Originally Posted by Nyarthlopic I like the emotion you captured in #4. The only "catch" in this shot is that there's too much going on. Maybe if you had a tighter crop/zoom on the boy it would have pulled me in better. #5 is a good capture. I don't know that I would have seen the real emotion on your son's face without your caption. It's thisclose to capturing what I think you were trying to get. Without your caption, I think what I see is "hopeful." With your caption, I see "n..n...no.." Also, is the boy behind your son crying?

oops I missed yours.

I will be recropping #4 (now renumbered #10) tighter and eliminating the parents to his right. You are definately right about that one.

BTW that line up shot eludes me still!

Nice additions, Liz. I like 14 and 16, with 14 being my favorite of the new group. I think it does show emotion and mood -- and I like that you shot it through the fence, which is also part of the game and which you have said is part of the challenge of this series. Here, you made the fence work for you and not against, IMO. I like #16 but I do find the blurry spots on the right to be a bit distracting. I really like the DOF in this shot, as you've put attention on the subject but let in enough of the surroundings to really convey the LL setting.

Lauren

Hiya Liz.

I'm really digging this series. :-)

The coach in #13 seems to be almost belittling the boy in front of him. "Use your head, kid!" But his face does not reflect that. Pulls me in wondering what the coach is really saying. 14 pulls me in, but in a really odd, repulsed way. The expression on the coach's face makes me think that he's trying to intimidate his player. The fact that the player is leaned against the fence only adds to that. It's a great shot and makes me want to have a 'conversation' with that coach about intimidating children. Very well done. I also really like #16. The 5 boys sitting there and the one on deck, patiently waiting...that really tells a story, I think.

Liz, I can't thank you enough for sharing!

Originally Posted by redleash Nice additions, Liz. I like 14 and 16, with 14 being my favorite of the new group. I think it does show emotion and mood -- and I like that you shot it through the fence, which is also part of the game and which you have said is part of the challenge of this series. Here, you made the fence work for you and not against, IMO. I like #16 but I do find the blurry spots on the right to be a bit distracting. I really like the DOF in this shot, as you've put attention on the subject but let in enough of the surroundings to really convey the LL setting. Lauren

Thank you Lauren.
Shooting through the fence is very challenging indeed but it makes it worth it when I'm able to nail despite the obstacle or maybe because of the obstacle.

Thank you for your continued interest.

Originally Posted by Nyarthlopic Hiya Liz. I'm really digging this series. :-) The coach in #13 seems to be almost belittling the boy in front of him. "Use your head, kid!" But his face does not reflect that. Pulls me in wondering what the coach is really saying. 14 pulls me in, but in a really odd, repulsed way. The expression on the coach's face makes me think that he's trying to intimidate his player. The fact that the player is leaned against the fence only adds to that. It's a great shot and makes me want to have a 'conversation' with that coach about intimidating children. Very well done. I also really like #16. The 5 boys sitting there and the one on deck, patiently waiting...that really tells a story, I think. Liz, I can't thank you enough for sharing!

Thank you!
I have to say I'm loving documenting the season, my biggest obstacle is going to be narrowing down to I'm not sure how many images. I want to make sure I include all the kids which is also tough as I realize I seem to have my favorites. Some kids are such characters that I naturally gravitate towards them.

Ok I have to tell you the story of the coach on #14 because I'm debating using that one because it does come off like he's intimidating. Quick background, it's a father/assistant coach and his son one of the pitchers. Sometimes the pitcher will have a meltdown and I think this was the coach's way of averting a possible meltdown. The kid was doing great but he needed to be saved for the next game (keep the pitchcount down) and his dad was letting him know "look the headcoach may pull you next inning, don't take it personal, he just wants to save you for the next game". He's trying to make eyecontact w/ his son. I still find it kind of a powerful shot because I know the dynamics. I also know that this set of photos/album will get passed around for many to see, so I'm debating pulling this one and your reaction tells me I might be right.

Thanks again for the continued support. I will leave you with two new ones from the last game. Today's game was cancelled, the other team forfeited--darn it!

17.



18. Not street really but it says summer ball to me and this is what I think of when I think of summer games.

Not sure how I missed this thread....

I've read the posts/comments and propose a different approach with mine. As a whole, I think the entire series is awesome. I see no need to dissect each image when taken as a whole. Your own personal culling process, to me, is telling me an entire summer's story of a team - your team and I feel as though I've got a ticket to every game you post. So in my simplistic analysis of the series, I've got a smile on my face.

