A picture a day. That is all I ask.

Posted on July 5, 2011

Landon Powell #11 of the Oakland Athletics tries to catch a foul ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on July 3, 2011 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

 

I shoot many dozens of baseball games each season. My average, including spring training and post season, is around 90 or so. Many of the games are awful, and many of them are forgettable. Sometimes I am on assignment and sometimes I am shooting stock. One thing is common whoever I am shooting for: I try and get one picture each game that I actually like. This is not easy, because I pretty much hate everything I shoot!

I shot a few hum-drum games the past week in Oakland and San Francisco. The A’s are trying to show signs of new life under new skipper Bob Melvin and the Giants continue to tread water with great pitching and historically awful hitting. Luckily I have been able to get a few decent pictures through these July dog days, especially thanks to my new favorite A’s player Jemile Weeks (see above). Weeks is a fun-to-shoot switch hitter who gets dirty, runs the bases, and has cool dreads. I am so excited that A’s finally have an awesome to watch, athletic player who I will be able to shoot for many years.

The Diamondbacks were in town on Sunday afternoon, and they still don’t excite me very much. They did have some fun guys on the bench before the game, so I was able to get some nice candids of guys clowning around before the game (see above). Are those gang signs or are they just happy to see me? After the pre-game was over I took the 800mm lens and went up to the upper deck to shoot amongst the infamous green tarps. My one picture-a-day rule came true when A’s catcher Landon Powell made a desperate attempt to catch a foul ball near the backstop. My overhead position worked out well for me, especially since Powell cooperated by making such a great face (see top). I like this picture- so my day was complete!

My week finished up with yesterday’s dreadful performance by Tim Lincecum and the Giants against the Padres on the Fourth of July. To top it all off both teams wore the crappy red, white, and blue hats that MLB crams down our throats on Memorial Day the the 4th. I am not a fan. So much so that I do not shoot anything but batters (wearing normal helmets) on days like yesterday, because non one, and I mean NO ONE wants to use pictures of guys wearing the bad hats. I had to make one exception though when Lincecum was about done in the 5th inning and wiped his face (see above). This picture pretty much summed up the day for Timmy, and for me. But at least I got a picture I liked!

I will be back out there in Oakland tomorrow shooting the Mariners and A’s. Once again I will be trying to get one good picture. Hopefully the game will cooperate.