Scott Roeder Photography | Local & Destination Wedding Photographers located in the San Francisco Bay Area
I just recently made the switch to Nikon and bought a D3. So far I’m loving it.
Nikon D3, 50mm, 250iso, 2.2, 1/500th
Nikon D3, 50mm, 250iso, 2.0, 1/500th
And my photos from Rome are on the way too.
I was in Europe for 2 weeks and have now been back in the U.S. for a little less than 2 weeks. I stayed in Valencia, Spain with my girlfriend and her roommates for most of my trip. One of my girlfriend’s roommates boyfriend was there too, so during the day when everybody was at work we went out and explored.
I spent the last two days walking around and exploring in Valencia. Its a very colorful city with lots of art and architecture, both new and old. Its also really hot here. At night, all the windows are open in the apartment where I’m staying, and I still manage to sweat while I sleep.
The 3rd annual UCI Bookstore Photolympics photography contest was held this year. It is put on by the computer store (part of the UCI bookstore) and accepts photo submissions in many different categories. I missed the competition last year, not hearing anything about it until after the competition was over.
Sunday. We finally had a game while the sun was still out, which meant two things: 1) our team had lost a previous game and had to win all the rest to not get eliminated, 2) better for taking photos (ISO 200 rather than 1600).
The game was scheduled to start at 4pm and I arrived early at around 1pm to set up a remote camera. I decided to set it up at home plate today. I had my camera behind home plate, looking down towards third base.
Once I got my camera all set up I was ready to head out and come back later before the game started. As I was leaving I realized that it would be cool if I could shoot from behind the center field wall where one of the ESPN cameras was. I walked over and found that behind all the trees and bushes, there was a permanent wood platform. I couldn’t believe that I had never known about it. Anyways, I asked the camera man if I could shoot a few innings from up there and he agreed as long as I went up and came down while his camera was off. Below, a wide angle shot of the field, taken from the center field camera platform.
Canon 5D, 15mm, 200iso, 2.8, 1/4000th
I knew that even with a 400mm I would still need to crop in a lot from this angle. I called up a friend and asked to borrow a 5D Mark II. I knew that with 21 megapixels I would be able to crop much more than with 8 megapixels. I then drove over, picked it up, and made it back in time before the game started.
About 10 minutes before the start of the game I grabbed my gear and went up on the center field camera platform. The first shots I went for were batting shots. Below, Jeff Cusick gets a solid hit off of the San Diego pitcher.
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/4000th
It was too bad that the newspaper was already in production as I was shooting this game. Shots from this angle had never been published in our newspaper before. Once I got enough batting shots, I moved on and shot the outfield. Below, UCI’s Jordan Fox catches a ball that popped high and deep in the outfield.
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 250iso, 2.8, 1/3200th
Below, UCI shortstop Ben Orloff catches a ball that is thrown in from the outfield.
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 250iso, 2.8, 1/3200th
Shooting the infield was also different from this angle. I got the backs of people that I usually don’t get, but also the fronts. Below, UCI shortstop Ben Orloff prepares to catch the ball as a San Diego player slides into second.
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 250iso, 2.8, 1/2000th
Below, a UCI player dives back at second plate but is too slow and gets tagged out by the San Diego player.
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/4000th
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/4000th
From the center field camer platform I was also shooting into the sun. As the game went on the players became more and mroe backlit, and from some angles they were sidelit. I played around with the light a little and got a few cool photos. Below, Eric Deragisch stands ready in the outfield.
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 100iso, 2.8, 1/4000th
Below, Ryan Fisher throws in a ball that is hit deep into the outfield.
Canon 5D Mark II, 400mm, 250iso, 2.8, 1/3200th
Here are the rest of the photos:
I want to thank these photographers/UCI students who lent me equipment:
This was the last UCI game of the year, but hopefully there will be a chance for me to shoot some baseball over the summer.
