C00_3536
Aug, 2016Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo is actually the result of getting bored between innings while shooting a baseball game. This is a weed growing with other weeds behind the dugout at my son's field. I was waiting for a new inning to start so I used my camera (and long lens) to take in my surroundings and the sun was amazing on this weed. There were trees behind the dugout too that gave me the dark background. Because I had a 200-500 lens on the camera, I was actually standing in the shade and therefore only got the suns reflection on the weed with no glare from the camera. I actually have a folder of pictures called "things I've seen at baseball that have nothing to do with baseball" full of pictures like this where I zoom in on the more minute objects in my surroundings.Time
This was taken in summer as evening approached. The middle of the second game of a double header. It had been hot all day long and the sun was still shining but low enough that it wasn't melting the fans anymore.Lighting
I was attracted to this weed simply because of the way the sun was shining on it. with the dugout next to me I didn't have to shoot into the sun and could keep camera completely in the shade.Equipment
I was actually in this location to shoot a baseball game so I had my D7000 and a tamron 200-500 lens. When I would get distracted from the game, it became sport with me to try and use the 200-500 simply as a macro lens for the subjects around me. No other equipment, just the gear I was shooting the game with.Inspiration
I'm always looking at everything in my surroundings. After Shooting 10 innings of a baseball game with many more to go, I was inspired to look harder at the same old scene with the bleachers, the field, the dugouts and the dusty benches. I use the pauses between plays in the game to view my surroundings through my lens. When I turned behind the dugout, the way the sun was hitting the weeds was simply magnificent and I just wanted to capture it.Editing
I do not like to process at all. If I like the picture I keep it, if not I delete it. I'd rather play with the settings on the camera and take 40 shots than edit 5 pictures.In my camera bag
My bag changes with the seasons. I always carry 2 Nikon bodies, usually the D750 and D7200. for summer outdoors and sports, I have my tamron 200-500, and tamron 18-50 f2.8 as well as the nikkor 70-300. I usually always have Nikon 50mm and Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 for low light. I actually carry around 5 lenses at a time so I can readily switch from sports to candids of people to the scenery. Once indoors I always have an 80mm f1.8 in my bag as well. I do carry a flash but don't use it much.Feedback
If you are shooting in one place for a long time (like a slow moving baseball double header), the sun will change the lighting on everything as the day goes on. If you stop from time to time and look at the subjects around you, you will see the different effects of the sun throughout the day even on the same objects. Just before the sun is ready to set so it's lower and not so blasting, the gentle lighting is the most fun. Also if you are using a long telephoto like 200-500 look through it once in a while to see the little stuff that is right in front of you. Zoom in on the ground or the trees that are in front of you. That little stuff can make for big photos!
