West Coast League
Photographing Baseball is A Lot Like Fishing
With very little baseball to go out and photograph over the course of the last year (thanks to COVID-19), it has been a good time for me to reflect on the games I have covered over the last 15 years – everything from house league T-Ball, Mosquito (9-10 year olds) right on up through elite high school leagues, to our summer collegiate team – the Victoria HarbourCats – to the 2017 World Junior Championships and finally to the MLB level, covering the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field, as well as in Spring Training in Arizona.
I have been fortunate to stay busy photographing the game I love, at all levels, including the Seattle Mariners and Ichiro Suzuki, at the MLB level.
I am apparently a rare breed here in Victoria, in that I REALLY, REALLY enjoy shooting baseball. Some of our local press photographers don’t like baseball assignments mainly because they have a limited time to shoot a game and always want the “big play” images to happen in the first inning – double plays at second, plays at the plate – plays that do NOT always happen early in a game, if at all, or at least by their deadline.
Plays at the plate can be relatively infrequent at most baseball games, but when they happen you need to be ready for them.
I tell them that shooting baseball is a lot like fishing….you sit quietly and patiently for long periods of time, waiting for that big nibble, or the fish to take your line, and when it does, you have to be ready to reel it in (i.e. snap away and capture the big play) before it is gone. Sometimes those nibbles come early and rapidly, sometimes they don’t come at all.
When plays at bases happen in baseball, be ready for them so you can land a nice “catch”
Fortunately, I like fishing, and with most of the work I do with the HarbourCats or with other on-line media agencies, we rarely have to worry about hard print deadlines and can stay for the full length of most games, allowing for more time to catch that big fish, and capture a key image or series of images from a particular game.
Sometimes the best image of the game happens on the very last play, like this example of a celebration after a walk-off base hit won the game.
And just like an expert fisherman who knows where and when to get the big fish, anticipating and understanding when that big play is going to happen in a baseball game is key.
While sometimes it can be obvious, I find that because I have played and coached the game, and am a connoisseur of baseball’s finer points, there are times when I can anticipate what is going to happen and set myself up for a better angle and photo.
For example, knowing a bunt situation and turning to photograph the player bunting, or knowing a certain batter’s tendencies and focusing on a fielder that he has a high percentage of hitting the ball to.
Knowing when a player might be called upon to bunt can often lead to nice photos of the play if executed.
This latter example worked out well for me in the image of the diving third baseman shown below. Three previous batters, including the guy at the plate this time, had all earlier scorched line drives down the line. So this time around, I focused on the third baseman and sure enough, the same batter hit another down the line and I captured the resulting image.
With a little knowledge of a batter’s tendencies and a pre-focus on an infielder, you can capture shots like this.
Or stealing signs from coaches or infielders and being in position (with my lens) to capture a pick-off attempt or a player stealing a base.
Plays at second are also big on a baseball photographer’s hit list, especially when a shortstop or second baseman attempts to turn a double play in the face of a sliding runner. Ideally you want to capture this from the first base side, with the defensive player leaping over the sliding runner and at the same time releasing the ball toward first. Of course, given how infrequently double plays happen (well at least at the level of games I have been covering) and when they do, the fact that sometimes you are on the third base side, capturing such an iconic image can be difficult.
Quite often you can be on the third base side when a double play attempt at second base happens but with a little luck and the right timing, you can get acceptable results.
Fortunately for me, one time when covering the Blue Jays at Seattle a few years back, the “perfect storm” occurred in the very last game I shot of the three-game series, and I got TWO such images in the same game, the second of which (below), is probably the best such photo of this type of play that I have ever captured!
One of my best double play images ever, came in the very last game of a three game series in Seattle, showing how rare the “perfect” double-play photo can be and illustrating the patience one has to have when shooting baseball.
In lieu of the big plays, one often has to resort to other ways to capture images that make the game interesting for the readers and viewers of the images. One way I like to do this is by using close-up shots of, for example, pitchers as they deliver the ball to the plate. With the right lighting and background, these can be very powerful images, especially if that pitcher ends up throwing a good game.
With the right lighting and background, close-up shots of pitchers like this can be quite dramatic.
