Welcome back everyone! The title says it all as this appears to be the crappiest Saskatchewan summer and fall weather-wise on record! Coming from someone who really can't stand the cold or winter in general this is going to prove to be an awfully long year and the thoughts of a hot winter vacation are already dancing through our heads. (That said, which Devona entered, I'll add that September was one of the warmest one record but because everyone is back at work and busy getting their kids into school for the year, it tends to go rather unnoticed)

Okay...enough complaining about the weather as the sun has actually began to poke out for the day . We are starting to settle into the new format of alternating our podast and blogs every two weeks which is working well as this way we can bring you lots of images and information. Life has been extremely busy as usual with teaching on tour throughout the province for Tourism Saskatchewan with visits to Fort Qu'Appelle and Moose Jaw and in the next few, Kindersley, Prince Albert and Tisdale. If you are wanting to attend or know anyone in these areas who would be interested in attending, just get ahold of your local Saskatchewan Tourism office and they can get you signed up.

We start this post with a quick tip on sports photography and post the following couple of fastball images Rob shot this summer as an example of keeping your focus point precisely on the action and moving it when necesary. Here the focus point is on the base runner when he first hits the dirt but as he comes up out of his slide and the participants and crown would turn their attention to the umpire to make the call, so too moves the focus of the photograph. 

An attempt at a summer holiday resulted more in a race to log about 4,700 kms than any opportunity to relax. That said, Rob did manage to find a couple of opportunities to make photos for the sake of making photos, rather than paying the bills. The following are those photos

Port Renfrew, British Columbia just outside the doors of the Big Fish Lodge. Great hospitality, great food and endless photo opps.

Lens (mm): 70
ISO: 160
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/3200
Exp. Comp.: -0.3


Lens (mm): 70
ISO: 160
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/640
Exp. Comp.: -0.3


Lens (mm): 70
ISO: 160
Aperture: 9
Shutter: 1/800
Exp. Comp.: -0.3


Lens (mm): 120
ISO: 160
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/800
Exp. Comp.: -0.3


Lens (mm): 140
ISO: 100
Aperture: 16
Shutter: 1/1.2
Exp. Comp.: 0.0


Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 250
Aperture: 7.1
Shutter: 1/1600
Exp. Comp.: -0.3


Lens (mm): 28
ISO: 100
Aperture: 22
Shutter: 1/30
Exp. Comp.: +0.3


Lens (mm): 16
ISO: 200
Aperture: 7.1
Shutter: 1/800
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

Lens (mm): 29
ISO: 100
Aperture: 6.3
Shutter: 1/400
Exp. Comp.: +0.3


Lens (mm): 50
ISO: 100
Aperture: 22
Shutter: 1/10
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

Botanical Beach - Little tiny worlds.





And back on the prairies...

Lens (mm): 20
ISO: 400
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 1/6400
Exp. Comp.: -0.7

Before we move onto some current images I was feeling nostalgic the other day and decided to go through some of my old images to see what was happening a few years ago and came across this one which still remains an all time favorite shot almost 2 years ago to the day...please note that there was no snow on the ground! 

Lens (mm): 17
ISO: 100
Aperture: 5
Shutter: 1/500
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

We actually managed to get out shooting with some good friends back in August choosing to stroll quite aimlessly through a local graveyard. Here are some of Rob's images from that evening: 

Lens (mm): 80
ISO: 100
Aperture: 4.5
Shutter: 1/400
Exp. Comp.: -0.3

Here is a shot of "our buddy who shall remain nameless so we'll call him Norm" doing his best "I'm a Cannon" impression

Not even a huge camera can conceal this smile.
Lens (mm): 115
ISO: 1000
Aperture: 4
Shutter: 1/640
Exp. Comp.: -0.3


Another good friend whom for now we will call Mel... keep in mind she's not a big fan of getting her photo taken so if we happen to go missing you all know who to look for


Lens (mm): 22
ISO: 100
Aperture: 9
Shutter: 1/60
Exp. Comp.: -0.7

 

One big happy family... even The Big Guy came and joined us! Not sure how it so happened that not only did Rob get photos of everyone we shot with, he also ended up with some photos to post?

Here is another blast from the past that Rob shot last year sometime... the lost little sister of Elvis... go figure

Just for fun here is one of Rob that a friend of ours shot in Don's Photo during the launch party for the new Canon 7D. Larry points camera, Rob raises hands like being mugged. What's up with that? Pretty good at high ISO said camera is.

