Sharks vs Red Wings & Penguins ... C/C please

JzazziJzazzi Registered Users Posts: 111 Major grins
edited November 5, 2008 in Sports
Thanks in advance for any critique or comments. Trying really hard to get away from the typical "player looking serious while not moving" hockey shots I've taken in the past. This is my latest attempt to get some more unique, less bland photos.



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#1 Jonathan Cheechoo takes the ice just before opening faceoff.



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#2 Kris Draper and Joe Thorton in a faceoff during the first period.



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#3 Rob Blake defending against the Penguin's Ruslan Fedotenko.



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#4 Pittsburg on the attack in the third period, trying to close the one point lead of the Sharks.



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#5 Sidney Crosby is the current "poster child" for the NHL. One of the youngest captains of any team, he is a lot of fun to watch.



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#6 Not hockey, but these are the settings used by the Sharks team photographer. He has access to the strobe system installed in the arena and triggers it with a pocket wizard. Thus, the slow shutter speed due to flash sync. He also uses Canon's 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L lens, which sounds really useful on a full frame body. I guess the aperature doesn't matter when you can shoot at 200iso :huh

-Justin

Comments

  • streegshooterstreegshooter Registered Users Posts: 37 Big grins
    edited November 1, 2008
    The first shot should be blown up and put in area bars and restaurants, etc. SWEEET! thumb.gifclap.gif
  • BradfordBennBradfordBenn Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2008
    Pretty cool shots. I really like the one coming out onto the ice through the Shark's mouth.

    Yup the arena strobes help a bunch; which always amazes me as how bright the spaces are.
    -=Bradford

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  • JeffroJeffro Registered Users Posts: 1,941 Major grins
    edited November 2, 2008
    Hockey is always a challenge. I think your shots need a little more brightening....the seem to be a stop or so too dark.

    Post work could brighten them up....or it could just be the difference between my monitor and yours.
    Always lurking, sometimes participating. :D
  • PixNWPixNW Registered Users Posts: 141 Major grins
    edited November 2, 2008
    They're all good, but #1 is GREAT! I like it just like it is. I think you would loose some of the feeling conveyed by the image if you lightened it up.
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  • JeffroJeffro Registered Users Posts: 1,941 Major grins
    edited November 2, 2008
    PixNW wrote:
    They're all good, but #1 is GREAT! I like it just like it is. I think you would loose some of the feeling conveyed by the image if you lightened it up.

    For the record I wasn't referring to the first image when it comes to brightening it up. The whites just seem a tad gray in the others. The first is pretty cool....thumb.gif
    Always lurking, sometimes participating. :D
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,934 moderator
    edited November 2, 2008
    The first shot is a great look at the game from the player's perspective. Shot two is a shot you rarely see. Don't know why. The wider angle shots are also nice--lots to see thumb.gif

    Maybe some shots from the locker rooms as the players get ready to hit the ice. You know, Sharky comes from the locker room nearest the ice mwink.gif
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • dbaker1221dbaker1221 Registered Users Posts: 4,482 Major grins
    edited November 2, 2008
    nice shots..love the first oneclap.gif
    **If I keep shooting, I'm bound to hit something**
    Dave
  • JzazziJzazzi Registered Users Posts: 111 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    Thanks all. #1 is most impressive from the overwhelming feedback I've had here and elsewhere. Jonathan Cheechoo himself will be signing a print for me, and another will go to his father. It's that awesome. My heart skipped a beat when I heard the news. :eek1

    And Jeffro I don't doubt my monitor and yours play a role in it, I know mine is aging without grace. But the photos still look as I intended on other peoples' monitors so there is a little personal preference too. After editing hundreds of similar shots the mind will start to see what it wants to, instead of what is actually there. Three though five could use a better white point now that I have a fresh perspective. Thanks for the critique!

    -J
  • BCSPhotoguyBCSPhotoguy Registered Users Posts: 265 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    Jzazzi wrote:
    Jonathan Cheechoo himself will be signing a print for me, and another will go to his father. It's that awesome. My heart skipped a beat when I heard the news. :eek1

    As with the rest , the perspective of #1 is a view 99% of us will never see! Great shot. Do me a favour, when and if you see Jonathan - tell him his neighbor from Belleville, Ontario says Hey, keep making us proud! Long story cut short, when he played OHL He roomed wiith one of my neighbors... Pretty cool to see him doing so well.
    _________________________________
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  • AndyAndy Registered Users Posts: 50,016 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    Jzazzi wrote:


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    clap.gif
    Andy

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  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    First one -- Love! thumb.gif

    This is the type of photo that I was trying to get you take when we chatted at Logitech ice. Nice job!

