Category Archives: Photographs: Sports

The Bleacher Seats, AT&T Park

The Bleacher Seats, AT&T Park

The Bleacher Seats, AT&T Park. San Francisco, California. June 15, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

The view from the bleacher seats at AT&T Park during a Giants v. Angels game, San Francisco, California.

I shot this during my mid-game photographic wandering – something I do at every Giants game I attend. (On this night, the photography was better than the baseball. While I was out wandering about the score went from 1-0 to 8-1, and in favor of the visiting Angels.) This photograph looks out toward the field from the inexpensive bleacher seating near center field. I like black and white for this photo since it gives in a bit of the old time baseball feel.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: san francisco, california, evening, att, park, giants, game, downtown, usa, sf, la, los angeles, angels, anaheim, black and white, bleacher, seats, section, center, left, cheap, field, people, crowd, stadium, baseball, ball, players, travel, urban, sports, event, professional, stock

View from the Upper Deck – AT&T Park

View from the Upper Deck - AT&T Park

View from the Upper Deck – AT&T Park. San Francisco, California. May 26, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

A portion of the upper deck seating at AT&T Park with the twilight view of San Francisco Bay and ships beyond.

I think of this as an illustration of why I like the cheap seats at AT&T Park. (Well, not the very cheapest – those are the bleachers in far left field.) The upper deck “nose bleed” seating at AT&T Park may be way above the field, and the chances of snagging foul ball just about nil… but the view of San Francisco Bay is almost unrivaled. There is nothing quite like sitting high above the first base side of the field as the sun goes down over the Bay, perhaps with a bit of fog just starting to come in, eating some ball park food and watching the Giants. If you get really lucky, they might even be ahead…

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

Floyd Landis, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

(See more of my 2009 Tour of California photos.)

Ouch Team rider Floyd Landis warms up on the course for the prologue stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California bicycle race in Sacramento, California.

This photograph was made during the warm up period an hour or so before the start of the prologue time trial of the Tour of California in Sacramento, California. I picked a corner with good angles and good light and had a chance to shoot many of the competitors as they came though this second of two closely-spaced turns. Floyd Landis is a bit of a controversial figure in professional cycling – he is either a “bad boy” or a victim, depending upon your point of view. Landis won, in what seemed like heroic fashion, the Tour of France a few years ago – only to be disqualified after doping charges which he fought vociferously and publicly. In the end he lost his yellow jersey in the tour and was suspended from cycling for a period… and he also had orthopedic surgery on his damaged hip. Now he is back, and it will be very interesting to see what he can accomplish.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: floyd, landis, team, ouch, red, black, white, prologue, time trial, warm up, course, amgen, 2009, tour, of, california, pro, professional, bicycle, bike, race, road, stage, lean, crouch, turn, course, sacramento, usa, sports, stock

George Hincapie, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

George Hincapie, 2009 Amgen Tour of California

George Hincapie, 2009 Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento, California. February 14, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Team Highroad rider George Hincapie rides the prologue time trial course before the start of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California in Sacramento, California.

I’ve written before that the time trial stages provide some of the best bicycle racing photographic opportunities. During the race itself the riders come by one by one, so it is much easier to spot and photograph them. In addition, you can often find a good spot on the course and set up an effective shot – riders slowing down as then come through a turn and facing you as they exit for example. But there are also many opportunities before and after the actual race. This photograph is among quite a few I made during the hour or so before the start of the race when the competitors ride the course several times and usually individually or in small groups of two or three. Not only is it easier to spot and photograph them, but the crowds that come later are often still yet to arrive.

This photograph is not in the public domain. It may not be used on websites, blogs, or in any other media without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

keywords: george, hincapie, columbia, professional, pro, bicycle, bike, race, racing, team, prologue, time trial, stage, road, highroad, dark glasses, beanie, stocking cap, bokeh, warm up, amgen, 2009, tour, of, california, sports, bottle, water, pocket, stock