safe at third

[Dennis Bishop]

This is a still time-lapse image (???) showing some of the action in a game between two teams that belong to the Vintage Base Ball Association. They follow the base ball (not "baseball" at the time) rules of the mid-1800s. Back then, pitching was done underhand, and the players didn't use gloves. The only official stood well behind the catcher and didn't voice his opinion on anything unless the players couldn't resolve it on their own.

Nikon D3S on a tripod and in burst mode and aperture priority, f/11, shutter speed from 1/500 to 1/800 sec, ISO 1000

processing

• Five shots were chosen from the sequence of well over 20 and layered with the earliest on the bottom. The second layer had the player when he was farthest from the base. Because he was masked to 50 percent opacity, there needed to be a first layer with grass below him. The second layer and the third, which had the baserunner masked to 75 percent opacity, were both given a motion blur treatment. The fourth layer players (baserunner and, I think, it was the shortstop covering third) were at about 85 percent opacity. The foreground players are at full opacity. It is the second layer that shows the background.
• Topaz Simplify -- Watercolor II
• Alien Skin Snap Art -- Watercolor, Color blend mode
• two textures from Flypaper Textures -- Darker Color and Color blend modes, reduced opacities, partially masked from foreground figures
• Alien Skin Exposure -- aging of paper
• Nik Color Efex -- Darken/Lighten Center
• copy of Snap Art Watercolor layer -- Saturation blend mode
• two more textures from Flypaper Textures -- Multiply (aging and vignetting) and Color (increased warmth) blend modes, reduced opacities, no masking
• four B&W layers -- two Fractalius, one Snap Art Stylize Line Art, one Simplify edges, all at Multiply blend mode and reduced opacity and minimally masked

[Cheryl Slechta]

Dennis, this is fantastic! I love the story behind the image and your sense of movement in the background players is perfect for the image. Your workflow and execution are very impressive and inspiring.

[Hazel Grant]

Your work here fits the quotation you added by Ming Thien. Because of your careful work, the subject and not the process is the "thing" In this still medium, you have action, movement. Thanks for givingus the steps, as you always do.

[Nancy Bell]

Wow...this is terrific! Love how the subtle outline effect brings your attention to the front players and the blurred bkgd really adds motion. Your technique is awesome! I'm using my laptop sitting in the Newark airport waiting for my flight to India and thought the image was great. Then I noticed there was more and as I slide the bar to see the rest I loved that the baseball was flying into the image! Wonderful poses and expressions on the players.

[gary ellwein]

Wow, this is spectacular. Love the creativity. You are a wellstream of new ideas, thanks.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Just great Dennis, love the time lapse and the processing. It looks very vintage. Well done!

[Judy Howle]

Dennis, I'm almost speechless! What a wonderful modern "vintage" image. Very creative thought process to do it as a time lapse. You really need to have an exhibit in a gallery if you haven't done it already.

[Anita Bower]

The final effect of your processing is excellent. My eye goes right to the action, then moves outward to other elements. A wonderful action shot. Am I seeing two balls? I like the red handkerchief and the wavery fence line. I agree with Judy that an exhibit of your outstanding images would be a treat.

[Dennis Bishop]

. . . Am I seeing two balls? . . .

Thanks, Anita and everyone else, for your comments. Two balls? Yes, and two of the same shortstop. In the slightly translucent image of him on the right, he's about to catch the ball. In the foreground, he has it and is turning to try tagging out the runner. Perhaps I should've made the ball and the shortstop in the next-to-last shot a bit more translucent. Now that I'm thinking about all this, again, I wonder how a masked motion blur of the shortstop in the foreground would've worked. Maybe I'll work on that . . .

[Anita Bower]

I like the shortstop with his foot on the base as is because he and the other man provide a focal point. This doesn't mean that another version wouldn't be just as good.