Back to newsletter list
SPORTS SHOOTER
V.95
04 October 2006
LEADING OFF: Back To The
Future.
By Robert Hanashiro, Sports Shooter
A lot has changed in 17 years. And a lot has stayed the same.
The last time I was on the sidelines of a high school football game, it was October 1989, a couple of weeks before I made the big move from the San Joaquin Valley to Los Angeles for what everyone told me at the time was for "bigger and better thingsŠ"
Actually I had missed shooting prep football all these years, so when I saw the Oaks Christian - St. Bonaventure High game on a website a few months ago, I thought it would be a cool thing to shoot for the newspaper I work for now. Oaks QB Jimmy Clausen is being touted as the "next Elway" and tailback Marc Tyler as the next Š Wendell Tyler (his dad).
Not to sound too cliché-ish but I sort of missed those funny little things all prep games have, like players running through a paper poster made by the cheerleaders, hyperactive parents, little kids (usually a child of a coach) running around the sidelines, 5' 6" offensive linemen and aging stadiums with lots of "character" (aka DARK).
Little did I know that my dream of returning to the sidelines of a prep football game would turn out to be covering what Sports Illustrated was calling "the game of the year." SI had both teams ranked in their Prep Top 10 and USA TODAY had both schools in its Super 25.
As The Game approached, all of those little things that I worried about while covering preps in my 10 years at the Visalia Times-Delta came back. What's the parking situation? Who is handling credentials? And most importantly Š how bad is the light?
In the good old days Tri-X bumped to 1600 - 3200 was pretty normal and we avoided using flash like Mike Vick avoids a lumbering linebacker. I did some checking with friends and after a speaking at a class at Brooks Institute of Photography the day before The Game, I was relieved when a student showed me game action shot from the previous week at 1/400 @ 2.8 ASA1600. It wasn't great, but it certainly would work.
A friend at the local paper shocked me when he told me that their photographers were dropping off a car at the stadium at NOON on game day to insure they had a parking space close by. NOON! For a high school game! Never had to do that covering games around Fresno and Tulare Counties.
So when I pulled my car into the parking lot of Larrabee Stadium at 2pm on the afternoon of The Game, it wasn't surprising to see a large number of parents and fans milling around but it was surprising to see there were still lots of spaces left! I immediately called my colleague Dan MacMedan and SI's Peter Read Miller, who were both shooting The Game, to give them the news on the parking situation. Did I lie across a couple of parking spaces to save them for DMac and PRM? Naaa they were on their own, I needed to make some pre-game feature photos.
Inside the stadium a couple of hours before the kick-off, all of those fun memories of covering preps in Visalia came back: The annual "Cowhide Game" between Mt. Whitney and Redwood High, coach Roger Kelly screaming at refs, Times-Delta sports editor Mike "Bunky" Novin nervously eating sunflower seeds, me standing next to a coach who would tip me off to the plays they were running and especially the option offense. You could get a lot of great photos shooting with a 180mm lens with a team running the option.
But some things have changed in 17 years. Fox Sports didn't cover the Woodlake - Porterville game. There was no MaxPreps with a monster motor home parading around town. Photographers didn't have Eiffel Tower-looking devices holding their strobes above their cameras. Neither Oaks nor St. Bonaventure ran the option. And games didn't get national coverage.
The excitement and energy from the 8,000 people in Larrabee Stadium charged the air hours before the game, just like it had 17 years ago at Mineral King Bowl Š and for that matter like it does when I'm on the sideline of a bowl game or the NFL playoffsŠjust on a smaller scale. The prep game's crowd is smaller for sure, but the vibe is something you don't experience at the Super Bowl. It has feeling. It has atmosphere. It still has some traditionŠ even if the field is crisscrossed by a tangle of wires from cable TV camera crews.
By Robert Hanashiro, Sports Shooter
A lot has changed in 17 years. And a lot has stayed the same.
The last time I was on the sidelines of a high school football game, it was October 1989, a couple of weeks before I made the big move from the San Joaquin Valley to Los Angeles for what everyone told me at the time was for "bigger and better thingsŠ"
Actually I had missed shooting prep football all these years, so when I saw the Oaks Christian - St. Bonaventure High game on a website a few months ago, I thought it would be a cool thing to shoot for the newspaper I work for now. Oaks QB Jimmy Clausen is being touted as the "next Elway" and tailback Marc Tyler as the next Š Wendell Tyler (his dad).
Not to sound too cliché-ish but I sort of missed those funny little things all prep games have, like players running through a paper poster made by the cheerleaders, hyperactive parents, little kids (usually a child of a coach) running around the sidelines, 5' 6" offensive linemen and aging stadiums with lots of "character" (aka DARK).
Little did I know that my dream of returning to the sidelines of a prep football game would turn out to be covering what Sports Illustrated was calling "the game of the year." SI had both teams ranked in their Prep Top 10 and USA TODAY had both schools in its Super 25.
As The Game approached, all of those little things that I worried about while covering preps in my 10 years at the Visalia Times-Delta came back. What's the parking situation? Who is handling credentials? And most importantly Š how bad is the light?
In the good old days Tri-X bumped to 1600 - 3200 was pretty normal and we avoided using flash like Mike Vick avoids a lumbering linebacker. I did some checking with friends and after a speaking at a class at Brooks Institute of Photography the day before The Game, I was relieved when a student showed me game action shot from the previous week at 1/400 @ 2.8 ASA1600. It wasn't great, but it certainly would work.
A friend at the local paper shocked me when he told me that their photographers were dropping off a car at the stadium at NOON on game day to insure they had a parking space close by. NOON! For a high school game! Never had to do that covering games around Fresno and Tulare Counties.
So when I pulled my car into the parking lot of Larrabee Stadium at 2pm on the afternoon of The Game, it wasn't surprising to see a large number of parents and fans milling around but it was surprising to see there were still lots of spaces left! I immediately called my colleague Dan MacMedan and SI's Peter Read Miller, who were both shooting The Game, to give them the news on the parking situation. Did I lie across a couple of parking spaces to save them for DMac and PRM? Naaa they were on their own, I needed to make some pre-game feature photos.
Inside the stadium a couple of hours before the kick-off, all of those fun memories of covering preps in Visalia came back: The annual "Cowhide Game" between Mt. Whitney and Redwood High, coach Roger Kelly screaming at refs, Times-Delta sports editor Mike "Bunky" Novin nervously eating sunflower seeds, me standing next to a coach who would tip me off to the plays they were running and especially the option offense. You could get a lot of great photos shooting with a 180mm lens with a team running the option.
But some things have changed in 17 years. Fox Sports didn't cover the Woodlake - Porterville game. There was no MaxPreps with a monster motor home parading around town. Photographers didn't have Eiffel Tower-looking devices holding their strobes above their cameras. Neither Oaks nor St. Bonaventure ran the option. And games didn't get national coverage.
The excitement and energy from the 8,000 people in Larrabee Stadium charged the air hours before the game, just like it had 17 years ago at Mineral King Bowl Š and for that matter like it does when I'm on the sideline of a bowl game or the NFL playoffsŠjust on a smaller scale. The prep game's crowd is smaller for sure, but the vibe is something you don't experience at the Super Bowl. It has feeling. It has atmosphere. It still has some traditionŠ even if the field is crisscrossed by a tangle of wires from cable TV camera crews.
The field is still 100 yards --- though it sometimes felt smaller with Clausen and Tyler racking up about 500 yards between the two of them in just 3 quarters --- the routines by cheerleaders sounded the same and there were even a couple of smurf linemen.
High school football is a bit like comfort food --- mac & cheese, fried chicken and SPAM musubi (for those Bruddahs who shoot football in Hawaii: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_musubi) --- it reminds you of your past and where you came from. It's something good and maybe I should shoot it again to keep me a little better centered.
But as long as I can shoot it without the Eiffel Tower on the top of my camera.
Canon, USA has confirmed that they will be involved in the upcoming Sports Shooter Academy III. Canon will be supplying technical and equipment support for this hands-on, shooting workshop that is held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Big West Conference.
I want to use this space to thank and recognize Canon's and Dave Metz' dedication to photography and education. If not for Canon and Dave's help, I could not put on programs like The Academy.
Canon joins previously announced sponsors Think Tank Photo and Samy's Camera. So a big thanks to Doug Murdoch from Think Tank and Louis Feldman from Samy's as well.
While photography has been my life for many years, Sports Shooter and these educational programs are my passion and my inspiration. Believe it or not, I get so much out of putting on workshops like The Luau and The Academy, it is MORE than worth all of the free time I spend on it when not working at my "day job".
Thanks again to Canon, Think Tank and Samy's.
Sports Shooter v.95 features a thought-provoking article by Tim Clayton on plagiarism. USA TODAY's Jack Gruber gives us a peek inside what he takes on assignment to the World's garden spots like Iraq and Afghanistan Š and more importantly how he gets it there in one piece.
It's the end of summer and the Sports Shooter Newsletter offers up our annual Intern Diaries with contributions from Pouya Dianat, Alyssa Schukar and Susánica Tam. Jordan Murph writes that a student's education isn't limited to just the classroom or an internship.
Hell has frozen over and The Raleigh News &
Observer's Chuck Liddy tells us why. Regular Sports Shooter
contributor Trent Nelson explains how he started a new blog at The
Salt Lake Tribune and how he made it different. Patrick Murphy-Racey
tells us about Canon's 1.6 teleconverter.
Brooks Institute of Photography's Paul Myers writes about Bryan Moss's new book "Photosynthesis" in his Preaching To The Choir column.
So sit back, adjust the contrast on your computer monitor, turn up the volume on Bob Dylan's new recording "Modern Times" Š and enjoy Sports Shooter v.95!
Original Ideas In Sports
Photography? Avoiding The Ordinary or Rip Off.
By Tim Clayton, The Sydney Morning Herald
Plagiarism
noun 1. the appropriation or imitation of another's ideas and manner of expressing them, as in art, literature, etc. , to be passed off as one's own. 2. something appropriated and passed off as one's own in this manner.
For the last few months the Sydney sports photographic fraternity has been gripped by a raging debate over the subject of plagiarism in particular the belief that it is rife within our profession.
The interesting aspect of the debate has not been to point the finger and chastise. On the contrary, it has prompted a desire for greater understanding of the workings of our profession; to look at our ethics and philosophies and attempt to work out the reasoning within a sports photographers' mind of the step-by-step process of capturing an image. The aim is to come up with a way of avoiding the traps and the temptation to plagiarize. No one is immune.
Breaking down the reasoning is the easy step. If you consider that photography is a language, then, in learning any language, our instinct and natural reaction is to mimic. That is human nature. Gradually, through mimicking, we begin to grasp the language. From there, we are able to converse in our own unique way, stringing sentences and paragraphs together in a manner that makes each individual different. It is through our eyes, our viewpoint and our thought processes that we finally begin to speak with our own "voice", that of our images.
By Tim Clayton, The Sydney Morning Herald
Plagiarism
noun 1. the appropriation or imitation of another's ideas and manner of expressing them, as in art, literature, etc. , to be passed off as one's own. 2. something appropriated and passed off as one's own in this manner.
For the last few months the Sydney sports photographic fraternity has been gripped by a raging debate over the subject of plagiarism in particular the belief that it is rife within our profession.
The interesting aspect of the debate has not been to point the finger and chastise. On the contrary, it has prompted a desire for greater understanding of the workings of our profession; to look at our ethics and philosophies and attempt to work out the reasoning within a sports photographers' mind of the step-by-step process of capturing an image. The aim is to come up with a way of avoiding the traps and the temptation to plagiarize. No one is immune.
Breaking down the reasoning is the easy step. If you consider that photography is a language, then, in learning any language, our instinct and natural reaction is to mimic. That is human nature. Gradually, through mimicking, we begin to grasp the language. From there, we are able to converse in our own unique way, stringing sentences and paragraphs together in a manner that makes each individual different. It is through our eyes, our viewpoint and our thought processes that we finally begin to speak with our own "voice", that of our images.
As we start out in our profession, we tend to copy constantly. After all, that is part of the learning process. We gain ideas from other peoples' imagery, from our peers and contemporaries. Our styles are molded by the profession itself; from what is considered to be a "safe" picture and acceptable for the type of product we are working for, to what is considered to be good or bad, straight and artistic.
When I started out in sports photography, I was hugely influenced by renowned British photographers Eamonn McCabe and Chris Smith. I readily admit that my photographic "accent" was derived from their work and to a certain extent a combination of their styles has - and still can be - seen in much of my work. If anything, that is my homage to them; they were that good.
