Roller Derby World Cup 2018 Spain vs Philippines
Roller Derby World Cup 2018 Spain vs Philippines
Roller Derby World Cup 2018 Spain vs Philippines
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Apr, 2019Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Manchester UK at the Roller Derby World Cup in 2018. This game was Spain vs the Philippines and both teams put up a great fight. When I shoot Roller Derby I rely on ambient lighting which can be challenging as most venues are poorly lit with high florescent lights. Though that was the case for this venue the grey concrete floors and the expanse of the venue itself gave to some great depth in these photos.Time
For tournaments like this it's always hard to say when a certain shot took place. These tournaments take place all day long and I arrive at a venue before the teams to get ready. I go from game to game only taking breaks to download my photos to make room for more and hopefully get some food while I'm at it. Most venues don't have any windows and I get swept away in my tiny view finder until the end of the day. By the time I leave I'm one of the last out the door and it's already night. I return to my hotel to do a massive photo dump and begin culling the photos before I start all over the next day.Lighting
I love ambient lighting even if it causes heavy shadows. There's something about the high contrast of the light coming down on an athlete that accentuates their movements and their power. Even though it is more challenging and can mean not getting ever shot the ones that are just right are worth it every time.Equipment
For this tournament I primarily used just my Nikon D750 with the AF-S F2.8 70-200 lensInspiration
Though I have a degree in photography I sadly haven't had the chance to work in the field. I also never had any interest in taking pictures of sports or action before. I started taking pictures at Roller Derby games while coaching an All Star team. I wanted to show them certain things I was seeing while they played. While doing this I found I absolutely loved taking pictures of athletes in action. I realized that part of my draw was to the sport I knew and loved. I knew where the action was going to be and how the athletes moved. It has made me want to expand and learn more about other sports and other athletes and document them as well.Editing
Due to the florescent lights at the venue I often have to do color correction so that the images are consistent through out the tournament. Without this each photo, even if they are shot just seconds apart, can have a dramatic different hue from blue to yellow/green.In my camera bag
I don't like to carry too much. I typically will have 2 camera bodies one for the game itself and one for right before and after with a 10-20mm lens. My 2 camera bodies are both Nikons, my main one is my D750 and my second body is my old D700. My track/game lens is the AF-S F2.8 70-200. My before and after game lens is the Nikon F4.5 10-20mm for bench shots or the occasional time out or mid track shot. I always have my Mac laptop with me and an external hard drive where all the photos go after every game.Feedback
When I first started taking action shots I tried to get the whole track. A more experienced sports photographer told me to focus more tightly in on the action. I found doing this gave me better and more dramatic photos and less empty space. Always be open to advice from others and help others who may be new. When it comes to sports photography learn everything you can about that sport and the athletes. Get to know the athletes you are shooting, how they move, where they like to cut in or fake. How each team plays with each other and how they are on the bench. Look out at the fans from time to time and you may catch something unexpected.
