Alright, so today I wanted to share a bit about a recent project I tackled: baseball senior pictures. My own kid is graduating soon, can you believe it? And baseball, well, that’s been his life for as long as I can remember. So when it came time for those milestone senior photos, doing them with a baseball theme was a total given. He actually asked, “Dad, can we do ’em on the field?” And honestly, how could I say no to that? It just felt right.
Getting Prepped
First things first, I dug out my trusty old camera. It’s not the latest, greatest model, but hey, it knows how to take a decent picture, and I know how to use it. That’s what counts, right? I made absolutely sure the batteries were fully juiced up – been there, done that with a dead battery mid-shoot, and it’s no fun, let me tell ya.
For lenses, I decided to pack a couple. My go-to for portraits is usually my 50mm, it just gives a nice look. But I also tossed in my 70-200mm zoom. I figured it’d be good for getting some of those shots from a bit further away, maybe make it look like he’s really in the game, or to get that nice blurry background. You never know what you’ll need until you’re there.
Then, we talked about where to do it. His high school field was the obvious choice. So many memories on that diamond. We aimed for late afternoon. That “golden hour” light everyone raves about? Yeah, sometimes it actually works wonders, makes everything look a bit warmer, a bit more special. Plus, fewer people around usually.
I told him to gather all his baseball stuff. You know, his favorite bat – the one with all the good hits in it – his glove that’s pretty much part of his hand by now, a clean jersey (maybe home and away if he had ’em), and his cap. We even rounded up a few well-loved baseballs, the ones with a bit of dirt and scuff on them. Adds character, I think.
The Shoot Itself
So, the day came, and we headed over to the field. It was a pretty nice afternoon. To start, I just let him mess around a bit. Toss a ball, take a few practice swings. I find that helps folks loosen up. Nobody likes a camera shoved in their face right away. I just started clicking away, getting some candid shots while he was just being himself, getting comfortable.
Then we moved into some more “official” poses. I had him try a few classics: leaning on the bat, that serious game-face look, gazing off into the distance like he’s pondering his bright future, you know the drill. We used different spots – home plate, the dugout, out in center field. I even tried to get a few mock “action” shots. Him winding up for a pitch, or mid-swing. It’s kinda tough to make those look super dynamic when it’s just the two of us, but we had a good laugh trying to stage them.
I made sure to get a variety. Some close-ups, trying to capture that mix of excitement and “I’m almost done with high school” relief. And then wider shots, really showing off the field, the bleachers, the whole atmosphere. The sun was doing its thing, casting those long shadows, and the light was just great. I kept an eye on the back of my camera, tweaking settings here and there. Nothing too complicated, just making sure he wasn’t lost in shadow or totally washed out.
Wrapping Up and What I Reckon
Once we felt like we had enough, and the sun was pretty much gone, we packed up. Back home, I loaded all the pictures onto my computer. And wow, there were a ton. I spent a good evening just going through them, picking out the keepers. You always take way more than you need, right?
For editing, I kept it pretty simple. I’m not a fan of over-editing photos, especially portraits. Just some basic stuff: a little cropping here and there to frame him better, maybe adjusted the brightness and contrast, sharpened things up a touch. I wanted them to look clean and professional, but still like him, still natural.
And you know what? They turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. My son actually cracked a genuine smile in a few, which, if you have a teenager, you know is a major victory! His mom loved them, and that’s always the ultimate seal of approval. It was more than just taking pictures, really. It felt like we were capturing a moment, a big one. End of one chapter, start of another. And having those photos, on his field, with all his gear… that’s special. It wasn’t about fancy techniques or expensive gadgets. It was just about getting some good, honest photos to remember this time. And I think we did alright.
