no longer standing. This was the time I grew up, played, got interested, and watched a lot of baseball; but this was before I put my eye behind the lens. Most of the modern era ballpark pictures, although not my own and taken mostly by former ballplayer Jerry Reuss, I have cataloged on my ballpark page listed on the website. Parks visited in 2001 and afterwards I have captured with film or digital sensor.
I plan to produce multiple blog entries on ballpark photography in the future since this is my wheelhouse. In this post, I will briefly describe some of the type of shots I look to take, what I have learned in twenty years of doing this, and what I think improves a shot. I’ll take four type of shots (I’ll describe more in subsequent blog posts) 1) Classic; 2) Exterior; 3) Corner; 4) Behind Home Plate. I’ll leave items such as concessions, interiors, down the baselines, and outfield walls for a subsequent post. First, the classic shot:
In the above images, the pictures were taken in the upper deck section behind home plate. You can’t go wrong from this vantage point with a wide angle lens. Most stadiums produce vantage points where the whole diamond and surrounding seating structure fan out in a pleasing composition. These images tell the whole ballpark story, position of bullpens, wall contours and distances, turf sliding pits or grass patterns, etc. Fenway and Wrigley are a bit unique due to the limited space and access, but recently in the last decade with modifications and additions they too can be exploited from this grand vantage point. I have shown two different compositions here, one with and one without foreground stands and spectators. By moving close to the railing you eliminate foreground stands (like the left picture of Angel Stadium) and it makes for a clean shot. Or, if looking for a border to lead one’s eye into the frame, walk up the steep bleachers a ways to include a dark lower foreground silhouette (like the right picture of Yankee Stadium). During evening games, I like to wait until the sun goes down but while the sky is still colorful to take my shot. Before that can result in uneven light on the field, which can be interesting but I reckon not as pleasing. A wide angle 24mm lens or wider usually captures the entire field. In some cases, a wider fisheye, might be the lens of choice if you happen to carry one. A colorful sky can make good photographs great. The nice thing about twilight is the sky and the lit field will usually balance each other exposure wise. Besides these pointers there is not too much variation in this type of shot. The Yankee Stadium shot during the afternoon game works well due to the crispness of a cool blue September afternoon with fluffy white spread out clouds that diffuse and offer pleasing daylight. The light is not too hazy or harsh. Next, we’ll move on to a different type of shot, the exterior shots:
Some stadium exteriors have more character than others. If I were to capture Oakland Coliseum’s concrete donut compared to say Fenway’s pre-WWI charm, there is no comparison when it comes to subject matter interest. Above, the right side photograph highlights Fenway festivities before an August evening game. In this case, I did not have tickets to the contest but I wanted to capture the exterior scene with the evening sun lighting the hundred year old red bricks right before first pitch. With fans outside congregating, I brought a stepladder so I could shoot above the heads and get more of a feel for the crowd from a higher vantagepoint. Fenway, and Wrigley for that matter, have a pre-game exterior charm that no other ballpark can replicate. Other parks also have their unique opportunities. On the opposite side of the river PNC Park offers up nice images. So does Great American Ballpark. Camden Yards with its warehouse and Eutaw Street offers its unique own flare. In the above photograph to the left, Citi Field replicates the old columns of classic era Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Again, I journeyed via the Subway to Queens without a ballgame ticket but a tripod in hand in order to capture with a twilight sky the lights shining at Citi Field. Since the game was already underway, I had no trouble capturing the shot without people on the streets. Next, the corner images:
These images from either deck can be interesting. The left image from Citizens Bank was taken with a fisheye lens. My only problem that bothers me is I don’t like how the foul pole bends with the warped perspective. A colorful sky can enhance an already pleasing picture into a frameable masterpiece. When taking shots from either the left or right foul pole, get as close as you can to the field and experiment with different compositions, focal lengths, and times of day. Finally, I’ll address photos from behind home plate:
This can be the trickiest shot unless you have a premium seat at the ballpark. Depending on the ballpark, the staff might or might not let you get close behind home plate without a ticket for those seats. A ballpark tour can afford you some access and can also give you a glimpse of the stands without spectators. Or you can ask the ballpark staff if they can escort you for a photo. It really depends on the ballpark and how lucky you get obtain these photos. When behind home plate, focal lengths of about 100mm will capture the pitcher, batter, and catcher with a nice batter’s eye backdrop. Wide angles should be used for a field level panorama. Good luck this summer at the ballpark!
