Love for the game

I spent last six days last week (July 16-22) covering the West Central District 2 Big League Baseball Tournament in Silverdale, WA. The 16-18 year-old players  from Arizona, Washington, Northern and Southern California, Hawaii, Nevada and Oregon were competing in a tournament where the winner advanced to the World Series played in Easley, South Carolina. In the six days, I shot over 9,000 frames during the 16 games and here are a few of my of my favorite images. While most games were pretty much lopsided victories, some were close, including the championship game between the California teams. With the score tied 1-1 going into the bottom of the 7th inning Northern California scored the winning run on a wild pitch throw by the Southern California reliever. Good luck to the Northern California team, do West Central District 2 proud.

Being there is what matters

One phase a photographer doesn’t want to hear is, “Hey, you should have been here earlier!” This is just what I was greeted to from the front desk clerk as we checked into the Grand Canyon Lodge.  

We planned to arrive a few hours or so before sunset at the South Rim so that I would have ample time to setup and take pictures of one of the Worlds Seven Wonders basked in what photographers call, “magic light.”

It was so cloudy I didn’t think there wouldn’t be any picture taking possibilities, but the clerk mentioned that weather conditions constantly change around the canyon and he’ll ring the room if there’s a break in the weather.

Settling in for the evening, I attached the camera on a tripod and waited. Sometimes, we’re blessed with a little luck and a few minutes later I received the call, only to run outside to see the canyon surrounded by clouds and being lit by a ray of sunshine. However, I was able to capture a dozen shots before the canyon was once again socked in.

There’s another saying photographers’ use, “It’s 95 percent being there and five percent dumb luck.” In this case that phase was all too true.