Another good sight line I like is from behind the plate. Either a close up that really captures the exertion on a pitcher’s face, or in the case of the first photo below, the stress on his arm, or in the case of the second photo below, shooting a bit wider to give the viewer more context for the game and situation.
Shooting pitchers from behind the plate in a close-up mode can really emphasize their effort and exertion (top) while shooting a bit wider (below) can add more context to the situation.
Capturing shots of batters is always another dilemma for baseball photographers. Many like to capture the batter at the time of impact, when the ball hits the bat. These are called BOB (bat on ball) shots and many photographers seem overly elated to get them, but for me, I don’t like them because in most instances you don’t see the face of the batter.
My preference is to capture the batter as he comes out of his swing and his eyes begin to follow the ball as he follows through on his swing and begins to move toward first base. Most times, such shots are best from the third base side, photographing right handed batters who pull the ball, but lefties from this side will also work well. Cropping closely in post (like the Jose Bautista shot below) is another way to add variety to the shot.
Outfielders are another challenge for baseball photographers and often get ignored, unless you are using a fairly long telephoto lens and are specifically shooting them. Fortunately, there are times when turning to shoot an outfielder works out OK, especially if you are using a newer camera with sufficient megapixels on the sensor to allow close cropping of the image in post-processing. The images below are such examples and can be nice catches (pun intended) if you get them!
Finally, sometimes the biggest fish can be caught off the field of play. Look for shots of fans or other promotions happening during the game that can make compelling, interesting or just plain weird photos. Depending on the game and the level of action, these may be the best images of the evening, so try not to ignore them!
And when in doubt, if there is ever a coach – umpire argument, be sure to capture it! They can be priceless!
More of Christian J. Stewart’s baseball photography can be found at: https://christianjstewart.zenfolio.com/baseball
Victoria, B.C. – As the sun sets on an unforgettable 2026 HarbourCats season, it’s time to look back on the highlights and special moments of another great summer! From franchise records to the epic highs and lows of summer ball, the 2026 season was one to remember.
This season was abuzz from the very beginning, with the excitement of hosting the 2026 Showpass West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club looming on the horizon. The high expectations for the All-Star festivities as well as the announcement of former Toronto Blue Jay Kevin Pillar participating in the Home Run Derby brought an electric energy to Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park all season long.
Todd Haney returned for another year as head coach of the Cats, joined by Carson Myers, Zach Swanson, Troy Birtwistle, Angelo Loomis, Steve Sinclair, and Darius Opdam Bak to complete a well-rounded coaching staff.
After beginning the season on the road in Portland, the HarbourCats returned to Victoria for six straight games in front of the home crowd and picked up their first series win of the season with a 6-2 win over the Edmonton Riverhawks on June 4. In addition to being an important series decider, June 4 was the first Mayfair Optometric School Spirit Day this summer! The Cats clinched the series win in front of over 3,000 staff and students from schools across Greater Victoria. Another highlight of the opening homestand was the first of our ever-popular fireworks nights, which drew a crowd of nearly 3,000 fans.
As the HarbourCats battled their way through a month of June in which they held an even record of 11-11, certain standouts on the offensive side were beginning to emerge. UBC infielder and first-year HarbourCat David Krahn held a batting average of .353 with 30 hits and 17 RBI in the first full month of the season while crushing six home runs. Fellow infielder Matt Westley had a red-hot June as well, clipping along at a league-leading .374 average with 34 hits. Westley’s summer would unfortunately come to and end soon after this impressive stretch, with an injury sustained while hitting a homer against the Bend Elks cutting his time in Victoria short. Nevertheless, the George Mason product’s season batting average of .356 would remain the second-highest in the WCL until the end of the regular season.
While Victoria showed off a handful of stars at the plate, the real power spot of the team was on the mound. A lethal starting rotation all around was highlighted by Erik Rico and Jeremiah Arnett, a pair of right-handers who would not only both be named All-Stars, but also break the HarbourCats single-season strikeout record. Arnett’s 66 K’s on the season and Rico’s 64 put them at first and second respectively on the WCL leaderboard this year.