But, once the fundamentals were in place, there came a point in time when my work evolved into its own uniqueness, developing its own voice so to speak, in part thanks to many other outside influences but also as result of my personal experiences and growing maturity.
Harsh as it may seem, there are many photographers today who have no desire to be their own photographer. Point-and-shoot technology means that any sheep with a few grand can buy the latest Canon body, a 400mm lens and go out and "machine gun" any sport. Smarter photographers are now simply checking out the world's image sites and either choosing the same angle as a picture already taken or recreating (in other words, contriving, stage managing setting up) a shot and calling it their own.
This year's Winter Olympics were a great example. If a really good shot appeared on an international website of, say, the ski jumping, you could guarantee the next day there would be a posse of photographers recreating the shot seen the day before.
To be fair, it is often hard to be a sports photographer with a fresh eye because of the restrictions imposed on us, usually by the sport governing bodies themselves, where we are penned in, five deep and unable to move. Shooting "fresh" under those conditions is therefore virtually impossible.
But it can be done. Dave Burnett's portfolio from the Athens Olympics, shot on 4x5, is a clear example of going out on a limb to be different. His World Press winning portfolio sent shivers up my spine in delight at seeing a new approach to a well-documented subject. Meanwhile, no doubt, sales of 4x5 cameras have increased as many try and emulate him. Mine's on order!
Scott Strazzante's "Foggy Night in Pragelato" is a great example of a photographer trudging into the woods looking for a unique angle while the rest of us - me included - were working the subject from the side of the hill. Again, the freshness inspires, not with the intention to copy, but to push the boundaries of the 'norm', to produce a unique image that will arrest the viewer and show an angle of an event previously unseen. Scott's shot has probably been done before in Norway or Lapland, or some other winter sports wonderland.
It is difficult to argue that real images of real events are plagiarism. There are only so many angles of anything one can shoot in sport due to the boundaries I mentioned above. A golfer chipping out of a sand bunker for example, we have seen a million times, but it has to be shot. It can be a good-on-the-day picture and very occasionally, something amazing will happen with the sand, the light and the subject to make the images stand out from the rest. Ditto with double play, a slam dunk, the touch down, at the finish line etc. The benefit of the doubt has to go with the photographer on single images of real events. However, a photographer's work ethic is very easy to recognize in a body of work when it is very clear to the more knowledgeable of the profession if the photographer is shooting with his own eye or simply copying what's gone before.
Where the profession is at fault is those competitions that reward photographers copying images and constructing portfolios by mimicking other photographers' work, then calling it their own. More often or not, we are judged by picture editors or photographers who have no knowledge of the profession of sports photography so consequently they tend to view everything as 'new' and unique, when quite often it isn't. If a photographer is rewarded for 'copying' he or she will continue to copy believing it is ok and therefore human nature.
This is completely the wrong message that we are sending out to up-and-coming photographers. Yes, we should be rewarding great images, but we should also be encouraging unique storytelling which is new and shot with a fresh eye, teaching photographers to see for themselves, not to see what somebody else has seen and then recreate it.
Sadly, many of the world's top sports photographers have not matured into great photographers, simply because they haven't learned to see for themselves. The potential is there but until they evolve and go past the mimicking stage their work will always be viewed as a copy of somebody else's work. And is that what you really want to be remembered for?
Scott Strazzante's image can be viewed at:
http://www.sportsshooter.com/contest/clip/winning_image.html?id=500
(Tim Clayton is a sports photographer for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is occasional contributor to the Sports Shooter Newsletter. You can contact him via email at: tclayton@smh.com.au.)
IN THE BAG: Equipment To Go
By Jack Gruber, USA TODAY
The first thing I do before every trip is to sit and stare at the big pile of stuff on my floor wondering how am I going to get it all into one bag.
Most photographers keep some gear packed in "go kits" ready at a moments notice. Problem is, every assignment is going to call for a little finesse packing. The best thing I have found in keeping track of that big pile of stuff is to check things off a list.
I call it my Load Out Sheet, a printed checklist broken down into different categories.
The good thing about the Load Out Sheet is you can't forget anything. Like pilots running through a preflight checklist, you do the same thing. Checking off the things that you will need while skimming past the things you don't for any specific assignment. Which sleeping bag is needed, how many pairs of pants am I taking or did I remember to pack cash and toilet paper. Cameras, yes, I remembered cameras. Check.
The list puts everything and the kitchen sink down in black and white allowing me to customize each packing nightmare for each trip. This is a great way of also keeping an inventory of all your "tools" from the 600mm down to the Imodium. This same list can keep track of all essential serial numbers as a printed record in order to fill out carnet lists, insurance considerations and other customs issues.
If you take the time and tick down through the list, in a perfect world, forgetting something shouldn't happen.
Since flying has become a one carry-on item kind of thing over the last few years, I have gotten back to basics on some trips. I am a huge fan of the Think Tank Photo Airport Addicted and Security roller but in some environments, lightweight mobility is key. Working in harsh conditions, you can forget about using any roller bags. Dragging a case through sand or snow just isn't going to cut it.
Weight is a huge consideration on most overseas flights as well as having to manage this gear at all times on the ground. As a rule, anywhere you go, in a car, small boat or helicopter, this must-have kit goes with you. It needs to fit and you need to be able to carry it quickly and on your own.
In order to walk off a p*** or out in a remote location with everything I need to work and transmit images, I have started using a Kelty Redwing 3100 front-loading backpack. I pack a small Domke bag with most of my basic camera kit, two see through Columbia mesh pouches containing the mess of chargers, adapters and other stuff and the other mesh pouch containing a complete Thrane and Thrane Explorer 500 satellite unit. This small lightweight satellite device works anywhere in the world now including the United States allowing high-speed data transfer as well as voice calling.
The Columbia see through mess pouches are a great idea allowing airport security to see what is in the pouch without having to open the kit. Think Tank Photo has new super nice pouches for this also (Think Tank Photo Cable Management 50) but I just keep using what I have laying around until they wear out.
If everything in the pack needs to come out for inspection at the airport, easy enough with the compartments. The loose item mess is kept to a minimum.
The first thing I do before every trip is to sit and stare at the big pile of stuff on my floor wondering how am I going to get it all into one bag.
Most photographers keep some gear packed in "go kits" ready at a moments notice. Problem is, every assignment is going to call for a little finesse packing. The best thing I have found in keeping track of that big pile of stuff is to check things off a list.
I call it my Load Out Sheet, a printed checklist broken down into different categories.
The good thing about the Load Out Sheet is you can't forget anything. Like pilots running through a preflight checklist, you do the same thing. Checking off the things that you will need while skimming past the things you don't for any specific assignment. Which sleeping bag is needed, how many pairs of pants am I taking or did I remember to pack cash and toilet paper. Cameras, yes, I remembered cameras. Check.
The list puts everything and the kitchen sink down in black and white allowing me to customize each packing nightmare for each trip. This is a great way of also keeping an inventory of all your "tools" from the 600mm down to the Imodium. This same list can keep track of all essential serial numbers as a printed record in order to fill out carnet lists, insurance considerations and other customs issues.
If you take the time and tick down through the list, in a perfect world, forgetting something shouldn't happen.
Since flying has become a one carry-on item kind of thing over the last few years, I have gotten back to basics on some trips. I am a huge fan of the Think Tank Photo Airport Addicted and Security roller but in some environments, lightweight mobility is key. Working in harsh conditions, you can forget about using any roller bags. Dragging a case through sand or snow just isn't going to cut it.
Weight is a huge consideration on most overseas flights as well as having to manage this gear at all times on the ground. As a rule, anywhere you go, in a car, small boat or helicopter, this must-have kit goes with you. It needs to fit and you need to be able to carry it quickly and on your own.
In order to walk off a p*** or out in a remote location with everything I need to work and transmit images, I have started using a Kelty Redwing 3100 front-loading backpack. I pack a small Domke bag with most of my basic camera kit, two see through Columbia mesh pouches containing the mess of chargers, adapters and other stuff and the other mesh pouch containing a complete Thrane and Thrane Explorer 500 satellite unit. This small lightweight satellite device works anywhere in the world now including the United States allowing high-speed data transfer as well as voice calling.
The Columbia see through mess pouches are a great idea allowing airport security to see what is in the pouch without having to open the kit. Think Tank Photo has new super nice pouches for this also (Think Tank Photo Cable Management 50) but I just keep using what I have laying around until they wear out.
If everything in the pack needs to come out for inspection at the airport, easy enough with the compartments. The loose item mess is kept to a minimum.
I also carry an Apple PowerBook 12-inch laptop computer in this pack protected in a custom made Lucite vault I like to call The Jack Box. This thing has saved my ass more than once or twice in the past three years. Not only can I stand on this case without worries of damaging the computer (no, I do not routinely stand on my computer!), I can safely keep the computer in my carry-on backpack or a smaller kick-around daypack on the ground regardless of dropping and pounding. Pulling the computer out at TSA inspection and x-ray is a snap. Computer inside the clear vault gets put in a tub and passes through x-ray. Only one TSA inspector in the tiny airport in Cody, WY has ever balked and taken the laptop out of the vault. It might have been the first computer she had ever seen.
If the pack and all the enclosed electronics need closer inspection after TSA x-ray, the pack opens from the front allowing easy access and full view. The degree of scrutiny of the contents varies from airport to airport and country to country but the most extreme inspections are pretty painless with this setup. Usually, most TSA x-ray screeners see the dense shadows of electronics and cords jammed in the pack and flag it for a secondary screening. Everything, however, comes out quickly and packs right back into the Kelty.
With about 25 lbs of camera gear in the Domke, the entire backpack loaded with essential "must-have" items weighs about 50 lbs total. It is heavy but the Kelty has a comfortable harness and back cushions making the pack feel lighter than it weighs. Sure, it is going to max out most airline carry-on limits but I have never been denied boarding with it fully loaded. For one reason, it doesn't look large and heavy. The great thing about configuring the gear in this backpack is no one assumes it contains nearly $20K worth of camera and computer equipment. Just another tourist heading to the sandy beaches of Afghanistan for a holiday.
The pack's dimension when stuffed to the gills is about 25" x 17" X 13" (TSA carry-on limits usually around 22" x 14" x 9"). I have had zero problems carrying this on any large carrier aircraft. Smaller regional jets or turbo props, no way in the overhead. Time to get creative or p***side check.
If I boarded a p*** only to find all the overhead space filled with rollers or on the smaller turbo props, no problem, I just pull the Domke with gear out of the backpack and instantly halve the size of the backpack. Finding overhead room is now not a problem and the Domke fits below the seats or in a smaller overhead space. Either way, I have options and haven't had to think about checking the pack through as luggage.
The great thing about this set up for me is the mobility along with having room in the front and side pouches to stash phones, paperwork, wet wipes, passports, cash, books, pen and notebook, food, a silk travel sheet, flashlights and the other stuff that comes and goes during the day.
After arriving where I need to be, I pull the camera gear out of the pack and either use the Think Tank Photo belt and pouches or just the Domke bag to work. With more space now in the pack, I can add food, water, clothing and so on. Pretty simple, but effective.
Covering hurricanes or other hostile situations, working conditions can be in total darkness, rain or the back of a Humvee. If you pack the basics the same way time and time again, knowing and finding a ballpoint pen or a flashlight in a side pocket is simple because you know it is there without even looking.
I love the Think Tank Photo Airport Addicted and Security roller for most "normal" events and assignments carrying long glass. Hitting the road for destination spots like Afghanistan and Iraq or natural disasters, I find less is more in order to get around with the basics.
This backpack configuration has basically become my "go kit". With the new Thane and Thrane Explorer 500 operational worldwide now, I keep this kit and the PowerBook 12-inch computer packed and ready with the basics. With only a few minutes of checking my load out list, I can add anything else I might need before heading out on the road.
If all my checked luggage is somehow misplaced, I am usually pretty sure I can manage wearing the same clothes for two or three days. Without cameras or a way to transmit, I might as well turn around and head back home.
One recent nut that is tough to crack: I have been on flights in the past few months, mostly UN charters or some Middle East carriers, that require all batteries in cameras and computers to be placed in checked luggage even following x-ray and screening. I got off a flight in Kandahar, Afghanistan the other day with my carry-on Kelty, two Canon EOS-1D cameras around my shoulders without the batteries, ready for action. My checked luggage didn't.
Two cameras, no batteries and out of luck.
Luckily, a few quick phone calls got the flight to return with an emergency clearance to land back on the military airfield. If that wouldn't have happened, I was out of luck. I don't have a good solution for this one. There was no Samy's Camera downtown Kandahar and Canon Professional Service was definitely not sponsoring a "clean and check" during Operation Medusa.
