[Leica] Called strike at the knees

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Adam Bridge showed: a quick shooing re-action!
Subject: [Leica] Called strike at the knees
<http://www.idea-processing.com/Images/CalledInsideStrike.jpg>


> I like this image a lot and not because of some great compositional
> contribution but because it's a perfect called inside strike at the
> knees that pushed the hitter back and you KNOW it's that way because
> you can see the ball descending past his knees as it crosses the plate
> and the shadow of the ball, about the cross the plate, shows it'll
> pass right over the corner of the plate.<<<<<<<<

Hi Adam,
Well done mon ami given the ball is crossing the plate at right angle to 
your shooting position as it makes it an even more remarkable moment.

>> > And, no, this wasn't shot in multiple image mode. I don't shoot
> baseball that way any more. I've learned that here. Training for the
> moment, having situational awareness is so much more important than
> shooting at 10 fps.<<<<

This type of moment is captured by instinct reflexes and not by someone 
thinking ... "Oh gee whiz look at where the ball is I better shoot!" ;-) 
They do! When they look at the frame.... guess what?  "No balls!" Some 
people have absolutely no idea how to shoot action of any kind simply 
because they're ___ "thinking instead of re-acting "___ ....... before it 
happens!!!

And you are quite right, a "motor driven series will not, does not and never 
will guarantee the moment of peak action!" Yes a motor can be quite helpful 
certainly as follow along after the photographer has captured the initial 
moment of peak form due to his or her re-action time.

When news photographers went to motor driven 35mm cameras they burned film 
like water..... but slowly they eased up on volume shot.  Unfortunately due 
to digital being so "cost effective" they've returned to shoot zillions and 
maybe they'll get one right. :-(

An AP senior photo editor friend of mine has started his campaign with the 
photographers to ...."See more, shoot less!" He says it seems to work with 
some, but others are so hopelessly locked into digital motor driven no cost 
factor with no film development, it hasn't deterred them one bit!

If anything the quality of mass digital images hasn't improved the quality 
of the final image one bit with some of them. So more doesn't insure better 
regardless of what some people think.

> So I've combined my two passions here in one moment. Yes, I wish he
> had been looking up a little to see his face, but it's a baseball
> moment: ephemeral and intense.<<<<<

Now that's how one shoots better photos because you're shooting a subject 
you like and understand as it makes all the difference in the end result. 
Certainly as we see here.

Good on you!

ted