The power of Cuban baseball
Jun, 2018Views
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Cuban_Views
January 07, 2020
Two of my favorites things: photography & baseball. Thanks for sharing this amazing picture.
garretdavis
January 24, 2020
Reminds me of the Negro Leagues. Great shot evokes the Celebration of The Great All American Pastime ⚾️
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken at the first built baseball stadium in Matanzas, Cuba.Time
This image was taken around noon. It was a very warm day and the early afternoon sun was brutal. We had finished up with all of the on-field shots, and this photo was from the first location in areas where there was no direct sun light.Lighting
The lighting was very straight forward. The player himself is in natural light. His hands and the top of the bat are highlighted by a single Canon 600ex II with softbox. The hands and bat really are the story, so that is what I wanted to jump out while keeping a realistic continuum with the rest of his bodyEquipment
I used a Canon 1D X with a 28-70mm lense. Lighting was a Canon 600ex II with softbox.Inspiration
This photo is from a personal project I worked on for about 3 years documenting "The Legends of Cuban Baseball." The subjects of the project were players who are revered in Cuba but who never left to pursue fame and fortune in the Major Leagues. These players dominated in international competition, ranging from the Panamerican Games to the Olympics, as well as in the top league in Cuba. This particular player was one of the great power hitters in Cuban baseball history. Even though he has been retired for nearly 20 years, he remains an imposing figure with a very well maintained, muscular physique. All of the photos I took of him on the field accentuated his physical stature and his appearance as a classic power hitter. When we went into the dugout to escape the sun, he stood leaning on the steps. I noticed that while much of his body had started to relax, he maintained an iron grip on the bat. It was as though he had never let it go from his playing days. His hands reveal not only his physical strength in juxtaposition with obvious aging, but also how resolutely his identity is connected to his love of baseball and the success it afforded himEditing
This particular image did not require much post-processing. In fact, I only had to make a slight adjustment to brightness level.In my camera bag
When I worked on the early part of this project, I would carry 3 - 4 Canon 600ex II flashes. When I was finishing up the project, I had switched over to Profoto B1s as my go-to lights in the field. My basic camera gear includes the Canon 1d X, Canon 28-70mm, Canon 70-200mm, Canon 15-35mm, Canon 85mm, and Sigma 50mm. I always have a Canon 5d III with me as a back-up.Feedback
It does not matter what kind of subject you have, but if you are shooting mostly full body images try to find details that help strengthen your subject's identity. This might not happen while you are doing your full body shots, particularly if they are movement/action based. Keep your eyes open before and after the "main" part of the shoot for moments or sights that fill out the story you are telling. Often these are the most authentic and/or revealing images you will get. In general, once I meet with a subject I am looking for smaller, less obvious qualities that not only enhance the narrative over all, but also can encapsulate your subject in less conventional ways.