I guess there are as many ways to pack for any trip as there are members on Sports Shooter. The key for me has been to find a solution for each problem. That has meant an attic full of bags and cases. When I realized I desperately needed a front loading backpack like the Kelty a couple of years ago just hours before a trip, I was forced to get the only one in stock at REI. It just happened to be purple. Now, my wife just can't understand why I need to spend hours online looking for the same backpack I already own but in a more discreet basic black?
Domke Camera Bag Basics:
CANON EOS-1D Mark II-N
CANON EOS-1D Mark II
Canon 16-35 f/2.8
Canon 70-200 f/2.8
Canon 300 f/4
Canon Speedlite 580EX
Canon ST-E2 Wireless Transmitter
Canon 1.4x Teleconverter
Canon ZR-100 DV Video Camera
Compact Flash 2 Gig Cards
Firewire 80 Gig hard drive
Canon Camera Battery (2)
CANON EOS-1D Mark II-N
CANON EOS-1D Mark II
Canon 16-35 f/2.8
Canon 70-200 f/2.8
Canon 300 f/4
Canon Speedlite 580EX
Canon ST-E2 Wireless Transmitter
Canon 1.4x Teleconverter
Canon ZR-100 DV Video Camera
Compact Flash 2 Gig Cards
Firewire 80 Gig hard drive
Canon Camera Battery (2)
Kelty Redwing 3100
Specifications:
http://www.basegear.com/kelty-redwing.html
* Dimensions: 25" x 16" x
14"
* Weight: 3 lb 6 oz
* Volume: 3100 in3
* Torso Fit Range: 18.50" -
21.00"
* Material: Nylon Micro Ripstop & Nylon
Kodra
* Frame: Internal
Jack's Must Have Stuff:
Load Out List
Not just a list but a complete inventory set up to check items off as you pack. Can easily be adapted for your own personal needs.
Downside: You realize just how much stuff you have accumulated and wonder if you really need six different kinds of sleeping bags.
http://www.jackgruber.com/loadss.xls
Thrane and Thrane Explorer 500
The Holy Grail of satellite units. Small as a laptop with worldwide coverage. Remote regions of Afghanistan to forest fires in Idaho or hurricanes down south, nothing comes close to this for all around data connectivity and reliability. Sets up in minutes and offers voice calling also.
Downside: Not cheap. The unit itself is around $2500 for the Explorer 500 model. The cost per megabyte of data transfer can be as high as $10-15 per megabyte. You can leave the unit turned on and connected to the satellites for any amount of time and are only charged for amount of data transferred. Voice calls are not cheap either (range can be $1.00- $2.00 a minute).
http://www.outfittersatellite.com/bgan_thrane_explorer500.htm
The Holy Grail of satellite units. Small as a laptop with worldwide coverage. Remote regions of Afghanistan to forest fires in Idaho or hurricanes down south, nothing comes close to this for all around data connectivity and reliability. Sets up in minutes and offers voice calling also.
Downside: Not cheap. The unit itself is around $2500 for the Explorer 500 model. The cost per megabyte of data transfer can be as high as $10-15 per megabyte. You can leave the unit turned on and connected to the satellites for any amount of time and are only charged for amount of data transferred. Voice calls are not cheap either (range can be $1.00- $2.00 a minute).
http://www.outfittersatellite.com/bgan_thrane_explorer500.htm
The Jack Box
Nothing slick and glitzy here. Basic protection for a computer born out of necessity through TSA checkpoints and p***side baggage check. This thing has been a lifesaver more than once.
Downside: This thing will crack if hit hard enough but that is what I want it to do. Take the hit instead of the computer. If you are interested in one, let me know and I can get it made. I currently have 12 and 15-inch PowerBook sizes.
http://www.jackgruber.com/jackbox.jpg
Nothing slick and glitzy here. Basic protection for a computer born out of necessity through TSA checkpoints and p***side baggage check. This thing has been a lifesaver more than once.
Downside: This thing will crack if hit hard enough but that is what I want it to do. Take the hit instead of the computer. If you are interested in one, let me know and I can get it made. I currently have 12 and 15-inch PowerBook sizes.
http://www.jackgruber.com/jackbox.jpg
The North Face Paramount Convertible Pants
The greatest pair of pants known to man. I
once wore a pair of these pants for seven straight weeks in Iraq in
2003 without taking them off or laundering. I still wear the same pair
of pants three years later but with a more normal laundry schedule.
Only recently had to have a rip repaired after snagging on a nail
during Hurricane Katrina. Perfect amount of pockets and placement. I
own four pair.
Downside: The inseam always seems to be long on these pants. May have to have some minor alteration done on pants length.
http://www.altrec.com/shop/detail/13027/#photo
GSM phone with local SIM
A GSM phone and country specific SIM cards are a must for any overseas travel. It is just too easy to keep one unlocked GSM phone around and purchase SIM cards from dealers in the US before any trip overseas. It is much cheaper and easier to call back to the U.S instead of pricey hotel phones. You always have a local number in the area you are visiting in order to receive local calls. Your family and bosses can always get in touch with you. Top off scratch off cards are always available in shops and markets in even the most remote countries in usually $10 or $20US amounts.
Downside: The SIMS and the phone number associated with that SIM usually expire after six months unless you add credits via a top off card. So if you bring a GSM phone back from Afghanistan with 1000 credits (worth about $20US) and the phone sits unused for six months, that SIM will not be active when you return to Afghanistan seven months later. Those remaining credits are also history.
http://www.valuesphere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SmartCards&Category_Code=SIM
A GSM phone and country specific SIM cards are a must for any overseas travel. It is just too easy to keep one unlocked GSM phone around and purchase SIM cards from dealers in the US before any trip overseas. It is much cheaper and easier to call back to the U.S instead of pricey hotel phones. You always have a local number in the area you are visiting in order to receive local calls. Your family and bosses can always get in touch with you. Top off scratch off cards are always available in shops and markets in even the most remote countries in usually $10 or $20US amounts.
Downside: The SIMS and the phone number associated with that SIM usually expire after six months unless you add credits via a top off card. So if you bring a GSM phone back from Afghanistan with 1000 credits (worth about $20US) and the phone sits unused for six months, that SIM will not be active when you return to Afghanistan seven months later. Those remaining credits are also history.
http://www.valuesphere.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SmartCards&Category_Code=SIM
Cheat Card
Have you ever gotten frustrated with a wallet full of frequent flier cards, notes with passwords, work FTP information, combination for locks, web URLS, phone numbers and addresses? Why not consolidate all that down to one document with the information reduced to credit card size. Laminate that card at Kinko's for $2.00 and stick it in your wallet.
My cheat card has at least two-dozen perk clubs listed along with vital web URLS and other sensitive information. Show up at a hotel, you have the perk club number at your fingertips, forgot your webmail URL and password while in transit in Dubai, it is right in your back pocket. Your wallet is now much thinner.
Hold on a minute, if you lose this card, won't you be giving instant access to some of your most vital information. Nope, all my usernames and passwords are listed in parenthesis in code as helper hints. If you know what you are looking at, you get it but if someone just found this card, it would read like a German code from World War II.
Example, if my password is really "1926" (my not so real birthday), I have it listed on the card as {bd}. In Jack speak, I know that is short for birthday and I would type in "1926" as the password for that account. Usually my passwords are a little more complex. Something like {bdpet} would be "1926obie". My not so real birthday and my cat's name.
Downside: Most of this information is personal and if lost could be used by unknown evil-doers. Just try to describe things in code so that only you will be able to recall the info of things that are vital to you.
http://www.jackgruber.com/cheat.jpg
(Jack Gruber is a staff photographer with USA TODAY and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a frequent contributor to the Sports Shooter world.)
Have you ever gotten frustrated with a wallet full of frequent flier cards, notes with passwords, work FTP information, combination for locks, web URLS, phone numbers and addresses? Why not consolidate all that down to one document with the information reduced to credit card size. Laminate that card at Kinko's for $2.00 and stick it in your wallet.
My cheat card has at least two-dozen perk clubs listed along with vital web URLS and other sensitive information. Show up at a hotel, you have the perk club number at your fingertips, forgot your webmail URL and password while in transit in Dubai, it is right in your back pocket. Your wallet is now much thinner.
Hold on a minute, if you lose this card, won't you be giving instant access to some of your most vital information. Nope, all my usernames and passwords are listed in parenthesis in code as helper hints. If you know what you are looking at, you get it but if someone just found this card, it would read like a German code from World War II.
Example, if my password is really "1926" (my not so real birthday), I have it listed on the card as {bd}. In Jack speak, I know that is short for birthday and I would type in "1926" as the password for that account. Usually my passwords are a little more complex. Something like {bdpet} would be "1926obie". My not so real birthday and my cat's name.
Downside: Most of this information is personal and if lost could be used by unknown evil-doers. Just try to describe things in code so that only you will be able to recall the info of things that are vital to you.
http://www.jackgruber.com/cheat.jpg
(Jack Gruber is a staff photographer with USA TODAY and is based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a frequent contributor to the Sports Shooter world.)
Fly On The Wall
BLOG Gives Insight Into The Working Photographer
By Trent Nelson, The Salt Lake Tribune
During one of our photo staff meetings several months ago, the online editor at my newspaper let slip that they were starting up blogs for reporters. Staff writers like the movie critic, the television critic, and some sports writers would be the first wave of bloggers on The Salt Lake Tribune's website. My initial reaction was, can there be such a thing as a corporate blog? Or one that's edited (as these would be)?
A few hours after he made his pitch I sent him an e-mail that read, as I remember, "I'll volunteer to do a blog for the website. But get me started quick before I come to my senses." They took me up on it and so began my blog, Fly On The Wall, a behind-the-scenes look at life as a newspaper photographer.
Once I was committed, I had to figure out where I was going with this. It needed to be more than a photoblog. More than a place to post photos that didn't make the paper. This blog would be on the Tribune's website, which draws tons of visitors daily. And these people need to learn about photojournalism. They need to understand how and why we do what we do, especially today when media in general is under the microscope. People need to know how we shoot and how we edit. They need to understand ethical concerns, set-up photographs, photo illustrations, etc.
By Trent Nelson, The Salt Lake Tribune
During one of our photo staff meetings several months ago, the online editor at my newspaper let slip that they were starting up blogs for reporters. Staff writers like the movie critic, the television critic, and some sports writers would be the first wave of bloggers on The Salt Lake Tribune's website. My initial reaction was, can there be such a thing as a corporate blog? Or one that's edited (as these would be)?
A few hours after he made his pitch I sent him an e-mail that read, as I remember, "I'll volunteer to do a blog for the website. But get me started quick before I come to my senses." They took me up on it and so began my blog, Fly On The Wall, a behind-the-scenes look at life as a newspaper photographer.
Once I was committed, I had to figure out where I was going with this. It needed to be more than a photoblog. More than a place to post photos that didn't make the paper. This blog would be on the Tribune's website, which draws tons of visitors daily. And these people need to learn about photojournalism. They need to understand how and why we do what we do, especially today when media in general is under the microscope. People need to know how we shoot and how we edit. They need to understand ethical concerns, set-up photographs, photo illustrations, etc.
Over the years I have found that the public is very interested in photojournalism. But photojournalism often seems uninterested in the public. Sometimes it seems we are a closed circle of photographers who show our favorite work to each other, but not to anyone else.
These ideas ran around in my head for the first few months as I started to post. It was a shaky start. I was getting advice from everyone on what sort of things needed to be said. I wrote posts explaining what we did, and pointing out the different types of photographs we take and the thinking behind them. I wrote a little bit about ethics, I explained what a photo illustration is, stuff like that. It was Photojournalism 101.
But things didn't really flow until I relaxed and started writing about my experiences in the field. The educational stuff, the how's and why's of newspaper photography were still important, but I began to mix them in with stuff that was fun, different, and behind-the-scenes.
Now, knowing that I have to feed the blog keeps me on my toes, looking and listening for interesting details that I can write about. You have to be more alert than when your only responsibility is to file a picture or two from an assignment. And there is now a bigger audience for the photos I take, especially those that aren't published and weren't meant to be. One of my favorite posts was a collection of these, photographs I took during a boring, though important press conference. As I wrote:
An assignment yesterday took me to the Utah State Capitol to photograph Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. signing a new tax bill into law. Never mind what the bill does tax-wise. That's certainly not important. Not here in the blog, anyway. What is important is that you are about to see some photos that are never seen. The fun ones. These are the shots that normally end up in a drawer and are certainly not published.
