Brainstorming

Giving thought about my presentation, I started thinking about different aspects of my photographs. How I was going to present them, what photographers I find myself relating to the most, just research more of less. Thinking scale, I've had a little bit of a tough time figuring out what size to print. First I had thought about printing big, maybe poster sized prints, but when weighing the pros and cons, I feel my photographs would be better off on a little smaller scale. Shooting with my Nikon D70, there were a few drawbacks, one being I could only shoot 1600 as the fastest IS0, it made some of my prints a little on the grainy side, I shot at a high resolution, but the majority of the time the shots I'm photographing either wind up a website or a magazine, not printed any bigger than 11" x 17", so I don't see much reason to sacrifice print quality to enlarge a photo to that scale. Even in the ESPN magazines, the photos that typically wind up on the front cover or full page spreads are portraits of athletes, which are shot in studio, with a high MP digital camera. My other idea was to take multiple photographs from a specific game and create a page layout, as if it were in a magazine. I've experimented with text, but still pretty new to it, could be a good opportunity to mess around. Thats something I can address to the class during the presentation, because its only a working critique, I don't think its that big of a deal not knowing exactly what I want out of the final presentation, I have time to work everything out, just so long as the photographs are good to go.

The editing has been going well, I have about 10 images set out that I want to work with so far. I still need to sort through some of my new images from the past 2 games, I've been swamped with web design and presentations for class that I haven't had time to really work on those ones, seeing its fall break, its a perfect time to catch up on some of that. I have a game I'm shooting tomorrow at 1 PM, so I'll have to download prior to that event, it'll give me a chance to go over those and the images from tomorrows game. I can also just make sure that I have 5 images ready to print for tuesday's critique. I'm not so worried though, I've been shooting a bunch, besides that games that are away, rainy, or night games, but I shoot every chance I get. I'll probably also wind up shooting some tomorrow for Shop RVA, I can just finish up some photographs of Chop Suey and a few other plans after I finish the game, while I'm still in the zone.

Saturday Lacrosse

Just thought I'd write a little entry, documenting my weekend in shooting. I didn't have as much opportunity to shoot over the weekend, mainly because of web design, but I get out and shoot a lacrosse game. We had a VCU Alumni Lacrosse game, had a good turn out. I only got the first half, our alumni team fell behind, so I jumped in and played the second half, had a lot of fun doing it, first time i've played a game of lacrosse since summer. While I was shooting, I did start to work on different aspects, such as shooting manual exposure, usually I set my camera to Aperture Priority and shoot away, but I've been wanting to practice shooting more in manual, so I can have a lot more control over my images. It gets weird at times, cuz you have to go back and forth on the shutter speed in order to prevent from over/underexposure. Takes getting used to, while you're panning back and forth, following the game, you also have to be turning knobs, and making sure you're turning them in the right direction, its a lot to think about simultaneously. Eventually it will just become second nature, so I won't have to worry about it, just need a start working it more and more, until I shoot full manual for all my sporting events. I do feel like I got some good photos for the lacrosse game, honestly just haven't had the time to look through them all. Its been kinda hectic with all the school work I've been working on: had a paper due, website i've been trying to crank out, editing photos, the list keeps going. But I should be okay now, getting more and more done, so I won't have to worry about it so much later.

Forgot to mention, I should be traveling with the VCU lacrosse team. They alway like to have pictures from their games. I still have to figure out their schedule for fall ball, I don't even think they know yet, supposed they were gonna play in a tournament with a lot of really good teams, we were just gonna be a fall break this weekend, so we can't make it. Would have been a great time to shoot some photos, teams like UVA, Duke, Roanoke, Lynchburg, all top-notch teams. Either way, while traveling with the lacrosse team, I should be able to get some documentary, photos as well, like stopping at diners before the game, showing up at the field bright and early for games. Being able to photograph them in that manner seperate from playing on the field, it'll show a whole other side of the team, and more diversity in my photography. Because I played on the team for 2 years, I am real familiar with the team also, which I feel will help break down the barrier between the guys and the camera, some people find it uncomfortable. I do know a few guys on the team eat that kinda shit up though.