Pond Hockey

Option1 · December 2, 2007

I don't have much recent in the way of sports shots, but Ian insisted I post something.

So it was cold today (-14C anyone?) and I went for a walk with the D100 and just my 50mm f/1.8 lens determined to make the best of that and to practice shooting in manual mode. Came across some kids getting ready to play pond hockey. I quite like this shot of this kid practicing shooting:

BTW, he missed the shot. Did I?

Neil

Cuong · December 2, 2007

You nailed it. I like your inclusion of his shoes in the foreground.

Cuong

aktse · December 2, 2007

Home run shot!

clap

--interesting fore, mid and background (and I love the shoes)
--good exposure, and it's not easy to do with so much ice/snow and your froze the puck
--you have his face in focus, he's doing something, and the puck is in frame too.

A winner. Awesome.

I just had a frozen pond that I could practice one, but without the cold.

Option1 · December 2, 2007

Thank you Cuong and April!

April, I loved some of your hockey shots. I must spend more time looking at your gallery. Always funny to think of the amount of hockey played in the Bay Area.

Thanks again,
Neil

Shaner · December 2, 2007

That's a great photo. Makes me think of winter in Ontario

winger · December 2, 2007

I wanna play too!!!

Option1 · December 3, 2007

Thanks Shaner and Karen!!

Karen, had a quick look at your SS top 10 and I have to say I find the lighting in "Minuteman at the Ready" to be just stunning. What a wonderful shot.

Thanks again for the kind comments.

Neil

aktse · December 3, 2007

Option1 wrote:

...
April, I loved some of your hockey shots. I must spend more time looking at your gallery. Always funny to think of the amount of hockey played in the Bay Area. ...

Thank you so much for your nice words, but I have to warn you that there are also lots of hockey junk on my hockey galleries (the highlights galleries are a safer place to view). I have taken over 20,000 frames on the ice, and even though the images aren't always perfect, they can be (and are) used as a training tool for players and coaches. I mainly do a first pass culling of the images and post, especially since I mainly shoot just for myself (not shooting for profit).

There is a crazy amount of hockey that is played in the bay area and I had no idea until I started playing. Logitech Ice is just one location; it has four sheets of ice and has over 130 regular adult teams, plus dozens of kids teams and an over 35 league as well. There is a reason why the adult teams have games that start at 11:15 pm at night. And there are about four other rinks in the bay area...
I took a quick look at your galleries... impressive :-) Lovely work!

Really well done! I can't wait to see more!

Grumpy_one · December 3, 2007

aktse wrote:

Thank you so much for your nice words, but I have to warn you that there are also lots of hockey junk on my hockey galleries (the highlights galleries are a safer place to view). I have taken over 20,000 frames on the ice, and even though the images aren't always perfect, they can be (and are) used as a training tool for players and coaches. I mainly do a first pass culling of the images and post, especially since I mainly shoot just for myself (not shooting for profit).

There is a crazy amount of hockey that is played in the bay area and I had no idea until I started playing. Logitech Ice is just one location; it has four sheets of ice and has over 130 regular adult teams, plus dozens of kids teams and an over 35 league as well. There is a reason why the adult teams have games that start at 11:15 pm at night. And there are about four other rinks in the bay area...
I took a quick look at your galleries... impressive :-) Lovely work! Really well done! I can't wait to see more!

Must south bay, all the rinks in the east bay were shuttin down when we left. Used to ice skate as a kid in Concord at Sun Valley Mall. It was a blast. Glad to here it's still alive.

winger · December 4, 2007

Option1 wrote:

Thanks Shaner and Karen!!

Karen, had a quick look at your SS top 10 and I have to say I find the lighting in "Minuteman at the Ready" to be just stunning. What a wonderful shot.

Thanks again for the kind comments.

Neil

Thanks, that is one of those shots that is half luck half working with what you have. I shoot natural light so when they put the spot lights on for player introductions alot of the shots I get dont come out (where as the two guys with the strobes can keep on shooting). So I have got into the habit of trying to time the spot lights as they come around the players. That photo was a result of me having good timing with the spot light.

Thanks so much for the complement!

Option1 · December 4, 2007

Funnily enough Karen, I think that ability to predict ahead at least a little is probably the most important part of shooting both sports and wildlife. It's why the best in both fields have such a good understanding of their subjects.

The old adage, "The harder I work, the luckier I am." springs to mind.

Neil

Pond Hockey

Comments