>From the same post, spilling secrets of technique. Not how to use the camera, but how to get a name, the lazy way:
After Senator Bramble sits down, I try to zoom in on his ID badge. At this point I don't know his name. It's a simple face-saving measure; I'm trying to get his name without having to ask. I can't come back to the paper without knowing his name, and there is nothing worse than having to go up to some of the most powerful men in the state to ask them what their name is. I'm supposed to know this stuff. But really, who does? People might recognize the Gov, but no one on the street would recognize any of these other guys. Sorry, but it's true. After my failure to photograph his nametag clearly, I start thinking about how I'll ask his name. I figure I'll start with, "Pardon my ignorance, sir, but could I ask your name?"
My blog could best be compared to the extras and commentary on a DVD. After recently completing a project of several months and around 9,000 images covering a Navajo high school girls basketball team, I've been putting up posts from each trip I made to the Navajo Nation. These posts have been filled with outtakes, photos that didn't make the final edit, and even photos with their original crops (as opposed to how they were published in print). I'm able to talk about how I shot these photographs and the story I was trying to tell, as well as offering details and moments that would otherwise remain in my notebook.
Now that I've been writing for several months, I'm starting to see a community of readers forming. It's nothing too big at this point, but I'm getting encouraging comments from readers. Even a job offer from someone named "Anonymous." Does life get any better than that?
Here are some tips if you decide to blog (especially for a company):
Be honest. People are drawn to candor and openness. Don't be afraid to admit your mistakes. My first post told how I forgot the name of Utah's Lieutenant Governor, a man I had met and photographed multiple times.
Be careful about what you post. People will read your words, especially the very people you write about. You can't easily take those words back.
Be patient. Building readership online takes time. You add readers one by one. Your numbers will grow, but unless you're blogging about cute pets and/or why you hate celebrities, it's going to take some time. Don't focus on your stats, and don't worry that you're getting fewer hits than the Fantasy Footblog (which was the case last time I checked my stats). As long as you keep the quality level high, people will stick around when they find you.
If your blog is going to be edited (like mine), find a good editor. Find someone who will allow you to be yourself while at the same time protecting you from yourself. If you are able to, pick someone who will understand what you're trying to do. Tribune Assistant Managing Editor Peg McEntee graciously edits my blog and her thoughtful oversight has saved me from getting myself into trouble.
Lastly, write when you're on the clock. Try not to put hours of personal time into your work blog. This is the hardest one because when ideas come you want to get them down and online. From personal experience, everything suffers when you lose track of whose clock you're on. Be careful.
Oh yeah, the blog is at http://blogs.sltrib.com/trent
(Trent Nelson is a regular contributor to the Sports Shooter Newsletter. He is the chief photographer of The Salt Lake Tribune.)
Canon's new 1.6X
teleconverter!
By Patrick Murphy-Racey
Anybody that's ever met me knows I'm a huge supporter and user of Canon's entire system of lenses and cameras. One of the greatest things about the current lineup of camera bodies is that you can choose from full-frame, 1.3x or 1.6x conversions depending on the size of the chip in the body you select.
The assignment I shot today is a great example of how I use all of Canon's bodies in various situations.
I had to shoot some lit food images on location in a theme park that I do a lot of work for here in Tennessee. I also had to shoot a popular Bluegrass band performance in the big theater on the park as well.
When shooting the food stuff, the combination of the EF24-70mm f/2.8L and the EOS 1Ds MII is unstoppable. When shooting food, especially close up, you have to be careful with carrying depth of field, and not distorting your images. Your field of view is different than your perspective. Using a 1.6x camera body with a 50mm lens doesn't make it an 80mm lens optically; it stays the same focal length. The only way to change a straight lens's optical characteristics is by adding an extension tube (which is a cool way to use a 200mm lens to shoot a tight portrait with a 12.5mm tube).
Full frame cameras really help you with distortion in a big way as they won't "bend up" things on the edges in the same way lenses made for smaller (1.5x and 1.6X) chips do. This is why you see so much distortion on the popular 17-85 and 18-55mm lenses that are actually 27-136mm and 29-88mm on the 1.6x chips bodies.
But later on this afternoon I had to shoot the Bluegrass band in a theater. What my client needs is really clean, sharp, and tight performance stuff, even though the theater is not lit that well. For me to give them a bunch of 1600 ISO noise shots wouldn't cut it. So, I used my trusty EF200mm f/1.8L with a 30D body. I shot at 200 ISO at 1/320th @ f/1.8. While my field of view was exactly the same as a 320mm lens, it was still a 200mm f/1.8. Since that lens has VERY shallow DOF, it didn't matter as it still enabled me to shoot the main guy in the band and blow the rest of them out of focus even though they were standing right next to him. The 1DsMII stayed in the Domke for that shoot.
When I travel with the University of Tennessee football team to away games in the dark caves of the SEC and beyond (not mentioning any names), I make a huge sacrifice by shooting my 400mm f/2.8 instead of my beloved 600, and I'm often using a 30D as my main camera. This allows me to enjoy the field of view of a 640mm lens and still shoot at f/2.8. So I'm at 1250 ISO when my comrades are mostly shooting at 3200 or worse.
Similarly, when shooting track & field I bring all three types of cameras with me so I can choose the right field of view and DOF possible for each event and position. When shooting long jump with a busy background, I'm likely to use a 200mm lens when everyone else is shooting a 400 because I can half the distance to the subject and actually blow out the nasty chain-link-fence better. I'll shoot wide open at f/1.8 and use 4000th second in order to fully realize my lens/camera/DOF selection.
Just a few feet away from long jump, I might choose a shorter lens and teleconverter combo to give me more DOF in order to shoot multiple people going over the bar at different focus points. This will increase your DOF allowing for more "in focus" images. So your lens selection can work for you in reverse as well. You might be better off shooting a 30D with a 135mm (216mm) than a full-frame 1DsMII with a 200mm lens.
By Patrick Murphy-Racey
Anybody that's ever met me knows I'm a huge supporter and user of Canon's entire system of lenses and cameras. One of the greatest things about the current lineup of camera bodies is that you can choose from full-frame, 1.3x or 1.6x conversions depending on the size of the chip in the body you select.
The assignment I shot today is a great example of how I use all of Canon's bodies in various situations.
I had to shoot some lit food images on location in a theme park that I do a lot of work for here in Tennessee. I also had to shoot a popular Bluegrass band performance in the big theater on the park as well.
When shooting the food stuff, the combination of the EF24-70mm f/2.8L and the EOS 1Ds MII is unstoppable. When shooting food, especially close up, you have to be careful with carrying depth of field, and not distorting your images. Your field of view is different than your perspective. Using a 1.6x camera body with a 50mm lens doesn't make it an 80mm lens optically; it stays the same focal length. The only way to change a straight lens's optical characteristics is by adding an extension tube (which is a cool way to use a 200mm lens to shoot a tight portrait with a 12.5mm tube).
Full frame cameras really help you with distortion in a big way as they won't "bend up" things on the edges in the same way lenses made for smaller (1.5x and 1.6X) chips do. This is why you see so much distortion on the popular 17-85 and 18-55mm lenses that are actually 27-136mm and 29-88mm on the 1.6x chips bodies.
But later on this afternoon I had to shoot the Bluegrass band in a theater. What my client needs is really clean, sharp, and tight performance stuff, even though the theater is not lit that well. For me to give them a bunch of 1600 ISO noise shots wouldn't cut it. So, I used my trusty EF200mm f/1.8L with a 30D body. I shot at 200 ISO at 1/320th @ f/1.8. While my field of view was exactly the same as a 320mm lens, it was still a 200mm f/1.8. Since that lens has VERY shallow DOF, it didn't matter as it still enabled me to shoot the main guy in the band and blow the rest of them out of focus even though they were standing right next to him. The 1DsMII stayed in the Domke for that shoot.
When I travel with the University of Tennessee football team to away games in the dark caves of the SEC and beyond (not mentioning any names), I make a huge sacrifice by shooting my 400mm f/2.8 instead of my beloved 600, and I'm often using a 30D as my main camera. This allows me to enjoy the field of view of a 640mm lens and still shoot at f/2.8. So I'm at 1250 ISO when my comrades are mostly shooting at 3200 or worse.
Similarly, when shooting track & field I bring all three types of cameras with me so I can choose the right field of view and DOF possible for each event and position. When shooting long jump with a busy background, I'm likely to use a 200mm lens when everyone else is shooting a 400 because I can half the distance to the subject and actually blow out the nasty chain-link-fence better. I'll shoot wide open at f/1.8 and use 4000th second in order to fully realize my lens/camera/DOF selection.
Just a few feet away from long jump, I might choose a shorter lens and teleconverter combo to give me more DOF in order to shoot multiple people going over the bar at different focus points. This will increase your DOF allowing for more "in focus" images. So your lens selection can work for you in reverse as well. You might be better off shooting a 30D with a 135mm (216mm) than a full-frame 1DsMII with a 200mm lens.
So, for those of you that don't take 20/30D bodies seriously, don't think of them as bad remote cameras or too slow for football. See them in another reality as new teleconverters that will allow you to expand your lens selections in all your shoots and that will help you take better control of your environs wherever you find yourself on location.
Last, for those of you that haven't shot full-frame since they took your film away at the paper, do yourself a favor and borrow one sometime and just shoot a simple portrait with an 85mm lens. You'll be blown away with how everything looks in both the viewfinder (think 60 inch plasma) and in your final images. As we hear in increasing numbers the rumors of the next round of new bodies from Canon, I can't wait! I'm hoping for a 1.4 gigawatt chip in a full frame, 12 fps body with a non-blurring 1/500th flash sync speed. But for now, as basketball approaches, I'm all about the Rebel Xti with its 10 MP chip and "elcheapo" price tag for bolting onto the backstop. Combine an Xti with the 18-55 zoom, and you've got a big file remote camera with almost the whole arena in focus.
(Patrick Murphy-Racey is a freelance photographer based near Knoxville, TN. You can see examples of his work at his SportsShooter.com member page: http://www.sportsshooter.com/pmrphoto and his personal website: http://pmrphoto.com.)
Hell Freezes Over Š Or How I
Now Shoot Video (Sometimes)
By Chuck Liddy, The Raleigh News & Observer
Hitler hit Satan in the back of the head with a snowball.
They're both going ice-skating later.
Yep ... Hell has frozen over, and it ain't all that bad.
After 32 years of capturing moments with still cameras a few weeks ago I was handed a Sony HDV video camera and set loose at select high school football games on Friday nights.
Yeah, I know, I said it "Hell would freeze over before I'll ever shoot video" but I'm actually starting to have fun.
Okay, I'll be honest it wasn't all that much fun to be handed a video camera on a Friday at about 6 pm and told: "This is the button you push to record. Don't mess with any of the settings." It felt really weird to walk into the stadium with this pint-sized camera, I was really self conscious and felt like hiding. But several of the still photographers at the game were supportive --- or maybe they just felt sorry for the old guy with a camera he knew nothing about --- and made it seem like an adventure.
I promptly started shooting video as the one of the school's marching band made their grand entrance onto the field and that's all I was shooting, video...no sound...ooops! Need to turn on the external microphone.
So now it's game time and I still think it totally sucks. But as still photographer's we have to contend with horrible light at most night football games (including college) but digital video cameras need less light and VIOLA! hey this ain't so bad after all, this stuff looks pretty good.
Following the action is a little tricky at first, I mean there is no moving the camera away from your face and tracking a play, then getting back on it. Nope you do that and you're likely to have video of the sky, ground, grandstands or your arm (don't ask).
Another problem is making comments while the tape is rolling. Like messing up while zooming and saying "S*@t, what the f@$k are you doing you idiot?" Ah, nope it comes out REALLY loud on the tape, since that microphone is now turned ON.
So I make it through the first half without getting run over by a testosterone jacked teenager weighing over 200 pounds, smacked in the head by a flying cheerleader or impaled by one of the flag corps spinning flag thingies.
Okay, I'll break here for a moment and give some background details. I actually started my career shooting high school football in the fall of 1974 at Orange Park High School in Florida. There was no noble cause in shooting the games. I had graduated from OPHS that spring and was still in town. A lot of my best friends, including my brother still played football and I wanted to get into the games free. The first Friday of the season I grabbed my dad's Yashica Lynx-14 Rangefinder, walked into the stadium and acted like I knew what I was doing. I had less than remedial skills, but a hell of a lot of confidence, errr, make that over-confidence. I got two or three photos that night. The weekly newspaper reporter came up to me at the game and wanted to know if my photos were any good and I told him, "Of course they are what the hell do you think I'm doing out here?"
By Chuck Liddy, The Raleigh News & Observer
Hitler hit Satan in the back of the head with a snowball.
They're both going ice-skating later.
