Playing Catch

Tequesta Trace Park, Weston Florida.

As my daughter and I packed up my drone gear after capturing an aerial spheric panorama, a serendipitous encounter added a magical element to the day. A little boy approached us with a vintage used baseball in hand. He threw the ball towards us, and my daughter caught it and playfully threw it back. The boy's laughter filled the air as he eagerly threw it back to her. They continued this simple game of catch for a few moments, each pass infused with an innocent joy that lifted our spirits. Then, the boy's father emerged from the park's periphery. He watched us for a while with a content smile. "Now you're part of his world," he said, his voice brimming with fatherly pride. The words struck a chord with me and sparked an idea for a photo that would capture the moment's essence...

Suddenly, I woke up! It was just a vivid dream after a day of shooting photos with my daughter. That day we captured several images of an incredible sunset over a local baseball park, including an aerial spheric panorama of the field.

Excited by the dream, I jumped out of bed and sketched the idea my dream inspired. "Now I just need a vintage baseball like the one in my dream," I thought to myself.

Without wasting time, I rushed to a memorabilia store and asked the clerk for a vintage baseball. He handed me the perfect ball for my plans; I was marveled at its worn texture and faded markings, which spoke of countless games played and memories made. After impulsively hugging the clerk, I handed over a bill that was significantly more than the asking price and rushed to the exit, exclaiming, "You can keep the change!"

Back at home, I set to work on my vision. First, I photographed the ball against a blue cardboard. Then, I superimposed the ball onto the spherical aerial panorama of the baseball fields that I shot the day before, creating a harmonious blend of past and present that paid homage to the timeless magic of the game.

Every passing day, I think about the boy's father and his little kid, hoping to find them again in a dream and thank them for being my muse. Though they only existed in my dream, I know there are hundreds of dad-son stories like the one in my dream. I want to dedicate this image as a tribute to all those who share bonding memories on a baseball field in the hopes that it will serve as a reminder of the timeless magic of the game and the special moments it creates.