    And congrats on Cheech liking it -- great photo! It must be a thrill!
    http://aktse.smugmug.com/
  • TonyLTonyL Registered Users Posts: 169 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    Jeffro wrote:
    Hockey is always a challenge. I think your shots need a little more brightening....the seem to be a stop or so too dark.

    Post work could brighten them up....or it could just be the difference between my monitor and yours.

    I agree.
    Fastest sport is hard to capture and you did an excellent job.
    They should use your first shot as entry to their official site.

    How far away are the strobes that he triggered them with a pocket wizard?
    This is the first time I have heard of this.
    -Anthony

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  • aktseaktse Registered Users Posts: 1,928 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    cadguru wrote:
    How far away are the strobes that he triggered them with a pocket wizard?
    This is the first time I have heard of this.
    The strobes are connected to the top of the rafters in the arena, but you don't really need them.

    This should give you an idea: Each of the two tiers have about 22 rows + luxury suites and the strobes are attached to the various points in the ceiling.
    406317370_57Tng-M.jpg
    *Note - perspective is slightly off and color is iffy; been trying to shoot with at T&S from the stands and more concern about focus planes than exposure

    The light is quite good at the Shark Tank, and you can shoot without strobes.

    At some game, some of my shots have been over-exposed due to the strobes going off, but I don't think most people notice them. And the media people are each assigned their own codes for the PW.
    http://aktse.smugmug.com/
  • TonyLTonyL Registered Users Posts: 169 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    aktse wrote:
    The strobes are connected to the top of the rafters in the arena, but you don't really need them.

    This should give you an idea: Each of the two tiers have about 22 rows + luxury suites and the strobes are attached to the various points in the ceiling.
    406317370_57Tng-M.jpg
    *Note - perspective is slightly off and color is iffy; been trying to shoot with at T&S from the stands and more concern about focus planes than exposure

    The light is quite good at the Shark Tank, and you can shoot without strobes.

    At some game, some of my shots have been over-exposed due to the strobes going off, but I don't think most people notice them. And the media people are each assigned their own codes for the PW.

    Thanks.
    I heard with basketball using strobes, but thought the recycle times for hockey would be too slow.
    -Anthony

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  • JzazziJzazzi Registered Users Posts: 111 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    Thanks again everyone for the comments. April, I hope you get that tilt-shift mastered soon. It'll be great fun seeing what you come up with!

    There are a couple dozen strobes high up in the rafters, each with their own power supply. They are arrayed alongside the big metal halide lamps used to light the arena and look similar in appearance. I believe there is only one pocket wizard transmitter for the system. Last game the sharks photographer had it while sitting next to me and every flash was triggered from his camera, no doubt. The horrible thing is once you realize what the flash looks like when it fires, you'll never be able to ignore it again rolleyes1.gif

    Recycle time was limited I'm sure, he only took one frame at a time and allowed generous time between shots. I can only imagine they have the strobes on full power to make up for the nearly 200foot distance from strobe to subject.

    -J

    EDIT: There were two remote triggers for the flashes at the last game. I'm not sure exactly how they divide the lamps, but one was significantly brighter than the other.
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,934 moderator
    edited November 3, 2008
    Dave Black has some interesting discussion on arena strobes.

    I would imagine the strobes are divided into multiple systems. You can also read about the usage on SI's site as well.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • chrisdgchrisdg Registered Users Posts: 366 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    Great shots Justin! As a Sharks fan, thanks for posting my favorite subject matter!

    May I ask - did you have some special access privileges to get that "behind the shark" perspective? Or were you able to squeeze that one in from the stands somehow?

    oh, I'm sure you know this, but the Shark defender in image #3 is Rob Blake, not Dan Boyle. :)
    -Chris D.
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  • JzazziJzazzi Registered Users Posts: 111 Major grins
    edited November 3, 2008
    Yes I have a media credential for the games, but I try my best not to rub it in ... to the point of not mentioning it most of the time ... which backfires when people ask where I was shooting from ... and so on.

    Thanks for pointing out my obvious mistake on names. I get the two confused all the time, maybe because the number 4 looks so much like the number 22 headscratch.gif

    -Justin
  • wingerwinger Registered Users Posts: 694 Major grins
    edited November 5, 2008
    ian408 wrote:
    The first shot is a great look at the game from the player's perspective. Shot two is a shot you rarely see. Don't know why. The wider angle shots are also nice--lots to see thumb.gif

    Maybe some shots from the locker rooms as the players get ready to hit the ice. You know, Sharky comes from the locker room nearest the ice mwink.gif

    Sometimes what I love about NOT being a hockey photograhper with stobes is I get to make full useage of that avialable light during intros. Some of my favorite photos are utilizing the light conditions given. That being said, I wont say no if someone wants to buy me some strobes. :D

    And the reason you dont often get that 2nd shot is cause usually the damn wing(er)s are in your way! Better than getting saddled with the dreaded "ref butt"
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