On July 19, 2025, I had the unforgettable opportunity to photograph a Major League Baseball game at Coors Field as a student with Summit Workshops— the Colorado Rockies vs. the Minnesota Twins.
It wasn’t just any night at the ballpark. It was Star Wars Night, complete with lightsabers, themed music and fans decked out as Jedi and stormtroopers. In addition, Colorado weather rain delays turned an already thrilling experience into a true test of patience and adaptability.
As the workshop began, our instructors walked us through everything — from positioning to camera settings to how to read the rhythm of the game. We got there a few hours early to get settled, tour the stadium, review the areas we could shoot from and attend batting practice. This was probably my favorite time, we were on the field with coaches, players families and fans. One of our incredibly talented instructors, Jean Fruth, was well-loved by the Rockies and introduced our group whenever she could.
I captured Harrison Bader’s famous sweat stained baseball cap as well as the Twin’s helmet cubbies. I spent the rest of the time getting shots of the batting coach and his new nephew while chatting with his mom about our favorite vacation spots. I didn’t want to feel intrusive on an intimate family moment and wanted to strike up conversion to show there was a person behind the lens who thought this was a special moment too.
I used my Canon R5 with a 70–200mm f/2.8 and my Sony A9iii with a 12-24mm f/2.8. We decided to climb to the purple seats of the official “mile” mark. We definitely had to pace ourselves and drink lots of water-carrying heavy camera gear at a higher elevation is not for the faint of heart!
The First Raindrops
A small group of us made our way to see if the pitchers were warming up. The area was directly below our balcony so we had to be VERY careful to not hold anything that could potentially fall onto the players-no hats, lens hoods, sunglasses, anything. Just as we started shooting, the sky shifted, dark clouds rolled in and the first raindrops started to fall. Within minutes, the grounds crew began pulling the tarp across the infield. There was no way I was going to stop shooting, a few of us stayed in the pouring rain getting shots until we were too soaked to continue. I was lucky enough to be paired up with workshop instructor and talented SF Giant photographer, Andy Kuno. He helped me take notice of the amount of water coming into the stadium as a unique photo opportunity.
Learning in Real Time
One of the biggest lessons I learned that night was about adapting quickly. Lighting conditions changed constantly — from stormy gray, to golden-hour to the bright artificial wash of stadium lights after the rain. Balancing lens choice, shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation became a hands-on challenge but also an invaluable learning experience. Andy showed me how to wait for the shots and play with shadows using my Sony 300mm 2.8-I’m embarrassed to say how long it took to me to learn this concept!
Our instructors encouraged us to look beyond the game — to capture the atmosphere. A reminder that sports photography isn’t just about the action — it’s about the energy, the environment and the stories in between.
Back to the Action
After a 38 min rain delay, small groups of us were scheduled to shoot from the first base photo well positioned directly under a TV camera for a prime infield shooting position. This area can usually hold about 8 people and requires you to navigate over some cinder blocks into a slightly deeper “well” area with folding chairs. Mine was the last shift before the end of the game. I arrived sweaty and shaky from adrenaline. I remember taking almost a full minute trying to get the lens on my camera. I wanted to take advantage of everything I could at the stadium and I’m not sure I’d do anything differently other than perhaps be more mindful-I made small mistakes I normally wouldn’t have if I just took a moment to take a deep breath.
A Night to Remember
By the final out, the Rockies won 10-6, my camera batteries were nearly dead, my shoes were soaked and my heart was full. Shooting a Major League game with a Rockies win on Star Wars Night — complete with rain delays — was an experience that tested every skill I’ve learned so far. It taught me to stay flexible, think creatively and embrace the unexpected. I captured a memory and it was an experience I’ll never forget!