"Right field, it's easy, you know.
You can be awkward and you can be slow
That's why I'm here in right field
Just watching the dandelions grow

...I don't know the inning, I've forgotten the score.
The whole team is yelling and I don't know what for.
Then suddenly everyone's looking at me
My mind has been wandering; what could it be?
They point at the sky and I look up above
And a baseball falls into my glove! ...."

Song by Willy Welch, sung by Peter, Paul & Mary

BTW, enjoying the series and your travails... Like #s 9, 11 & 16. Leave #13 in -- kid will need some evidence later for his therapist...

I really like what you have captured here, Liz. Looking forward to more!

Originally Posted by M38A1 Not sure how I missed this thread.... I've read the posts/comments and propose a different approach with mine. As a whole, I think the entire series is awesome. I see no need to dissect each image when taken as a whole. Your own personal culling process, to me, is telling me an entire summer's story of a team - your team and I feel as though I've got a ticket to every game you post. So in my simplistic analysis of the series, I've got a smile on my face.

Scott,
I read your comment when you first posted it and it stuck with me.
The fact that you had a smile on your face was just a priceless reaction. I feel so good about this project, I have from day one, but the comments I'm getting as well as your reaction, well, I'm pretty proud of it. Thank you.

Originally Posted by rainbow "Right field, it's easy, you know. You can be awkward and you can be slow That's why I'm here in right field Just watching the dandelions grow ...I don't know the inning, I've forgotten the score. The whole team is yelling and I don't know what for. Then suddenly everyone's looking at me My mind has been wandering; what could it be? They point at the sky and I look up above And a baseball falls into my glove! ...." Song by Willy Welch, sung by Peter, Paul & Mary BTW, enjoying the series and your travails... Like #s 9, 11 & 16. Leave #13 in -- kid will need some evidence later for his therapist...

thanks for the song quote :)
Outfield is a bummer, I know I would fall asleep out there.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by rdalland I really like what you have captured here, Liz. Looking forward to more!

Thanks Reid,
More coming

The regular season ended last night. We played 10 games and finished the season 9-1 (which included one forfeit). The team is crazy good, everything is just meshing well together, good coaches, good kids who work pretty hard, and good parents, a rare combination of things. Usually one or more of these is completely off and makes for a tough season, I uninentinonally chose to document one of the best seasons my kid will likely ever have.
Here are some from the last game.

19. "For the parents of a little leaguer, a baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into innings." Earl Wilson


20.



21.


22. After each game they do relays against each other.


23. not posed. My son had baseball camp this week followed by a baseball game where he was catcher the whole game. He was worn out. This was a shot I took as the team huddle at the end of the game broke up, he was last to get up and I shot this as he turned around. The shot breaks my heart a little, I don't know why, it's the look on his face I guess. I told him next year he probably wouldn't do a week of baseball camp during the season but he wants to, he loves it.


The next three are a series in themselves. Taken a few seconds apart. I was trying to get a team shot.
Trying to set up the shot.
24.

the group shot
25.

26. Taken as the team photo broke up--they are such spazzes, I don't know how they keep winning


27. AS far as more emotion, which I wanted, due to the wins, the range of emotions were few. There were a couple of tears such as shot #10 and this one--mostly because of a poor up at bat, but that's pretty much it.


BTW, I was never able to nail the "lineup" shot I wanted. I still have a couple of chances, but it's not looking good.
Thanks for following along everyone and for the tips and encouragement. The regular season is over--playoffs start on Monday.
I'm trying to cull down the set to about 100, I know it's crazy, that's the set I will share w/ the parents etc.

Well done Liz! Can't wait 'til next year.

I am really enjoying this series. I think I may be inspired to try something like this with my daughter's soccer team. We have several parents of kids on the team who are pretty good photographers, but we always seem to focus on getting that great sports action shot instead of the story (and geez, they're only 9). Methinks the story behind the action is at least as interesting, if not more.

Thanks Liz.

Hiya Liz!

You had a lot of shots jump out at me from the last two posts. I swear this isn't supposed to be a photo by photo review, but I just have to call out the ones that jump out at me. So here goes...

I like 17; showing that these kids are very much being kids. A lot of it shows kids growing up, the way the watch the lineup cards, frustrated after a bad at bat...but this shot shows they are still kids.

18...the sun is too dominant. I'd be a spectacular shot to me if the sun didn't take over the entire thing. Not much you can do about the time of day, though.