Yep ... Hell has frozen over, and it ain't all that bad.
After 32 years of capturing moments with still cameras a few weeks ago I was handed a Sony HDV video camera and set loose at select high school football games on Friday nights.
Yeah, I know, I said it "Hell would freeze over before I'll ever shoot video" but I'm actually starting to have fun.
Okay, I'll be honest it wasn't all that much fun to be handed a video camera on a Friday at about 6 pm and told: "This is the button you push to record. Don't mess with any of the settings." It felt really weird to walk into the stadium with this pint-sized camera, I was really self conscious and felt like hiding. But several of the still photographers at the game were supportive --- or maybe they just felt sorry for the old guy with a camera he knew nothing about --- and made it seem like an adventure.
I promptly started shooting video as the one of the school's marching band made their grand entrance onto the field and that's all I was shooting, video...no sound...ooops! Need to turn on the external microphone.
So now it's game time and I still think it totally sucks. But as still photographer's we have to contend with horrible light at most night football games (including college) but digital video cameras need less light and VIOLA! hey this ain't so bad after all, this stuff looks pretty good.
Following the action is a little tricky at first, I mean there is no moving the camera away from your face and tracking a play, then getting back on it. Nope you do that and you're likely to have video of the sky, ground, grandstands or your arm (don't ask).
Another problem is making comments while the tape is rolling. Like messing up while zooming and saying "S*@t, what the f@$k are you doing you idiot?" Ah, nope it comes out REALLY loud on the tape, since that microphone is now turned ON.
So I make it through the first half without getting run over by a testosterone jacked teenager weighing over 200 pounds, smacked in the head by a flying cheerleader or impaled by one of the flag corps spinning flag thingies.
Okay, I'll break here for a moment and give some background details. I actually started my career shooting high school football in the fall of 1974 at Orange Park High School in Florida. There was no noble cause in shooting the games. I had graduated from OPHS that spring and was still in town. A lot of my best friends, including my brother still played football and I wanted to get into the games free. The first Friday of the season I grabbed my dad's Yashica Lynx-14 Rangefinder, walked into the stadium and acted like I knew what I was doing. I had less than remedial skills, but a hell of a lot of confidence, errr, make that over-confidence. I got two or three photos that night. The weekly newspaper reporter came up to me at the game and wanted to know if my photos were any good and I told him, "Of course they are what the hell do you think I'm doing out here?"
A career is born.
Fast-forward 32 years.
The News & Observer wants to shake things up. We're already doing lots of online stuff. Scott Sharpe has been doing an online slide/sound program for years entitled "Postcards from the Road". In recent months everyone has been jumping on the slideshow programs with Joe Weiss' Soundslides program making it easy enough for, well, even me to do it.
The video was the logical next step. I had tried some video with a little point & shoot Canon S2 while on assignment in Afghanistan in May of 2005. It was mostly stuff shot as we rode along in the back of the open Humvee showing the countryside and such.
I struggled on my own while covering Duke basketball early this year to do a project with sound, stills and video of the famed Cameron Crazies which was edited in iMovie and got mixed reviews. May of this year while working on a coastal development project I spent seven hours with a commercial crabber and took the S2 with me and was very pleased with the results. That led to video interviews of principals involved in the coastal series. Which in turn led to "Chuck, we want you to be part of a new team to run with this video."
Scott Sharpe now has a new title. I think it's like "the tall, handsome, muscular multimedia head guru " (he made me write that...honest). To be truthful it hasn't been smooth. We jumped into this not just to be ahead of the curve, we wanted to beat the pitch itself (baseball analogy). Little did we know the computers we had didn't have the juice to edit video at a speed, which often times seemed to be going backwards. Computers were crashing more than a gaggle of cars at a demolition derby.
But the videos got online. And we're getting better. It went from taking five hours of post - production work the first week to now a more manageable two hours and getting better as we go along. We now post about 10-12 clips from the first half of two games a week. And they're online by midnight Friday. So the kids (or parents) can get home and see the clips BEFORE they go to bed or the paper comes out.
And it is fun.
Keep in mind, video is not stills. But we do bring a new vision to the table. Some of that stuff that everyone who has shot stills sees. "Boy that sucked as a still but wow it would make great video." Well, now it's a brave new world out there. No I haven't lost my mind, well not completely, but this is a new tool and offers some new opportunities. I'm not even close to dropping my Nikon's and going gaga over video but there are some enticing things that video has to offer.
After only three weeks of shooting video I have found my ability to follow pass plays in the college ball I cover has improved dramatically. I mean I'm no Bob Leverone, Bob Rosato, or Bob Seale (The BOB's) but I have seen improvement in that aspect of my still game.
And I'm having some fun. Isn't that what it's all about anyway?
For a look at the prep football videos on the News & Observer website:
http://www.newsobserver.com/1294/story/492430.html
(Chuck Liddy is a staff photojournalist at the News & Observer in Raleigh, NC. He is the president of the North Carolina Press Photographers Association and is currently working on his acceptance speech for the Emmy Awards. You can check out his still work at his SportsShooter.com member page: http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=993.)
THE INTERN
DIARIES
(Editor's note: At the end of each summer, it has been a tradition at the Sports Shooter Newsletter to have several students share their experiences working at an internship.)
(Editor's note: At the end of each summer, it has been a tradition at the Sports Shooter Newsletter to have several students share their experiences working at an internship.)
Atlanta Journal Constitution
"Whether it was a
portrait series of nudists or the best 11 high school football players
in the state - I had a blast and the help of everyone that could give
me a hand."
By Pouya Dianat
It's been five weeks since I set the sight of the Peachtree City in my rearview mirror. I'm sitting in my office at The Diamondback at the University of Maryland. (Ray Charles' Georgia on my mind is set to loop on my iTunes for some sweet, sweet Southern inspiration until I finish writing this)
It's been five weeks since I set the sight of the Peachtree City in my rearview mirror. I'm sitting in my office at The Diamondback at the University of Maryland. (Ray Charles' Georgia on my mind is set to loop on my iTunes for some sweet, sweet Southern inspiration until I finish writing this)
I was given more opportunities at the AJC than I ever thought possible at an internship. I did everything from the high school football portraits to as many Braves games that I could fit in after a full day of work to soldiers leaving on the day before the Fourth of July.
The editors were all watching out for me - making sure I didn't die among other things. I was fortunate enough to be with a staff of editors and photographers that all wanted to help me.
Whether it was a portrait series of nudists or the best 11 high school football players in the state - I had a blast and the help of everyone that could give me a hand.
During the two weeks I worked on the "Super 11" I had the help of half of the people in that office. I had come up with the theme of "Earth, Wind, Fire and Water - the Four Elements". Sports photo editor David Tulis and assignment editor Kent Johnson sold the idea to the sports department and I set off.
The first two shoots took me down to Sapelo Island, Ga. where I met a young man, Allen Bailey who took a ferry (operated by his father) to school everyday. I had the help of my buddy and AJC staffer Elissa Eubanks. Together we mucked out to the apparently alligator-ridden water (SorryŠreally, I am) where she held a reflector for me as I took his portrait.
The days got wilder after that - using 4 bottles of rubber cement to light a ball on fire, digging up red clay and sifting the rocks out in the parking lot of Bank of America to make mud, and dumping gallons of water on these athletes.
In the end I was able to walk away with a cool set of photos.
The scariest moment of the summer, however, had to be when I was getting my 400 mm home plate remote camera down from the roof of Turner Field. Everything was fine until that trusty Canon strap broke on one end. Whether it was my good looks or my cat-like reflexes, I'm still not sure, but in some acrobatic mid-air feat I flew backwards with one foot firmly grasping the ladder rung, I just barely hung on to it up there atop Turner Field.
My shooting during the summer got better, I didn't do as well as I wanted to on every assignment, but I set my goal to walk away from every single assignment I did (both then and now) with one thing that I can improve on for the next assignment.
Also at first the 15 hours a week of gardening and babysitting at my mentor Ben Gray's house seemed a bit weird, but I guess it all made sense in the end - just kidding.
Ben was awesome - he constantly was willing to help me out and give me equipment if I needed to borrow anything from him, as was the rest of the staff Š despite my track record with cameras, two perished in the water of New Orleans during Katrina as I fell in the water and one was stolen. Anyone finds that 1D Mark II gets a reward!
I think that was the most important part of the summer - support. The AJC staff helped me out countless times, and that's clutch at an internship.
The assignments were plentiful and the editors gave me a lot of good stuff to work.
When I was assigned a nudist resort and told to have as much fun with it as I wanted to - I followed through on instructions. I essentially made a portrait booth inside of Paradise Valley's bar and lit the area to make some portraits of families at the resort.
Convincing the 8 groups to pose took two trips, but I had a blast talking to the people. They were pretty chill, and despite a few offers to do 'erotic photography' from a few of the older visitors I had a good time.
Some of the other better assignments from this summer included three days covering a professional volleyball tournament (got to see Misty May and Kerri Walsh), doing local world cup reaction (at a Muslim African pizzeria) and learning how to do portraits better than I have before.
I pushed myself most with the three portrait series I did. The first one of former Olympic athletes was a disappointment because I didn't live up to what I was trying to do. I took those lessons and put them towards the ones that followed afterwards.
I think the words of D.O.P. Chris Stanfield on the first day: "Get out there, kick butt and don't apologize for it" and the words of staffer John Spink: "Just be a great person and try to make great pictures, don't worry about getting famous" were the best two pieces of advice to bookend the internship.
The most important thing that I'm going to take away is how a little work can take a person far along with a good attitude. I'm also going to be sure to give back one day since I've always been lucky enough to have a bunch of people help me out.
A word to all the students who are photojournalists without a program like Jim McNay wrote about a few days ago: You have to seek out help through internships and local photographers. I wouldn't be doing anything if it wasn't for all the photographers that helped me out and continue to do so.
Big thanks to D.O.P. Chris Stanfield, editors Kent Johnson, Celine Bufkin, Levette Bagwell, Minla Shields, Dave Tulis and Michael McCarter and staffers Ben Gray, Brant Sanderlin, Bita Honarvar. Joey Ivansco, Mikki Harris, Elissa Eubanks, Rich Addicks, Curtis Compton and all the other staffers that took out the time to help me this summer. Special thanks to my 2 a.m. late night Instant Messengers buds who always gave me some advice through out the summer: Mark Rebilas, Kevin German and Bob Rosato.
(Pouya Dianat is the managing editor and a staff photographer at The Diamondback, the University of Maryland's independent student newspaper. You can view his SportsShooter.com member page at: http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=3732.)
Omaha World-Herald and The Palm Beach
Post
"Photojournalism
internships offer some of the best ways to develop your craft and also
to grow as a person."
By Alyssa Schukar
I'm a little bit of a nomad. In the past three years, I've moved seven times. You're probably thinking that I'm a glutton for punishment. The truth is that for all of the irritation, pulled muscles and strain caused by these moves, I managed to have three of the most memorable years to date because four of those moves have involved internships, sometimes across the country.
Photojournalism internships offer some of the best ways to develop your craft and also to grow as a person. I've found that when I move to a new part of the country, a new culture, new sights and new opportunities surround me. These things always appear a little sharper when I'm in a new situation, especially one that is so different from what I'm used to.
I have been blessed with the opportunity this year to do two internships back-to-back. The first was over the summer at the Omaha World-Herald in Nebraska, and the second, which I recently started, is at the Palm Beach Post in southern Florida.
I wanted to do back-to-back internships for a number of reasons. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people and seeing new parts of the country. Also, the more experience I can gain while I'm still able to move to new locations, the more equipped I will be to do good work when I finally settle down in February (cross your fingers!) for a job.
Having worked nearby while in school, I was already familiar with the photographers and editors at the World-Herald, so my editor, Craig Chandler, tossed me into the shooting rotation immediately. In fact, my first two days were spent shooting the Nebraska High School State Track and Field Championships. I had a blast.
Later in the summer, I was given the opportunity to photograph President Bush, the College World-Series, and a story on a world-class power lifter. I have found that I do best when I'm under pressure to succeed, and the World-Herald gave me many different opportunities to do so throughout the summer.
Internships are adventures in a lot of ways. Newspapers in particular offer opportunities to be exposed to situations I would have otherwise never seen, so the more situations I can encounter, the better I am for them.
For example, at the Palm Beach Post, I was assigned to shoot a triathlon. I set four alarms for 5:30 in the morning and sprang out of bed, weary-eyed but excited to see the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean. (They have an ocean here!)
Less than two weeks later, I was sent on a three-day trip to Gainesville, where a reporter and I covered Tom Petty as he played with the Heartbreakers in his hometown.
