For baseball fans

[Mike Buckley]

The Washington D.C. area, where I live, had no professional major league baseball team from 1972 to 2004. The Washington Nationals have been playing here since 2005. For the second time in the last three regular seasons, they had the best record in the National League. Even so, they haven't been successful in the post-season playoffs that lead to the World Series. Tuesday night their bid ended as happened two years ago -- in their first round of the playoff tournament.

I made the photo displayed below before this year's playoffs began with the intention of publicly displaying it once the Nationals had either won the World Series or lost in the playoffs. Alas, for the moment, the "curly W" on the cap indicates only "Washington," not a "win" and not an appearance in the World Series.

Please click to view at a large size to display the detail.

[bnnrcn]

I'm reading Science & Magic and I'm not going to ask another silly question to make you panic Mike The image should really be viewed in the lightbox , very nice

[Shadowman]

Nationals emerging from the shadows. Nicely captured.

[Doorstop]

truly sorry about the World Series - nevertheless it remains a beautiful image that D.C. can be proud of

[Mike Buckley]

Thank you, everyone!

[MarvinTheSpartan]

Very nice picture, however I feel no sympathy being a Cubs fan myself.

[ShaneS]

Nice shot Mike...sorry my Giants ended your chances for the "W" you were hoping for

Shall I send you some gear to photograph?

Technically, I wonder if your could tone down the bright highlights along the top right seam and the button?

[Mike Buckley]

however I feel no sympathy being a Cubs fan myself.

Anyone who knows about the Cubs' record feels sympathy for all Cubs fans.

Shall I send you some gear to photograph?

Seriously, that would be a great photographic project for you if you ever become inclined.

Technically, I wonder if your could tone down the bright highlights along the top right seam and the button?

I've actually been thinking lately about starting a thread asking what the distinction is between an artistic choice and a technical issue, as I've become very confused about that. As an example, the highlights that you mention are a deliberate artistic choice (that could be very easily toned down in either the lighting setup or the post-processing if I wanted to do so).

[ShaneS]

Now this would be an interesting thread and one I would eagerly participate in and follow

I've actually been thinking lately about starting a thread asking what the distinction is between an artistic choice and a technical issue, as I've become very confused about that. As an example, the highlights that you mention are a deliberate artistic choice (that could be very easily toned down in either the lighting setup or the post-processing if I wanted to do so).

I think that it has been said on the forum here in the past that if we had some of the masters of photography posting here the C&C would be brutal. Often times the great images are not technically perfect but yet they still work.

[rpcrowe]

I am not much of a baseball fan. However as a kid from Brooklyn, I was an avid Dodgers fan even though they never won a world series until 1955.

As soon as they did win the series, they moved to Los Angeles the next year. That angered me!

Actually, I find the game of baseball interminably slow paced as compared to basketball, hockey or American football. I will only watch a baseball game that is played on natural grass. That way I can enjoy watching the grass grow during the game

Photographically regarding the image, I'd like to have something else (ball, bat, program, etc.) to add to and balance the hat.