19. disappeared on me. Did you remove it or is something else hokey?

21. A very cool shot. The composition of it is fantastic. The coach looking on, the slide frozen...wow.

23. Poor kid. ;-)

The team photo series: awesome. Again, it shows the "kids being kids" side of it. They're having so much fun and it's showing. Love it! You know that I like 'liz color' in some instances, but it doesn't work for me on the actual group shot. Personally, I'd probably process it in "regular" color and in B&W; let the parents choose what they want to see. I may get flogged for this one in this forum, but I think that Sepia would be kind of cool for it, too.

Again, thank you for documenting and sharing this series. I love it; tells a different story than what you would normally see in this kind of series.

One overall thought: have you thought about catching a practice or two? Seeing the boys practicing and being coached may add another dimension to this series..this story if you will.

Originally Posted by redleash Well done Liz! Can't wait 'til next year.

I can't imagine topping this season Lauren:)

Originally Posted by jpope42 I am really enjoying this series. I think I may be inspired to try something like this with my daughter's soccer team. We have several parents of kids on the team who are pretty good photographers, but we always seem to focus on getting that great sports action shot instead of the story (and geez, they're only 9). Methinks the story behind the action is at least as interesting, if not more. Thanks Liz.

I hope you do try this. It has been a rewarding experience and a challenge and I know for a fact we will look on these photos years down the road.

thanks for commenting.

Originally Posted by Nyarthlopic Hiya Liz! You had a lot of shots jump out at me from the last two posts. I swear this isn't supposed to be a photo by photo review, but I just have to call out the ones that jump out at me. So here goes... I like 17; showing that these kids are very much being kids. A lot of it shows kids growing up, the way the watch the lineup cards, frustrated after a bad at bat...but this shot shows they are still kids. 18...the sun is too dominant. I'd be a spectacular shot to me if the sun didn't take over the entire thing. Not much you can do about the time of day, though. 19. disappeared on me. Did you remove it or is something else hokey? 21. A very cool shot. The composition of it is fantastic. The coach looking on, the slide frozen...wow. 23. Poor kid. ;-) The team photo series: awesome. Again, it shows the "kids being kids" side of it. They're having so much fun and it's showing. Love it! You know that I like 'liz color' in some instances, but it doesn't work for me on the actual group shot. Personally, I'd probably process it in "regular" color and in B&W; let the parents choose what they want to see. I may get flogged for this one in this forum, but I think that Sepia would be kind of cool for it, too. Again, thank you for documenting and sharing this series. I love it; tells a different story than what you would normally see in this kind of series. One overall thought: have you thought about catching a practice or two? Seeing the boys practicing and being coached may add another dimension to this series..this story if you will.

hey there,
I read all your comments when you posted.
I did catch a few practices but got nothing really worthy. I was also distracted by my little girl.

I'm glad to see which frames worked for you and which didn't.
#19 I deleted. It was of a mother hanging on to the fence watching her son pitch. Since the team is getting this series I removed her because she would not have liked the shot. I might have kept it if it showed the intensity I wished to capture, but it didn't.

I'm posting the final shots now.

FYI--the team was sent the photos today and the series has been a hit to say the least.

Playoffs--two game elimination.
We played three and lost two, so we are out--we lost last night's game 1-0 on a walk!

Here is a series of shots of the last three games.
We won the first and lost the last two.

Taken right after this kids' first and last hit of the season.
28.


29.



.
30.



31.


My son on the bench after getting struck out in the fifth.
32.

Final inning score is we are down by one run.
The final pep talk


34.


Can you believe I missed the final out's emotions! Not for lack of trying. Missed focus, helmet in the way, someone got in my way, you name it, it happened and I freaking missed the few seconds of raw emotion!
Then I walked a sobbing kid to the team huddle and I didn't have it in me to snap the shot in his face.

This was a couple of minutes later, most kids took it well--this was for the final speech of the season, the coach told them all "it was the best team he ever coached" and as you can see they are beaming.


In the end, the coach still made them do their relays againt each other.
35.



After it was all over most of the kids stayed on the field and started playing "running bases", they did not want to see it all end.

36.



Shot as I walked away, the lineup remained on the chain link fence.
37.


THANK YOU ALL for taking this ride with me.
I enjoyed shooting it, posting it and talking about it with you all and sharing it w/the team.
It has been such a great experience for me and quite the challenge of shooting through the fence. I know I missed some good shots because of this but it also pushed me harder.

I have already received some really positive feedback from the team.
My work is done here :)