Though I am still fresh-faced at the Palm Beach Post, I am excited to see how the fall develops. In addition to being surrounded by some great photographers, I am excited to take advantage of opportunities to further my education. For example, editor John Lopinot is helping me develop my multimedia skills.
I have to admit that I'm a little sad that my internship career is coming to an end. I have really lucked out with the caliber of people I've been able to work with, and I owe large amounts of gratitude to these photographers. They have helped the experiences become meaningful and lasting.
(Alyssa Schukar is a recent graduate of the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. You can view her work at: http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=289.)
Santa Fe New Mexican
"For me, working as an
intern was like being in boot camp. I didn't do any earth-shattering
work, but I showed up everyday and learned more that short period than
I ever had before."
By Susánica Tam
So I usually consider myself pretty level-headed, but while I was an intern at The Santa Fe New Mexican, I managed to leave my camera at an assignment, to get in a car accident, to fall asleep on the first day of work (it's tiring to adapt to the altitude), to cry in the newsroom (I never cry), to drop a Dyna-Light (I never told anyone), to get kicked out of an assignment (on an Indian Reservation), and even to drive to the wrong city for a shoot. And that was only in the first two months.
I arrived in Santa Fe on a Wednesday evening in January and almost barreled completely through town before I realized that I had already gotten to my destination. It was a quiet place, cold, and at night, I saw none of the purple skies, southwestern cacti, or fabulous eateries that everyone pretended to knowingly rave about when they heard I was going there.
The next morning I showed up early at work, but the DP, Clyde Mueller, was away in the Ukraine giving an Important Talk, so my dressing up didn't impress anyone. But from the get-go, I was treated like a staffer. Within the first week, I had an A-1 photo. I worked hard to catch up. In the beginning, I showed up at the other photogs' night assignments after I had finished my day shifts, so I could filch their trade secrets. I didn't want to be the squeaky wheel with the horrid, unlit, high-school-gym exposures.
For me, working as an intern was like being in boot camp. I didn't do any earth-shattering work, but I showed up everyday and learned more that short period than I ever had before. Whenever I thought I was getting used to shooting, I always got a new challenge handed to me. Although I was terrified I was going to screw it up, it was satisfying to see progress and know that I could do better with each attempt I made.
The first time I was told I had to drive to Albuquerque to shoot and transmit a baseball game, I was so nervous, I had to quell the rising vomit all the way there. I clutched another staffer's borrowed laptop, convinced that I would be missing some vital piece of gear and fail to be able to send my images. As it turns out, later in the season, I actually did forget a card reader, but by then, I knew the other photogs and swiped one from someone else. Another quirk of the Santa Fe internship is that the intern works on Sundays. Alone. While everyone else has the day off, it becomes the intern's chance to shine (or get screwed). I got to work on my people skills, in some areas where cameras weren't the most welcome. I shot a powwow one day, only to have an irate parent call the paper the next day about her child's photo appearing in it, (even though she herself had given me the caption info), and my editor dealt with it. It felt a good to know that they believed in me and stood behind me.
Some of my Sundays were truly glorious, others were just plain tiring. On the third anniversary of the Iraq War, I drove two hours to a rural town to photograph families who had lost their sons. The assignments ranged from hard news to the absurd, but at the very least, Sundays could be colorful. Santa Fe has all sorts of festivals involving members of town dressing up, parading, and occasionally, burning things.
There was also the grand opening of the rainbow retirement center where elderly gay couples go to live. Another weekend was the Fiesta Queen procession where the church crowns a Don Diego and there is a royal march of sorts coming from the famous St. Francis Cathedral (which, this year, turned into a downpour and a flooding rainstorm midway through). Occasionally, I would even get to venture off into local rock-climbing areas and shoot my own familiar projects where I felt at ease.
So I usually consider myself pretty level-headed, but while I was an intern at The Santa Fe New Mexican, I managed to leave my camera at an assignment, to get in a car accident, to fall asleep on the first day of work (it's tiring to adapt to the altitude), to cry in the newsroom (I never cry), to drop a Dyna-Light (I never told anyone), to get kicked out of an assignment (on an Indian Reservation), and even to drive to the wrong city for a shoot. And that was only in the first two months.
I arrived in Santa Fe on a Wednesday evening in January and almost barreled completely through town before I realized that I had already gotten to my destination. It was a quiet place, cold, and at night, I saw none of the purple skies, southwestern cacti, or fabulous eateries that everyone pretended to knowingly rave about when they heard I was going there.
The next morning I showed up early at work, but the DP, Clyde Mueller, was away in the Ukraine giving an Important Talk, so my dressing up didn't impress anyone. But from the get-go, I was treated like a staffer. Within the first week, I had an A-1 photo. I worked hard to catch up. In the beginning, I showed up at the other photogs' night assignments after I had finished my day shifts, so I could filch their trade secrets. I didn't want to be the squeaky wheel with the horrid, unlit, high-school-gym exposures.
For me, working as an intern was like being in boot camp. I didn't do any earth-shattering work, but I showed up everyday and learned more that short period than I ever had before. Whenever I thought I was getting used to shooting, I always got a new challenge handed to me. Although I was terrified I was going to screw it up, it was satisfying to see progress and know that I could do better with each attempt I made.
The first time I was told I had to drive to Albuquerque to shoot and transmit a baseball game, I was so nervous, I had to quell the rising vomit all the way there. I clutched another staffer's borrowed laptop, convinced that I would be missing some vital piece of gear and fail to be able to send my images. As it turns out, later in the season, I actually did forget a card reader, but by then, I knew the other photogs and swiped one from someone else. Another quirk of the Santa Fe internship is that the intern works on Sundays. Alone. While everyone else has the day off, it becomes the intern's chance to shine (or get screwed). I got to work on my people skills, in some areas where cameras weren't the most welcome. I shot a powwow one day, only to have an irate parent call the paper the next day about her child's photo appearing in it, (even though she herself had given me the caption info), and my editor dealt with it. It felt a good to know that they believed in me and stood behind me.
Some of my Sundays were truly glorious, others were just plain tiring. On the third anniversary of the Iraq War, I drove two hours to a rural town to photograph families who had lost their sons. The assignments ranged from hard news to the absurd, but at the very least, Sundays could be colorful. Santa Fe has all sorts of festivals involving members of town dressing up, parading, and occasionally, burning things.
There was also the grand opening of the rainbow retirement center where elderly gay couples go to live. Another weekend was the Fiesta Queen procession where the church crowns a Don Diego and there is a royal march of sorts coming from the famous St. Francis Cathedral (which, this year, turned into a downpour and a flooding rainstorm midway through). Occasionally, I would even get to venture off into local rock-climbing areas and shoot my own familiar projects where I felt at ease.
At first, I felt shy in the newsroom, and anyone who works there will tell you that the photo department has its eccentricities. When I got there, I felt like there were people with whom I had absolutely nothing in common. Strangely enough though, I found after a while that I not only had a lot of respect for my colleagues, but I actually genuinely liked everyone.
After six months of being gone, it was time for me to leave. I sat at the ritualistic going-away dinner at the Cowgirl BBQ and Western Grill (where else?), this time in my honor, and grinned at all the funny stories that were now mine. For once, I felt like I could relax. Everything was so familiar, I couldn't imagine leaving. There was something about the afternoon thunderstorms, and the way the air smells. Over there, they call it the Land of Enchantment, but it's also known as the Land of Entrapment.
A few mornings later, I got off the freeway in Los Angeles.
To all my fellow photogs and co-workers, thank you for your patience, your guidance, and for standing back and letting me stumble and find my way. I miss you guys!
(Susánica Tam is a recent graduate of the
University of Southern California. You can view her work at:
http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=4239.)
Assisting Jack Gruber
"That's one of things
that I love about assisting, getting to observe photographers like
Jack work has taught me and helped me so much
Š"
By Jordan Murph
(Editor's note: A student doesn't have to work at an internship over the summer to learn and grow as a photographer and person. Simply assisting a photographer with an assignment will teach them things that aren't in a school textbook.)
Summer 2006 was the best summer ever. I say this for various reasons, and one of those reasons was the coolest trip that I have ever been on in my short life. I had the amazing opportunity to assist USA TODAY staff photographer Jack Gruber across 2,500 miles the American West as he covered professional team ropers during Cowboy Christmas.
But this Christmas in the middle of the summer is the week leading up to the fourth of July holiday when there are dozens of rodeos going on across the country and cowboys travel thousands of miles to compete in as many of them as they can in that short period of time. Needless to say, I was pretty excited. Actually, I was stoked! I worked everything out with Jack and USA TODAY director of photography Mick Cochran, picked up some last minute supplies, said goodbye to my girlfriend, and less than 48 hours later I was on a flight to Phoenix, AZ where the journey would be begin.
I sat on the p*** on my way to Phoenix and realized that I had no idea where the heck I would be going, sleeping, or eating for the next week. I admit that I was pretty nervous, but I had never been so excited too. Jack picked me up in our ride and home for the next week, a Dodge Durango. We headed into Phoenix and had dinner with cool dude Rob Schumacher from the Arizona Republic. I started learning from the very get-go of the trip. I learned so much by just listening to Rob and Jack's stories about the business, assignments, and past Olympic games. After dinner and a grand tour of the Arizona Republic's newsroom (no other newsroom has a view like theirs!), Jack and I bid farewell to Rob and we headed to the Super Wal-Mart to load up the Durango with supplies for the next week.
I learned that many of Jack's assignments begin like this: Loading up on supplies because he is often on the road and traveling for his assignments. We picked up lots of snacks and drinks for the road, and things like air mattresses, pillows, handy wipes, and other items that I never would have thought of. Jack is often in the middle of nowhere covering assignments across the world and I learned that good preparation helps a lot in the end.
The next morning we began our trek north to Prescott, AZ where we were scheduled to meet the cowboys at the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo, which claims to be the oldest rodeo in the country). Being on this week-long trip, I got to ask Jack all sorts of questions and it was awesome getting to listen to stories about assignments across the country and world. That's one of things that I love about assisting, getting to observe photographers like Jack work has taught me and helped me so much, but just getting to ask questions and getting to listen to cool stories are amazing learning opportunities and just plain cool to hear.
(Editor's note: A student doesn't have to work at an internship over the summer to learn and grow as a photographer and person. Simply assisting a photographer with an assignment will teach them things that aren't in a school textbook.)
Summer 2006 was the best summer ever. I say this for various reasons, and one of those reasons was the coolest trip that I have ever been on in my short life. I had the amazing opportunity to assist USA TODAY staff photographer Jack Gruber across 2,500 miles the American West as he covered professional team ropers during Cowboy Christmas.
But this Christmas in the middle of the summer is the week leading up to the fourth of July holiday when there are dozens of rodeos going on across the country and cowboys travel thousands of miles to compete in as many of them as they can in that short period of time. Needless to say, I was pretty excited. Actually, I was stoked! I worked everything out with Jack and USA TODAY director of photography Mick Cochran, picked up some last minute supplies, said goodbye to my girlfriend, and less than 48 hours later I was on a flight to Phoenix, AZ where the journey would be begin.
I sat on the p*** on my way to Phoenix and realized that I had no idea where the heck I would be going, sleeping, or eating for the next week. I admit that I was pretty nervous, but I had never been so excited too. Jack picked me up in our ride and home for the next week, a Dodge Durango. We headed into Phoenix and had dinner with cool dude Rob Schumacher from the Arizona Republic. I started learning from the very get-go of the trip. I learned so much by just listening to Rob and Jack's stories about the business, assignments, and past Olympic games. After dinner and a grand tour of the Arizona Republic's newsroom (no other newsroom has a view like theirs!), Jack and I bid farewell to Rob and we headed to the Super Wal-Mart to load up the Durango with supplies for the next week.
I learned that many of Jack's assignments begin like this: Loading up on supplies because he is often on the road and traveling for his assignments. We picked up lots of snacks and drinks for the road, and things like air mattresses, pillows, handy wipes, and other items that I never would have thought of. Jack is often in the middle of nowhere covering assignments across the world and I learned that good preparation helps a lot in the end.
The next morning we began our trek north to Prescott, AZ where we were scheduled to meet the cowboys at the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo, which claims to be the oldest rodeo in the country). Being on this week-long trip, I got to ask Jack all sorts of questions and it was awesome getting to listen to stories about assignments across the country and world. That's one of things that I love about assisting, getting to observe photographers like Jack work has taught me and helped me so much, but just getting to ask questions and getting to listen to cool stories are amazing learning opportunities and just plain cool to hear.