UCI was scheduled to play Virginia at 8pm. Today I was planning on setting up a remote camera, which I decided to set up for a shot at second base. I was told that I would have to set up my remote before 2pm because that is when the players for the 4pm game would get to the field and start warming up.
I got to the field at around 12:30pm. The decision was either to get a shot at home plate or at second base. My home plate remote success was pretty poor in the past, so i decided to get some action at second base. At first I was going to set up my camera above the dugout at first base, but ended up setting it up underneath the ESPN camera inside the first base photo well. If you look closely you can see it attached to the railing underneath the front of the ESPN camera.
It was at a good ground level angle, which was even better because nobody could physically stand there, so I knew I was the only one getting this shot. Since I had to leave the camera there from 1pm-11pm, I put on a rain cover due to the overcast weather that stayed around all weekend.
After I was done getting the camera clamped down and all the rings taped down, I left and came back at 4pm for the first game of Fresno State vs San Diego State. I remembered that I wanted to try a panning shot of the pitcher for when I shot Stephen Strasburg, but I had forgotten to try it when I shot him on Friday. I decided to try it and found that it was much harder than I had expected. Out of about twenty tries, this was the only shot where I got the pitchers face in focus.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 50iso, 25, 1/13th
During the Fresno State vs San Diego State game I also spotted a guy hanging a huge banner over the top of the parking garage that is behind the outfield wall. I heard that he doesn’t have any affiliation with UCI other than the fact that he likes our team.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 200iso, 2.8, 1/2500th
Below, the umps talk over a call that the Fresno State coach is unhappy with as the coach stands by for their verdict.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/1600th
Below, a SDSU player has a huge diving catch attempt. He didn’t get it.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/2500th
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/2500th
It was a good opportunity for me test my remote in the first game to make sure that my focus was correct. Below, a Fresno State player slides into second as the SDSU second baseman throws to first base for the double play.
Canon 40D, 70-200mm @ 185mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/320th
The reason why I only had this one shot from this play was because I still had my camera in single shot mode from when i was doing my panning shots. After I realized I was still in single shot, I switched over to continuos and got some more frames of a SDSU player looking to throw the double play.
Canon 40D, 70-200mm @ 185mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/1000th
Canon 40D, 70-200mm @ 185mm, 320iso, 2.8, 1/1000th
After the first game I took out my memory card and downloaded the photos onto my computer to check to see how the shots came out. The focus and everything else looked good and was ready for the UCI game. Below, UC Irvine shortstop Ben Orloff makes the double play against Virginia.
Canon 40D, 70-200mm @ 185mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/500th
Below, UCI’s Eric Deragisch stands outside the dugout before approaching the plate to bat.
Nikon D300, 70-200mm @ 155mm, 2500iso, 2.8, 1/640th
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1000iso, 2.8, 1/400th
Below, a few shots of UCI’s starting pitcher on Saturday, Christian Bergman.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/800th
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/800th
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/640th
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/640th
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/800th
Usually my shots of the firstbase man making plays dont turn out too well. They are usually shot from the third base photo well and have a cluttered background. Below, shot from behind home plate, a UCI player slides back to first before the ball reaches the Virginia firstbase man.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/640th
Below, shot from the top of the seats behind home plate, UCI’s Jeff Cusick keeps his foot on the plate to get the batter out at first.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/800th
Below, UCI head coach Mike Gillespie talks with the infielders after speaking with starting pitcher Christian Bergman.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/500th
Below, UCI baseball staff and players review stats and strategy outside of the dugout.
Canon 1D Mark IIn, 400mm, 1600iso, 2.8, 1/500th
I still wanted to get a good wide angle shot of a packed UCI ballpark. Here is a shot taken between games from the media tent that overlooks the field.
Canon 5D, 15mm, 500iso, 2.8, 1/400th
I waited till about the 7th inning of the game and then went directly behind home plate at the top of the seats. This is what I ended up with.
Canon 5D, 15mm, 400iso, 2.8, 1/50th
Check back for the last day of the Irvine Regionals.