When shooting baseball, I always hope for overcast conditions. Clouds diffuse light--which reduces contrast. This is particularly important for baseball since the players wear caps with bills. When the light is harsh, the bill of the cap darkens the face to an unacceptable level. When the light is soft, it's easy to see detail in the faces of the players.

Last week, I photographed the baseball game between the Southern Illinois Salukis and the Fighting Illini at Illinois Field in Urbana. Fortunately, clouds diffused the sunlight for much of the game.

Ryne RoperFighting Illini vs. Southern Illinois at Illinois Field at 1605 S Wright Street on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois on March 14, 2015

Another benefit of diffused light is that it's easier to control certain colors such as bright red or orange. When the sun shines on an orange jersey, it's easy to blow out the reds and lose all detail in the jersey.

So the next time you're shooting baseball (or football for that matter), pray for clouds!