As mid-July rolled around in an already exciting season, the biggest event of the summer arrived. The 2026 Showpass West Coast League All-Star Festival presented by Canadian Club brought firepower from across the West Coast League to Victoria for an unforgettable showcase of talent.
The long-anticipated Home Run Derby took place on July 14, with the MLB Home Run Derby X rules bringing an exciting new challenge to the event. After a hard-fought competition, the Team HarbourCats squad comprised of Logan Shepherd, Michael Rodda, and Kevin Pillar won the day, with Shepherd delivering the winner homer to seal the deal.
The 2026 West Coast League All-Star Game took place the very next evening, putting the best talent in the WCL on display in a head-to-head matchup. Three Victoria HarbourCats appeared in the All-Star Game, with Erik Rico named as the starting pitcher for the North Division. Jeremiah Arnett would later enter the game in relief, and David Krahn played the entirety of the contest as an infielder.
These three ballplayers exemplified the qualities of an All-Star in every sense. Fresno State’s Erik Rico was an absolute nightmare for opposing pitchers this season with his aforementioned 64 strikeouts in just nine appearances across 2026, holding onto a 1.82 ERA through the end of the summer. Arnett was a lethal half of the Cats’ one-two punch on the mound, remaining cool as a cucumber no matter the situation and throwing more innings than any other pitcher in the West Coast League.
Finally, David Krahn performed at a superstar level all season. The Langley, B.C. native was as proficient as they come at getting on base, consistently occupying a leadoff spot for most of the season and boasting a .389 on-base percentage while leading the team in home runs. Alongside his offensive production, Krahn provided a crucial energy boost. His infectious enthusiasm and confidence all season long were appreciated by teammates, coaching staff, and fans alike.
As always, the fight for playoff position began to heat up coming out of the all-star break. The Cats put on a show in an explosive sweep of the Nanaimo NightOwls after the break, winning their sixth consecutive Island Cup in the process! After taking game one by a score of 5-2, Victoria lit up Nanaimo for 34 runs in the next two contests to finish off the series, scoring a season-high 18 in game three.
Another sweep against the Port Angeles Lefties at the end of July kept the postseason hopes alive for the HarbourCats, who were in the midst of a four-horse race for a playoff spot. Alas, the offence sputtered in a three-game loss streak to Bellingham, and Victoria fell tantalizingly short of the playoffs.
During the final home series of the season, three HarbourCats were honoured with the 2026 team awards. Jeremiah Arnett was an easy choice for Pitcher of the Year. The right-hander from Waco, Texas dominated on the mound for the Cats this year and was a critical piece of several wins throughout the season. Not only did he lead the league in strikeouts with 66, but he broke the single-season franchise record as well, surpassing the previous high of 62.
Speaking of record-breakers, 2026 HarbourCats Player of the Year David Krahn made history this summer as well. With nine home runs in his 42 games of action, Krahn became the new single-season record holder!
Finally, the Community Involvement Award went to relief pitcher and first-year HarbourCat Flynn Warren. All the way from Levin, New Zealand, Warren was a clutch member of the bullpen squad. The Hawaii Pacific arm made 11 appearances on the mound this year, highlighted by a four-inning scoreless outing to get the win and seal the sweep for Victoria.
Though the summer didn’t end on the highest of notes, the HarbourCats still put together a season to be proud of. Victoria’s showed proficiency at the plate consistently, finishing the season tied for fourth in the WCL in batting average and tied for second in home runs. The performance on the mound this year was also impressive, as the Cats led the West Coast League in strikeouts by a wide margin and allowing the second-least hits of any pitching staff. As is so often the case, the HarbourCats stood out with their trademark aggressive baserunning as Victoria’s 135 stolen bags in 52 games led the league.
With another HarbourCats season in the rear view mirror, we want to thank all of our incredible fans for bringing the energy and support to the ballpark this season. You are what makes HarbourCats baseball possible, and we’ll see you next summer at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park!
If you’re looking for more HarbourCats action, stay tuned to our website and socials! Season tickets as well as 12-game and 32-game flex packs will soon be available for the 2027 season, and we’re excited to see you at the park next year!
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Mike Berezowski
March 9, 2021 at 5:04 pm
Great article and photos — thanks for the tips!