HEADS UPby
sabphotoComment by wkmen: You've obviously caught an action moment here, and your timing was great. As you had no time to set up the shot, there are a few things that probably hurt your score, even though you only got 1 comment.
It looks like you were in the 3B Coach's box - if so, popping off a flash would have accentuated the subjects. With them being so dark, compared to the background being so sunlit, it detracts from the action. The flash would have given you less motion blur as well. If you were that close, I'd say go ahead and activate the flash to go off every shot, just to give the subjects brightness.
If you were zooming from further away (as I do with my Olympus), here's what I found works great for baseball & softball - get a monopod, position yourself strategically and point the camera at the place the next set of "offensive" actions are going to happen. (strategic in the sense that you eliminate background clutter and exposure differences as much as possible.) If nobody's on-base, shoot the batter, or get ready for a play at first if he/she's a slap hitter. If they're on first, compose/focus/expose on second (or on 1st if they're likely to try a pick-off).
Obviously, it helps when you know the talents and leaning of the players, when possible. But the monopod is less clumsy than a tripod, more mobile, but best of all, the camera keeps pointed in the vicinity of the anticipated action while you watch the wind-up and the pitch. If the guy hits a fly ball, I've found you can swing the camera atop the monopod and often get a shot of the fielder, because you're keeping the camera up & semi-pointed.
Happy shooting, and thanks for commenting on my photos!
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