Grand Prairie Airhogs Baseball - Wow!!

[Joe_Lorenzini]

Minor league baseball in the metroplex is truly outstanding. The Frisco RoughRiders, the Fort Worth Cats and now the Grand Prairie Airhogs. All three teams are unique, overly fan friendly and truly fun to watch. To me, it's refreshing to watch sports organizations that just "get it".

The Grand Prairie Airhogs are the newest team in the area. Their stadium is situated between Lone Star Park and Nokia Theater.

They have:
1. Great seats - anywhere
2. A swimming pool in center field
3. A public walkway from left to right field complete with benches and drink holders (great for shooting down 2nd base to the catcher)
4. A huge playground for kids
5. Indoor sporting bar with large flat screens in left field (while you watch the game)
6. An outdoor cigar bar in left field
7. One wicked logo
8. Highest ticket price of $12
9. Little to no camera restrictions (D3/70-200mm = no problem!)

...and of course one damn good house photog.

Here are some shots when I met up with Captain Tom and Brad:

There were 60 school buses and the place was packed with kids. It was great!



QuickTrip Park (you can see Nokia theater in the background):



A view of home plate from the swimming pool. Granted you have to rent the pool in group form but during the 7th inning they got some teachers to do cannonballs which the kids loved!



Had no problem getting behind home plate (it was a 10:30am day game after all). Most the seats have the names of the ticket holders on them so I imagine it's not so easy to get here during typical evening games:



This is an IN-CAMERA effect that the D2X/D3 does. They can combine multiple images (from 2 up to 10) into a single frame. This is a 2 frame image. There was no photoshoping done to this image, it's straight out of the camera. IMHO though, I think doing it in PS would have produced a better looking image:


D3 in-camera multiple imagery with 8 frames. The background overwhelms because it's the same for all 8 frames whereas the player moves every frame.


Go check them out. It's a great experience for families and photographers.

_/oe

[Jake]

That stadium looks awesome!
Cool shots too!

[brad]

...and of course one damn good house photog.

Bah.

Awesome shots.. especially the kid catching the ball.

[David_3]

This is cool stuff. I really need to get out to some of the games this year. It's been way too long since I've been to a baseball game.

[brad]

Anybody who plans on coming out, let me know and I'll try and meet you and show you were the good spots are. :)

[MRCPix]

Brad I will have to come visit your team. I think it would be cool to have a tpf shoot there

[Joe_Lorenzini]

I noticed the Airhogs have another day game next Wednesday, May 28th at 10:30am. Right now, I plan on being there.

[Ronnie]

I'm thinking of going out there tomorrow night.

[brad]

Originally Posted by MRCPix

Brad I will have to come visit your team. I think it would be cool to have a tpf shoot there

Actually, I have the beginnings of a plan for that..... I'll announce later.

Ronnie: I probably won't be there tomorrow night... though I haven't decided for sure yet. We still have a bunch of remodeling to do around the house that needs to be done before June 5.

[David_3]

Originally Posted by Joe_Lorenzini

I noticed the Airhogs have another day game next Wednesday, May 28th at 10:30am. Right now, I plan on being there.

That sounds like a mighty fine plan. I think I'll put that on my calender too!

[brad]

I already have it on mine.

[AndrewCCM]

Great series! Love them..

I want to come out very soon too. Perhaps that day game would be a good one. Then again, I like night games too! Hrmmm.. I will make something very soon.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by brad

Ronnie: I probably won't be there tomorrow night... though I haven't decided for sure yet. We still have a bunch of remodeling to do around the house that needs to be done before June 5.

If you're not there tonight, I'm sure I'll see you some other time.

Tonight I'll be in section 112 row 17...the only guy with a camera in that row. Anyone else out there stop by if yown't to!

[CaptainTom]

Joe
The kid catching the ball is priceless. The motion shots need some help but I know you'll get it all figured out soon enough.

I have penciled in the day game next week. Maybe I can get a general admission ticket that day ??

[AndrewCCM]

I am going to try and make it Wed as well..