The next morning we headed back to the rodeo grounds and we met Jack's subjects, professional team ropers Shain Sproul, Cory Petska, Cesar Dela Cruz, and Colter Todd. We would be spending almost a week with these guys and Jack wasted no time and quickly got to work getting to know the guys and taking pictures. Later that afternoon we followed the four cowboys, who all travel together in a pickup along with their horses in a trailer, out of town en-route to the next rodeo which was the following morning about 300 miles away in Window Rock, AZ.
We camped that night in Holbrook, AZ and shortly after sunrise the next morning we were off to Window Rock where the cowboys competed once again. By noon we were back on the interstate heading east to Albuquerque, NM and then on to Livingston, Montana 1,100 miles to the north.
I slept most of the way through Colorado and I woke up just as we were coming into a truck stop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The cowboys had stopped to fill up the gas tanks as well as walk and water their horses. I livened up and took the reigns of the Durango and Jack got back to work shooting pictures. One of the best parts of the trip was having the opportunity to observe Jack while he worked for a whole week. Here I was, a nobody kid who grew up on an island in the middle of an ocean, and I am at this truck stop at midnight a world away from home and I was watching one of the best photographers in the business do his work. Jack had been driving for almost seven hours straight while I was resting up, and still he was crawling on top of the cowboys' trailer and following the horses around the parking lot shooting pictures. It just got me thinking about listening to photographers complaining about this or that, I learned a little lesson about laziness that night.
We headed north again around 1 am, this time I was driving while Jack took a well-deserved nap. After a night of avoiding at least a hundred rabbits and a couple dozen dear that were mesmerized by our headlights, including the biggest dear I had ever seen in my life that almost caused the cowboys and ourselves to wreck, the sun was peeking over the horizon as we left Wyoming behind and entered Montana before arriving in Livingston a few hours later that morning for the last day we would be spending with the cowboys.
This was to be our last day with the cowboys, and Jack and I would be leaving that day after their runs in the Livingston Roundup Rodeo. The highlight of that day was when Shain gave me one of his custom cowboy hats that he wore in competition. I was so excited and I wore it all day long at the rodeo. That afternoon as the cowboys packed up to head to another rodeo Jack and I had to say goodbye to our new friends. Jack meets new people every week and spends time earning their trust to make compelling pictures and to tell a story. It really sucks having to leave so quickly, and Jack said it's sad because when the time is up and you must say goodbye, that's just about the time when the subjects have accepted and stopped paying attention to you. Not only that, but you have to say goodbye to your new friends.
That afternoon we headed down to Cody, WY and spent the night. Early the next morning before sunrise I said goodbye to my boss and mentor for the past week as I began my drive down to Salt Lake City, Utah to return our Durango and catch my flight back home. Jack was still editing his photos from the past week and would be turning them in by deadline at noon that day before flying back home out of Cody. The drive to Salt Lake was about ten hours long but I got to pass through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and see more of our beautiful country, which was totally awesome.
I learn something new every time I get to
assist. This assisting gig was six days long and was a documentary
project, something that I had never done before. It was all new
territory for me. I learned so much while having a ton of fun in the
six days I was able to help Jack. Important things I learned that
stand out in my mind:
1. Always treat those you are working with
and your subjects the utmost respect.
2. Documentary projects like this require a
lot of planning and having things set up ahead of time is
important.
3. Don't take a pro DSLR into the Sizzler
if your waitress is a photo student.
4. It's all about the subject, not about
YOU!
5. Make sure that you check "Shortest
Time" and not "Shortest Distance" when you use
MapQuest. It makes a BIG difference on a 500 mile, ten hour long drive
through the mountains. Trust me, I learned the hard way.
6. The actual process of planning a big
documentary project, to interacting with subjects, shooting pictures,
editing, and finishing.
7. Patience really is a
virtue.
8. Blueberry Pop-Tarts and Dr. Pepper=the
best combo ever for a road trip.
As I was picking up my bag at the baggage claim back in Ontario, CA wearing my big cowboy hat, I couldn't believe that I had just spent the past week driving 2,500 miles with Jack Gruber across the American West taking pictures of cowboys and seeing our beautiful country.
I am such a rookie and documentary photography was something that I had no experience or real knowledge of before the trip. I was able to learn so much by just getting to observe a fantastic photographer working and interacting with his subjects, which is something I could never have learned from a book or a class. It definitely wasn't your everyday assisting gig. In fact, the only real work I did was drive. Butt sure is a great summer story and I got a lot more out of it than I ever could have hoped. One word sums it up: Yeehaw!
Mahalo nui loa to Jack, USA TODAY, The Kahuna, and Cory, Cesar, Colter, and especially Shain for a trip I'll never forget.
Links:
Cowboy Christmas Story:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-02-cowboy-christmas_x.htm
Cowboy Christmas Slideshow: http://www.usatoday.com/news/2006/070306_cowboy/flash.htm
(Jordan Murph is a senior at the University of Hawaii. He will be on the staff of the upcoming Sports Shooter Academy assisting the faculty at that educational event. To look at his work, check his SportsShooter.com member page: http://www.sportsshooter.com/members.html?id=2871.)
PREACHING TO THE CHOIR:
Feeling Photosynthesis
By Paul Myers, Brooks Institute of
Photography
In the forward to Photosynthesis: A simple guide to the magic of photography, Mary Jo Moss writes that the author's words and photographs, his work shared with us, is that of the lovingness of a gentle man. Reading this it would be easy to misinterpret the profundity of her words and imagine that the book you were about to read is a cool drink of water for the soul. And so it seems at first glance as there are no pictures of despair, destruction, social ills or war and the words are spoken in the quiet and dedicated voice of a patient journeyman storyteller. No, this is not the case as this book takes us for a walk down a burning path towards the possibility of enlightenment living a photographic life.
You could say this is a book about legacy. Bryan Moss's legacy as a husband, father, grandfather, son, citizen of Southern Indiana, an editor and a photojournalist. A legacy visible by the torchlight of the photographic predecessors he carries forward as well as through his pictures and those of his protégées in our community of photojournalism and the continuum of its history.
Of legacy I would tell you that which has been passed down to me by my teachers and of these teachers themselves. My teachers have brought me into the warmth of their experience and shared with me the wealth of possibilities that a documentary photographer, a human being, is presented while traveling down this path. Whether teachers of photography who from the first were the strongest influences in my life or teachers of language, passion, love and solitude... these teachers make me all that I am and all that I am capable of being. They showed me how to tie my shoes before I knew I had feet. They bathed me before I knew I was dirty. They gave me eyes to fly before I knew of these soaring heights. They presented me with miracles and I laughed aloud when I saw them everywhere, in everything, in everyone, even in me. They gave me love and I wasted it away. They gave me truth. Please, take it from me.
In the forward to Photosynthesis: A simple guide to the magic of photography, Mary Jo Moss writes that the author's words and photographs, his work shared with us, is that of the lovingness of a gentle man. Reading this it would be easy to misinterpret the profundity of her words and imagine that the book you were about to read is a cool drink of water for the soul. And so it seems at first glance as there are no pictures of despair, destruction, social ills or war and the words are spoken in the quiet and dedicated voice of a patient journeyman storyteller. No, this is not the case as this book takes us for a walk down a burning path towards the possibility of enlightenment living a photographic life.
You could say this is a book about legacy. Bryan Moss's legacy as a husband, father, grandfather, son, citizen of Southern Indiana, an editor and a photojournalist. A legacy visible by the torchlight of the photographic predecessors he carries forward as well as through his pictures and those of his protégées in our community of photojournalism and the continuum of its history.
Of legacy I would tell you that which has been passed down to me by my teachers and of these teachers themselves. My teachers have brought me into the warmth of their experience and shared with me the wealth of possibilities that a documentary photographer, a human being, is presented while traveling down this path. Whether teachers of photography who from the first were the strongest influences in my life or teachers of language, passion, love and solitude... these teachers make me all that I am and all that I am capable of being. They showed me how to tie my shoes before I knew I had feet. They bathed me before I knew I was dirty. They gave me eyes to fly before I knew of these soaring heights. They presented me with miracles and I laughed aloud when I saw them everywhere, in everything, in everyone, even in me. They gave me love and I wasted it away. They gave me truth. Please, take it from me.
He showed me this.
This swelling heartthrob undeniable.
Tears burn.
Howls bellows from the hollows of scared wounds.
Love.
Laughing and confused,
unable to go further.
There was no further
down the path that was never there.
There never was.
Only love.
Photosynthesis is a lover's howl, no matter how quietly and patiently Moss would have us receive his song. He is madly in love with humanity and shares this vision, this gift, with all who enter these pages. What other way is there to be a photojournalist in this world, anyway?
Photography is an act of human grace that when infused with love ranks among the miracles of humanity. Moss guides us to this simple grace through photographs and words. Each selected and presented to remind us of that creative fire bright within all who dare to see. With a deafening whisper he shows that by leaving yourself behind you find yourself in everyone and encounter true peace with humanity. Yes, this is one of the possibilities of photography, imagine.
With this same steady calm Moss cautions us of the wilderness of distractions in life that comfort us in our mediocrity. Especially insidious are those distractions of the chase: chasing the exception, the peak moment or the unique subject. After stoking this fire of self-evaluation Moss quenches us with an apt metaphor for humanity that he refers to as "On the banks." These banks are those shores of everyday life where possibilities are lush; indeed, each possibility a photographic revelation into the why of humanity. Please, come and sit here on the banks, if only to sit down and breathe. 10 seconds will do, just breath. Feel the rush of humanity's stories flowing through you towards the majesty of everyday experience. Breathing reminds us of our interconnectedness with all those who surround us, in those who we seek solace, with those who we share a rare air, through whom we attain our own inner peace.
It is in this gorgeous and solemn light that Moss gives us the possibility that a photograph is a revelation about humanity when the photographer howls in love.
(Paul Myers is a faculty member of the Visual Journalism Program at Brooks Institute of Photography in Ventura, CA. Prior to his arrival at Brooks, Myers worked for a variety of publications including newspapers in Freeport, IL and Marysville, CA.)
Fall Specials From Roberts
Distributors
By Jody Grober.
Greeting from Indy Š Home of the (still) undefeated Colts!
Canon has announced some new glass in the 50/1.2 and the 70-200/4.0 IS. Call me to get the details of the Canon rebate program starting October 15th. I guess announcements on new cameras will have wait until PMA (February)Š.
I have one Nikon D2X left at $3799.00, new in boxŠcall me for detailsŠD200 availability is vastly improved.
SanDisk has announced their Extreme III 12 Gb and 16 Gb cardsŠ.we have them on order nowŠcall us for the priceŠ..The Extreme IV are also in stock with their super fast readers.
Here is a very good article from a great recourse of friend of Roberts, Tom Ashe, about assigning or converting profiles to your images, check it out:
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/cp/olympus/technology/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003051994
Lexar has announced a great rebate program get details here:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/lexarrebates.html
Profoto has announced a new little sister to the 7B 1200ws battery system, the Profoto B600 battery packŠhere's the press release:
http://www.profoto-usa.com/news/press/
Epson's big announcement at Photokina is the new Stylus 3800 printerŠhere are the specsŠcall us to get on the list:
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/WideFormat/WideFormatDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=Overview&oid=-14081&category=Wide+Format+Printers
Think Tank Photo has starting filling our shelves with their Airport Security and a whole bunch of other new products. Here are the links to the new products and the Security is in stock:
Airport Acceleration:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10139
Airport Antidote:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10140
By Jody Grober.
Greeting from Indy Š Home of the (still) undefeated Colts!
Canon has announced some new glass in the 50/1.2 and the 70-200/4.0 IS. Call me to get the details of the Canon rebate program starting October 15th. I guess announcements on new cameras will have wait until PMA (February)Š.
I have one Nikon D2X left at $3799.00, new in boxŠcall me for detailsŠD200 availability is vastly improved.
SanDisk has announced their Extreme III 12 Gb and 16 Gb cardsŠ.we have them on order nowŠcall us for the priceŠ..The Extreme IV are also in stock with their super fast readers.
Here is a very good article from a great recourse of friend of Roberts, Tom Ashe, about assigning or converting profiles to your images, check it out:
http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/cp/olympus/technology/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003051994
Lexar has announced a great rebate program get details here:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/lexarrebates.html
Profoto has announced a new little sister to the 7B 1200ws battery system, the Profoto B600 battery packŠhere's the press release:
http://www.profoto-usa.com/news/press/
Epson's big announcement at Photokina is the new Stylus 3800 printerŠhere are the specsŠcall us to get on the list:
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/WideFormat/WideFormatDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&infoType=Overview&oid=-14081&category=Wide+Format+Printers
Think Tank Photo has starting filling our shelves with their Airport Security and a whole bunch of other new products. Here are the links to the new products and the Security is in stock:
Airport Acceleration:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10139
Airport Antidote:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10140
Glass Taxi:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10142
Airport Check in:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10144
Artificial Intelligence:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10146
Cable Management 50:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10148
(Roberts Distributors is located in Indianapolis, IN. Jonathan "Jody" Grober can be emailed at: jgrober@robertsimaging.com. To place an order, call: 1-800-726-5544. You can check out Roberts' online product catalog at: (http://www.robertsimaging.com.)
