One of my memorable projects from Black and White Photography back in high school was a shoot I did at the Reading Phillies. So when I had the chance to shoot a game at the Lancaster Barnstormers, I couldn’t pass it up.
This is actually the second game I shot. I was there the Friday before, but I still have some pics I’m working on. If you saw any of the pics that the team posted on social media that weekend, there is a good chance that they were mine, including their “Field of Dreams” post. More on that game soon.
The Barnstormers took on the Somerset Patriots to try and take a second win out of three games in the series, and get one step closer to a wild card birth into the playoffs. Unfortunately, they had to wait until Tuesday for that win, but it was still a great time at the Clipper Magazine Stadium.
I definitely got some great shots from the game. It was a very different experience than shooting cycling or running events, but it was a lot of fun. It’s a very different speed than cycling events. It’s a slower game, but tracking the ball during plays was even faster than the fastest cyclists on the velodrome. It felt great working with a pro team again, and having access to the field to shoot from areas that put me right in the action.
There were two things that really made an impact on me, and they both involved kids at the game.
As I was walking around the stadium checking out different angles to shoot from, I met a young man named Dustin who was at his first Barnstormers game. He was admiring my cameras and mentioned that his grandmother shoots as well. After talking with him for a few minutes, I decided to let him take a few shots on my backup. He was so excited to try it out, and I could tell he looks forward to having a camera of his own one day. As I walked away, I heard him say that this was the best game ever. That really meant a lot.
After the game ended, kids gathered around the gate near the dugout to get autographs from the players. I had a quick chat with one of the players and was preparing my equipment to shoot the kids running the bases while he finished signing autographs. Out of nowhere, I hear someone ask if they could have an autograph. Looking around and not seeing any players, I saw the kit looking at me with a ball and pen in his hand stretched out to me. Astonished, I asked if he really wanted my autograph, I am just a photographer. He said yeah, so why not. I grabbed the ball, gave it a quick sign, and added a camera instead of a number.
Going back to Dustin, I was looking for him as I was shooting the kids rounding the bases, but couldn’t find him. I thought I missed him, until I saw him tearing off from first base. He wasn’t running on his own though, he was pushing another boy named Ethan, who is in a wheel chair. I’m not sure if they are related or friends, but I could tell that they were close. Ethan seemed like he was having the time of his life, and Dustin was having a blast helping him. It was inspiring to see a youngster helping another youngster out like that.
I’ll have a few other posts from recent games, along with the last game of the season. With tonight’s win, the team needs at most, two more wins before they clinch their playoff spot. As long as that happens, I’ll be out for the first game of the first round on Tuesday night at Clipper Magazine Stadium.
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