As Jed pointed out in his posting, it is very hard to make pictures from a game where very little happens. It isn’t that the images aren’t out there but they are just a little harder to find sometimes.
Last nights game provided us with some challenges. Besides a two run RBI by Jim Edmonds all the scoring happened on errors which don’t always translate into good pictures. As editors at a big event, we need to try to tell the story as much as we can.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

ST LOUIS - OCTOBER 24: Albert Pujols #5 celebrates with Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals after scoring on a two RBI double by Jim Edmonds #15 in the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers during Game Three of 2006 World Series at Busch Stadium on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Besides the game, the side stories were also important and needed to be covered as well, especially when the game itself isn’t the most interesting one.
St. Louis is a BIG baseball town, with a brand new stadium hosting its first World Series game ever. Stories likes these give the photographers and the editors the ability to get a little creative. You get the chance to make more pictures and use your eye instead of using what is happening in a game. Fans, food, merchandise are all important parts of baseball and last night proved a great time to illustrate that.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

ST LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 24: A detail of hot dogs are seen on the vendor’s grill prior to the start of Game Three of 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

ST LOUIS - OCTOBER 24: Water, which has been dyed red, flows from the fountain in Keiner Plaza in front of the Arch before Game Three of 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

lso with the recent controversy about pine tar and Kenny Rogers being all over the local and national media we have a duty to our clients to do our best to tell that angle of the story as well. Since he wasn’t playing last night we have to do make sure we keep an eye out for him and also keep an out for any fan reaction to the story. In a situation like this sometimes a fan holding a sign is the best way to illustrate the mood of the evening.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

ST LOUIS - OCTOBER 24: A fan holds up a sign that reads “Detroit Cheetahs” during Game Three of 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 24, 2006 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

As a fan of baseball, pitching duels are compelling stuff, especially during the World Series. The competitiveness of two pitchers shutting down the opposing batters is truly a skillfully thing to watch. Unfortunately, as a photographer, they are the worst thing that can happen to you when you go to work. That was the case during game three tonight.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

The new ballpark in St. Louis is a beautiful, classic downtown park with views of the famous Arch. It is one of the many news ballparks being built in downtown cities. Unfortunately, the designers neglected to put in a sufficient number of photo positions to handle the number of photographers that comes along with covering a World Series. There were grumblings before the game from the many agencies, magazines and newspapers about lack of space on the field to shoot from, and rightfully so. The position I was shooting from at the game, was literally in the aisle, in the front row over the first base dugout. Luckily, the fans around me were very nice, and were fairly accommodating for me to be in their space. Overall, it was a very nice view of the field, but again, it never really provided a chance to make a picture because of the lack of action in the game. So far, in the first three games, there have not been a whole lot of compelling moments for us to capture, but that just mean the best is yet to come! Stay tuned!

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Cover Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Front page of the St. Louis Post Dispatch on October 24, 2006.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Front page of the USA Today on October 24, 2006.

(L-R) DETROIT - OCTOBER 22: Christian Petersen, Mike Heiman, Chris Chambers and Brandon Lopez prepare before game 2 of the 2006 World Series in the media room at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

From an editing stand point game two could not have gone better. The photos were great, the game was interesting and we were dry and warm, unlike our coworkers outside taking the pictures. Sure they get the better seats and sure they get to take all those amazing photos but on a night like last night I was just fine with the role I was playing.

The game started off with a little controversy after TV announcers Joe Buck and Tim McCarver started talking about a discoloration on the throwing hand of Tigers starting pitcher Kenny Rogers. It was all they talked about for the beginning part of the game and they kept on showing it. Major League Baseball has very strict rules about pitchers using substances like dirt or pine tar to affect the spin they put on their pitches and the announcers were speculating that the coloring on Rogers hand may in fact be an illegal substance.

Situations like this always make the job of editor interesting for a few reasons. The first is that by the time it becomes clear what may be a big story it is to late to inform the photographers to shoot it. Since they are on the field and not parked in front of a TV like we are they don’t always know what the side stories are.

The second is that an angle like this isn’t always the easiest for us to illustrate. It isn’t like we can walk up to the pitcher and say, “Excuse me Mr. Rogers can we see your left hand so we can take a picture of it.” The photographers have to do their best to illustrate the story from where they are sitting and we as editors have to make sure that we help tell that story by moving the correct pictures.

The third tricky part of a situation like this one is writing the caption. We need to move our photos in real time so our clients can see them as fast as possible. We cannot speculate as to what is on his throwing hand nor can we ask him. We have to take an objective view to what is going on and let our clients decide how they want to use the photos. In a case like this where the photo needs to move and our clients are waiting for it we just explain what we know is going on in the photo. Rogers is pitching in the first inning. That is all we can say for sure at the time we send the photo and that is all we put. Once we find out more we can resend our photos with a more detailed captions as you see in the first photo below.

DETROIT - OCTOBER 22: A detail of the left pitching hand of Kenny Rogers #37 of the Detroit Tigers is seen as he throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during Game Two of 2006 World Series October 22, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers won 3-1 to advance to tie the series 1-1. The discoloration on Rogers’ pitcher hand was brought into question during the first inning. Rogers was made to wash his hand before the second. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

DETROIT - OCTOBER 22: Home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez #72 talks to Kenny Rogers #37 of the Detroit Tigers during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game Two of 2006 World Series October 22, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

In the end we came out with some great photos of the game and of Rogers that appeared on our client’s computers minutes after they actually happened.

DETROIT - OCTOBER 22: Kenny Rogers #37 of the Detroit Tigers reacts after getting out of the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during Game Two of 2006 World Series October 22, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Here are some links to some of our photos that were used online and some of our best post season photos so far.

• Sports Illustrated
• Yahoo Photos
• Getty Best of 2006 MLB Post Season

David E. Klutho/Getty Images

As we arrived under a light drizzle and gray skies to Comerica Park four hours before first pitch, most of the talk was whether or not the weather would hold up for the game. Some people, including myself, reserved a flight on Tuesday in anticipation of a rain out. Luckily, the game went off on time and the rain only appeared for a brief period. The position I was shooting from today, was in the first level concourse under an overhang that covered me from the brief rain showers. The only thing this position didn’t protect me from was a constant breeze and the well meaning, but highly inebriated Detroit fans.
At one point, a group of about ten state troopers, sheriffs and other law enforcement officers standing below me, were doused from the second deck from what looked to be at least one full beer. Needless to say, they were not too pleased, and more than half went to look for the culprit.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

The Tigers took game two in a fairly close game. Former Oakland Athletic Kenny Rogers pitched like a man possessed (pine tar?) There were a couple of decent plays at second base, but for the most part, the story was Kenny Rogers. Our team as whole, as always, produced some very strong images that were sent out on our wire before anyone, because of the fact that the two field positions were wired directly to our editor’s positions, which eliminated the need for a photo runner. With deadlines being tight because of the late start time, having this technology is a definite advantage over our competitors.

Tomorrow, the team heads to St. Louis for games three, four and five. I have a feeling that neither of the two teams will go down without a fight. Strong pitching on both sides will probably lead to and tight series, and chances are, we will be heading back to Detroit at the end of the week.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images