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"Shoot From Where They Ain't"Workshop at the Ranch
Making better pictures is not always my goal.
Making different pictures may be what is more important and
making different pictures involves some thought, the willingness
to plan ahead, and perhaps even some sacrifice of event coverage
itself. This can be well worth it for the photographer who is
looking to bring something new to their editor and their personal
portfolio. Find some new locations to photograph familiar subjects
from. If you see your colleagues bunched together in a photo
position, look around and find somewhere else to photograph
from. It will be quieter and easier to work without the distractions
of others vying for position. You'll be glad you did.
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Image
#1 Golden Girl ... This
picture of Mary Lou Retton receiving her 1984 Olympic
Gold medal looks very typical and simple enough for anyone
to photograph, but, there were no other photographers
anywhere near me. My location is from a ticketed front
row seat that I had acquired before the games began. The
photographers area was directly opposite my seated location
across the arena and was extremely backlit. My front row
seat gave me an unobstructed view with the benefits of
TV lighting. This image is not so spectacular as far as
the skill required to capture it but is a "one of
a kind" image because of my one of a kind location.
A one of a kind picture especially of a key moment in
time has great value. Nikon F3 camera, Kodak Tungsten
Film at ISO640, 1/500 at f2, Nikon 300mm f2 Lens.
Image
#2 The Stretch ... This
is the start of the 2007 Kentucky Derby. There are several
remote cameras placed on the start gate by other photographers,
but I had never scene a remote camera located on the
ground outside the last gate. I think the image we are
all familiar with is from above the start gate looking
down the main straight away of Churchill Downs as the
horses race out, but this view is certainly different
and a "one of a kind image." My point is this,
an image doesn't always need to be the most popular
view. Sometimes "different" is what an editor
is looking for. Personally, I like the view from above
the start gate the best, but this ground level perspective
was different and the magazine used it as a double page
spread opener. Nikon D2Xs, ISO250, Aperture Priority
EV-0.3 (1/4000 at f4), Nikon 10.5mm Fisheye Lens manually
pre focused about 5 feet in front of gate #19, WB 10,000K,
Pocket Wizard Multi Max Transceivers, N90 M3-Pre Release
Trigger cable, OverXposed Ground Plate with Gitzo Ball
Head, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image
#3 Track Shadow ... Location,
location, location is a familiar phase in real estate.
The same phrase should apply to the photographer and their
quest for fresh new pictures. My photo location is in
the catwalk high above the indoor track. I made the request
to the Athletic Department of the school to photograph
the track meet from the catwalks well in advance of the
competition day and was granted special permission. The
photographer must push themselves to look for pictures
that are different, unique and bold if they truly want
to produce something special. This unusual photo location
allowed me to produce several very interesting and different
images that made use of the shadows created by one Elinchrom
sport strobe. Nikon D2X, ISO250, 1/250 sync at f5.6, Nikon
70-200mm G VR Zoom Lens, One Elinchrom 600RX Sport Strobe
with Dyna-Lite Long Throw Reflector, Pocket Wizard Multi
Max Transceivers, Lexar 4G Flash Card.
Image
#4 Angel Wings ... Sometimes
I can be so restricted when I photograph from a location
where no other photographers are working that I sacrifice
the event itself, or in the case of the actual ballet. But
often times it is worth it. Everyone photographs what is
happening on stage so my goal was to photograph all that
was happening off stage in the wings. I did not make very
many pictures, but the pictures I did make were very different
and candid. This image of winged Angels on toe preparing
for their entrance in the Nutcracker Ballet is one of my
career favorites. Nikon D3, ISO6400, 1/30 at f4, Nikon 14-24mm
Lens, WB Auto A3, Picture Control Vivid, Lexar 8G Flash
Card.
