Section 36 Photography Month: Baseball Card Photography

As we continue Photography Month here at Section 36, I wanted to cover a topic that gets me all twisted in knots when I think about it. 

Photography on baseball cards.

This is one of those topics where whenever I really consider it, I end up questioning the hobby itself, and my involvement in it. For instance, I hear lots of other people comment on the photography on baseball cards. They might think a picture is cropped too closely, or it's too dark, or it’s a boring pose. My first reaction to those is often, "who cares what the picture is like...it's just a card". Which then means, I'm collecting pictures of baseball players where I don't care about the picture?

Huh?

What I think it comes down to is that I'm considering cards almost to be ID cards. Photo on the front, player stats on the back. So, I'm not collecting the pictures as much as I am the package. The picture is just a way for me to visually identify the player discussed on the back.

It feels like Topps treats cards the same way. For their flagship set at least. In fact, the point is pretty well driven home by their creation of the Stadium Club set. This set was designed to showcase great pictures. Or “different” pictures. Or both. That would suggest that they don't expect the pictures to be the story on their flagship set. Just a way to ID the player.

Until, they don't. 

I could understand all the tightly cropped shots of pitchers pitching and hitters hitting if they didn't throw in a shot of JBJ in a full on dive to make a catch. That's not a way for me to recognize Bradley Jr. (Unless that's actually the best way to ID JBJ?) So whenever Topps tosses in a great action shot, it makes me wonder why all the other pictures are the same. Even though that's exactly what I want and expect. 

It's even tougher to justify when they use a terrible picture. One that doesn't really show the player at all. Maybe just his back while making a play. Or in a multi player shot. That's not the way to get me to recognize the player either.

So, I like the way Topps generally treats the sets. Closely cropped body shots for the flagship, and let Stadium Club have some fun and flex photographic muscle. It really does allow for the best of both worlds.

And helps me justify my hobby.

Friend of the Blog: Serena

With the Red Sox hosting the Yankees at the moment, I thought it was a good time to give an extended shoutout to Serena, who has definitely earned "Friend of the Blog" status, despite being a fan of the Evil Empire.

As I'm sure you're aware, I love pictures. Specifically, I love people sending in pictures to post. Whenever someone sends in a bunch of great pictures, or a particularly good picture I love it even more. Maybe I'll make a bigger deal out of it, which I should. Then I have to remind that Serena continuously sends in amazing pictures. So much so, that I may take it for granted a bit. So, to rectify that, I want to give her her due!

Not only do her pictures have quality AND quantity, they have variety. They cover just about every category I look for. For instance...

Since Serena is a yoga instructor (hence her twitter: theyogijedi. Check it out. Now. I'll wait.) several of her pictures have been of her working out. And, of course, she's wearing her Section 36 gear (get yours here) in order to take the perfect picture. Like these:

But that's not all. As you probably know (especially if you frequent the BYBHub) Serena is half of the Traveling Baseball Babes. As a duo, they can always be counted on to supply great pictures. Whether is posing with different Section 36's they find during their stadium tours...

Or expressing their desire to be in the best section around...

So, as you can see, Serena has been a true friend (and asset) to the blog. I greatly appreciate her many contributions, and can't wait to see which ones come next!

Thanks Serena!

Collecting the Sox: Pictures

If you want an attractive Red Sox collectable, it’s hard to go wrong with pictures. As with most collecting avenues, the options to build your collection around are almost endless. They come in different sizes, and colors, and can be acquired fairly cheaply. It’s a great way to start out decorating your very own Red Sox Room.

There are a couple different types of Red Sox pictures. Obviously, there are professional photos that you purchase or personal photos that you take yourself. They both have good points and bad points. As far as personal photos, they might be more meaningful. Naturally, if you took the photo, you have to have been there. Maybe you saw a player on the street, or at an event. Maybe you were at a game watching him field. Maybe it’s pictures of Fenway, inside or out. In any case, the picture is more than a collectable; it’s a permanent memory. You get to choose the subject and tailor the shot to exactly what you want. On the other hand, professional photographers often have better access to the really good shots. If you want a perfectly cropped, close up shot of your favorite player, you’re probably looking for a professional. Also, views like aerial shots are probably beyond the reach of most amateurs.

Once you decide the type of picture you like, it comes down to subject matter. Do you have a favorite player that you want to capture? Maybe a wall full of pictures of Jacoby Ellsbury? Or only pictures of him stealing a base? How about a picture of any Sox player wearing the Red Jerseys? There are also pictures of special events, or historic games. A picture of the last three Red Sox no-hitters would look nice. Or, team photos of all the World Championship teams. Pictures of you and players would add a personal touch. Or, pictures of you in different stadiums where you’ve seen the Sox play. The variety is almost endless.

The prices of photos are also conducive to building a nice collection. Naturally, if you take the picture yourself, it’s about 20 cents to get it developed. It might be a bit more for a larger size like an 8x10, but generally it can be done for a buck or two. Professional shots are going to be a bit costlier, but still not too bad. If you look hard enough online, even an 8x10 picture will cost you less than $10. At a store or gallery, it might run you twice that, or more. Framing will add a premium to the cost. But, you can get a frame cheaply if you need to. Again, the size of the picture is going to determine how much everything costs. But, it shouldn’t be hard to find something to fit almost any budget.

Like any collectable, storage is an issue with collecting pictures. An easy way to store them is in an album system. Pictures can be put in standard photo albums, or in binders. Either way, they fit nicely on a bookshelf. If you want to look at them more often than that, some sore of frame would be needed. You can get frames that sit on shelves, or hang on the wall. In either case, you need the space to put them. A 16x20 picture is going to take a certain amount of space, no matter how it’s displayed. It’s just something to think about before you buy.

All collections have good points and bad. Pictures certainly have a lot of good.

Any photo collectors out there? Want to share any favorites?