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10142
Airport Check in:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10144
Artificial Intelligence:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10146
Cable Management 50:
http://www.robertsimaging.com/cmItemDetail.jsp?pid=10148
(Roberts Distributors is located in Indianapolis, IN. Jonathan "Jody" Grober can be emailed at: jgrober@robertsimaging.com. To place an order, call: 1-800-726-5544. You can check out Roberts' online product catalog at: (http://www.robertsimaging.com.)
Talking The Series, The Super
Bowl and Penn Camera Specials
By Jeff Snyder
By Jeff Snyder
Ok, so here we are in October Š the World
Series is coming up before you know it, who will it be?? The ice
is slick for the NHL start, and NFL Football is going strong!
Ready for Super Bowl XLI? I am!
Ok, lots of new cool products to tell you
about...Photokina is Cologne, Germany just ended, and the photo world
is abuzz.
Canon
Canon has announced a very exciting "Cash BACK" Rebate
program! For example: Buy an EOS5D with a selected Lens or
Speedlite, and get a $600 CASH REBATE...The rebate program begins
10/15/06 and runs through 01/17/06. Call me or check our website for
all the details! It's time to make those end of the year purchases to
save some $$$.
Think Tank Photo
The much sought after Think Tank Airport
Security rolling cases are now back in stock. Think Tank has out
done themselves with the design of these new and very exciting
cases:
Airport Check In
Airport Check In
A full featured briefcase designed
specifically for photographers using rolling luggage, especially the
Airport Security. Holds up to a 17" laptop.
(My personal fave)
http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8172
The Glass Taxi http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8167
The Glass Taxi http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8167
A Convertible backpack/ shoulder bag that
will hold large lenses or a camera system. Holds up to a 500mm f4
lens, 300mm f2.8 lens with SLR attached, or
SLR with 70-200 attached with hood in
position.
Airport Antidote http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8171
Airport Antidote http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8171
Legal carry on backpack fits all
international carry on requirements, and fits into the overhead of
very small p***s.
Airport Acceleration http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8170
Airport Acceleration http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8170
Legal carry on backpack fits all
international carry on requirements when the laptop case is removed.
It can be decreased in size and weight immediately by removing the
laptop case.
Artificial Intelligence 15 & 17
http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8173
Artificial Intelligence 15 & 17
http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8173
Thin laptop bag accommodates up to 15"
or 17" laptops with a front bellowed pocket to hold cables and
accessories.
Cable Management 50 http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8169
Clear organizer with internal dividers for
AC adaptors, Fire Wire cables, CF card readers, batteries, and all
other photography essentials
SportsShooter.com member John Harrington's
new book entitled "Best Business Practices for Photographers"
is set for shipment on 10/24/06, however Penn Camera will have some
copies in just a few weeks! Best Business Practices for
Photographers covers the essential business topics that professional
photographers need to know in order to succeed. It does not focus on
taking pictures, starting a photography business, or selling
photography, but rather explains how photographers can meet important
business objectives, and covers the focal points of best
practices--best practices in interacting with clients; best practices
in negotiating contracts and licenses; best practices in business
operations. We're thrilled to offer you a pre-order on John's book:
http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8237
Nikon's D80 has arrived! And they are going
to be VERY popular this fall. The entire new lineup of Nikon's CoolPix
camera are here too! It's not too early to start thinking about
your holiday gift giving!
Delkin has introduced the Express Card34, a
Compact Flash card adapter for the Express Card slot in your MacBook
Pro! Finally...
Jobo's Giga Vu Pro storage units are really
cool. Why carry your laptop on location? Take along the
Giga Vu, and store your images, view them, or watch a movie, or listen
to your itunes.
Dyna-Lite has a promo this Fall.
Purchase one of their 4040 Flash heads, and receive a FREE Dyna-Lite
40-SW 18" Soft White reflector designed specifically for the 4040
Heads. The 4040 has is a 2000WS fan cooled head with frosted
glass dome. It's supplied with a 40-SILK for more diffusion if
needed. A $135 value!
Apple's Aperture is now in version 1.5, and
available immediately! For all of your Apple Computer needs,
please keep us in mind. We can custom configure a machine for
you today!
What do you do about your dusty sensors?
The Arctic Butterfly will save you from going insane trying to get the
dust off! Ideal for Travel and for Light Dusting of sensor. The
Arctic ButterflyT does not replace regular Sensor BrushT which has
more filaments and is better suited for heavier dusting (color may
vary at time of shipment). Includes an elegant carry case for added
protection and class. Requires two AAA batteries.
http://www.penncamera.com/store/item.asp?ITEM_ID=8001
(Jeff Snyder can be contacted at Penn Camera at: 1-800-347-5770 or FAX 301-210-7370; Email: jsnyder@penncamera.com; AOL Instant Messenger: JeffPennCamera. On the web: http://www.penncamera.com.)
New Products from Think Tank,
PocketWizard and Jobo.
By Louis Feldman
Baseball playoffs. The NFL and college football season is in full swing. NBA training camps opened this week and colleges can begin official hoop practices soon ... so basketball season is nearly here!
Baseball playoffs. The NFL and college football season is in full swing. NBA training camps opened this week and colleges can begin official hoop practices soon ... so basketball season is nearly here!
Samy's is your headquarters for
PocketWizard products. Whether you're trying your first glass remote
or a simple floor cam ... the radio triggering systems from
PocketWizard is what you need. The MultiMax transceiver is a 32
channel unit featuring the most advanced digital radio triggering
system available in the photographic market with integrated trigger
time control software, true trigger confirmation and selective quad
triggering only to mention a few. The true trigger confirmation
feedback, up to 1600-feet away or more, without the need for signal
repeaters or daisy-chained radios. Call Samy's for Sports Shooter
pricing and to check for all of the often hard-to-find PocketWizard
cords and accessories.
The new PocketWizard Plus II has started shipping according the MAC Group distributors of PocketWizard products. The PocketWizard II Plus the biggest feature is on-the-fly switching between transmitter and receiver, giving users more flexibility in use. We will have more details and pricing once we get these units in stock. Give Samy's a call to get on the purchase list and for pricing information.
http://www.samys.com/search.php?MANUFACTURER=PocketWizard&SEARCH_TEXT=&FIRST_RECORD_NUMBER=1
Samy's carries the two popular choices in camera memory: SanDisk and Lexar. We have all formats (compact flash and SD) in stock in an assortment of speeds. So depending on your needs and you budget, you have the right card for you. Like hard drive space, you can never have enough!
And speaking of SanDisk, the company announced at the recent Photokina show "the world's highest capacity card for professional photographers" the 16-gigabyte SanDisk Extreme III CompactFlash card. The new cards will have minimum write and read speeds of 20 megabytes per second. SanDisk indicated that the 16-gb cards will be available to dealers by the end of the year. So stay tuned!
The new Jobo Giga Vu Pro is in stock! This
small storage device/viewer comes in 40, 80 and 120 Gigabyte
configurations and features a high capacity, replaceable lithium ion
battery, supports CompactFlash Type I/II and Microdrives, plus other
media like SmartMedia, Memory Stick, SD, MMC, xD through optional
adapter. The Giga Vu has a 3.7-inch high quality color LCD screen and
USB 2 interface. Call Samy's for current Sports Shooter
pricing.
We are an authorized Think Tank Photo
dealer ... the Airport Addicted backpack and the fabulous Airport
Security roller are two of the hottest items going for the sports,
news and commercial photographer. Think Tank just announced several
new products: The Glass Taxi (the company's first long lens bag), the
Airport Check In (a cool brief case designed with the photographer in
mind), the Airport Acceleration and Antidote (smaller versions of the
Addicted). Well made, well designed and with the extra touches
photographers need and want ... Think Tank products are what the
discriminating Sports Shooter is using!
(http://www.samys.com/search.php?MANUFACTURER=Think+Tank&SEARCH_TEXT=&FIRST_RECORD_NUMBER=1)
Remember that Samy's is an authorized Apple Computer reseller. Give us a call to check Sports Shooter pricing on all of the cool products from Apple ... if you also looking for an iPod to help pass the time while waiting at the ballpark or arena, Samy's stocks not only these popular music players but many of the cool accessories that make it not just an electronic device but a fashion statement. Check out the new MacBook Pro and the just updated iMacs.
Remember that Samy's is an authorized Apple Computer reseller. Give us a call to check Sports Shooter pricing on all of the cool products from Apple ... if you also looking for an iPod to help pass the time while waiting at the ballpark or arena, Samy's stocks not only these popular music players but many of the cool accessories that make it not just an electronic device but a fashion statement. Check out the new MacBook Pro and the just updated iMacs.
We are the gadget capital of the west coast and there is no better and useful gadget for the working photographer than a GPS. Ever get lost on assignment? You can add your own personal "never-lost" system in your own vehicle with a GPS from Magellan and Garmin The Roadmate 360 and 760 and the Garmin StreetPilot and Quest not only will guide you to your destination with an interactive map, but gives you voice prompt turn-by-turn directions. Want to find a place to eat? No problem because these GPS units all have nearly 2 million points of interests like businesses, banks, hotels, airports, gas stations, ATMs, restaurants and more stored.
Remember that Samy's Camera is the largest photographic rental house in Southern California and we have stores in Los Angeles (Fairfax main store), Pasadena, Santa Barbara, Venice and Orange County. http://www.samys.com/rentals.php
Samy's Camera held a very educational and cool event last week with Photo Shelter, Canon, Phase One, Epson and Apple, which held a great training session on their Aperture software. Thanks to all of those wonderful companies and to all of those that attend.
Sports Shooter Academy III is coming up in November. Samy's Camera is a proud sponsor of this wonderful educational event. We are looking forward to meeting all of the participants and faculty in Orange County.
(Contact Samy's Camera in Los Angeles by
calling 323-938-2420 and ask for an industrial sales representative.
Also check out Samy's Specials on SportsShooter.com or Samy's web site
at: http://www.samys.com.)
Acknowledgements
As always, thanks to Special Advisors & Contributors: Deanna & Emma Hanashiro, Brad Mangin, Rick Rickman, Rod Mar, Vincent Laforet, Trent Nelson, Jason Burfield, Grover Sanschagrin, Joe Gosen, The Photodude, Reed Hoffmann, Anne Ryan, Darren Carroll and Bob Deutsch.
Thanks this month to: Tim Clayton, Jack Gruber, Chuck Liddy, Pouya Dianat, Alyssa Schukar, Susánica Tam, Jordan Murph, Patrick Murphy-Racey and Paul Myers.
I welcome any comments, corrections, suggestions and contributions. Please e-mail me at bert@sportsshooter.com.
The Sports Shooter Archives as well as tons of cool resources and information can be accessed through the Internet at http://www.SportsShooter.com.
Use of the content of the Sports Shooter Newsletter is prohibited without the expressed written permission of The Big Kahuna and the author of the article.
Opinions, rants, raves, insults and praise whether intend or not, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Sports Shooter and public sensibilities.
As always, thanks to Special Advisors & Contributors: Deanna & Emma Hanashiro, Brad Mangin, Rick Rickman, Rod Mar, Vincent Laforet, Trent Nelson, Jason Burfield, Grover Sanschagrin, Joe Gosen, The Photodude, Reed Hoffmann, Anne Ryan, Darren Carroll and Bob Deutsch.
Thanks this month to: Tim Clayton, Jack Gruber, Chuck Liddy, Pouya Dianat, Alyssa Schukar, Susánica Tam, Jordan Murph, Patrick Murphy-Racey and Paul Myers.
I welcome any comments, corrections, suggestions and contributions. Please e-mail me at bert@sportsshooter.com.
The Sports Shooter Archives as well as tons of cool resources and information can be accessed through the Internet at http://www.SportsShooter.com.
Use of the content of the Sports Shooter Newsletter is prohibited without the expressed written permission of The Big Kahuna and the author of the article.
Opinions, rants, raves, insults and praise whether intend or not, are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Sports Shooter and public sensibilities.
Copyright Sports Shooter, Inc.
--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE SEQUEL: SPORTS SHOOTER ACADEMY III
The next COOLEST photography event of the year
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