Devona covered the University of Regina's Cougar Trot as Rob was busy shooting University soccer.

Every year this guy leads the runners through the course on his bike...keep in mind that there are a ton of different age groups that run this race so you do the math on the miles he puts on! Makes me tired just thinking about it!
Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 200
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/1250
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

 

Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 320
Aperture: 4.5
Shutter: 1/2000
Exp. Comp.: -0.3

 

Lens (mm): 126
ISO: 200
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/125
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

 

Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 200
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/125
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

The above two images a panning effect was used. Essentially using a slower shutter speed and moving the camera parallel to your subject as you shoot thus creating a very blurred out of focus background but sharp subject.

Yippee... we have a winner!

Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 200
Aperture: 5
Shutter: 1/1000
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

Now for a couple of Rob's Cougar basketball images. There are times when you really need to think about your crop when composing images. Occasionally as a pro you are called upon to shoot to a crop factor/ratio and format that does not necessarily suit the sport but due to page or website layout requirements you have to be a little creative in those compositions. Basketball is by no means a horizontal sport but these images still suit the space alloted by the Cougars website.

Lens (mm): 70
ISO: 3200
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/500
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

 

Lens (mm): 90
ISO: 3200
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/800
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

 

Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 3200
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/640
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

From the gymnasium at the U of R to Devona's living room just for the sheer fun of it , photos can be made anywhere. On occasion people have asked Devona what her images look like straight out of the camera...prior to any editing of any kind. Well, today's your lucky day Norm people

Below are two images ... obviously the first one is the one straight out of the camera and the second one has gone through some playing around in Photoshop:

Lens (mm): 100
ISO: 100
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 10
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

 

Rob has just fiunished four days on his knees shooting the CSA BMO National Soccer Championships held in Saskatoon last weekend. Fortunate for our fingers but unfortunately for the photos, the games were all moved indoors to the SaskTel Soccer Centre.  This brings to mind another tip for those of you learning photography and looking for oppotunities to shoot major events to add to your portfolio. Check with the organizers first, know the rules of the game, be courteous and have good etiquette, stay out of the way of the game and get permission to go where you want to go. If you want to shoot at a major event, you will need credentials or accreditation to move beyond the position of the regular fans. Find out if said event has an official photographer and if so, introduce yourself and make that person or organization aware of your position and intentions. If you are there on behalf of a particular team, you still need permission if you have not been previsously acreddited by the organizers or the sanctioning body... If you don't, you are a fan.

Perhaps you are asking, why the long list of do's and do nots. Well Rob had a bit of a run-in this past week with a sideline fan. This person showed up on the sidelines with a big chunk of glass, and a bigger chip on his shoulder. When greeted with a friendly hello, a pat on the back and a comment regarding the less than desireable lighting conditions (something pro photographers often, like other humans, do, greet each other), he talked about how he had a large lens and big camera body that he thought somehow more capable of absorbing light at F2.8 that someone elses 2.8. Rather strange for a person who then went on to talk about the multiple parties that were paying him to be there and how his name should be on the tip of the tongue of every sports image connoisseur on the planet, stranger because Rob had never heard of him. Alarms were sounding and Rob, who has worked the sidelines of major events all over this country was left feeling a little less than comfortable. Given the described chain of events, Rob inquired as to this individual's credentials. Turned out that he was only in posession of a fans pass yet somehow had made his way onto the sidelines of a national event due to the fact that he had a big lens. Let's just say security was a little lapse. PEOPLE, big glass does not give a fan the right to be in a place they should not be. Fans do not carry liabilty insurance, they do not neccesarily understand the impact or possible impact their position and their equipment may have on the athletes or officials.

Anybody remember why professional photogs are granted a right to be on the sidelines? It's not because they are taking pictures of their kids and not because they need photos for facebook. It is because, the players, the fans, the teams and the sanctioning bodies want and accurate photographic description of what takes place on the playing surface.

Why is a cheering photographer a problem? They change the dynamic between the players and the photographers. Professionals are paid to document a game, and we understand the game is not about us. Whether taking pictures for a team, a league or and individual. We are there to document what happens. If a team or player thinks for a second that we are on one side or another, their reaction, when faced with our camera, changes and thereby impacts the story that we can tell through our photos. Fans do not belong on the sidelines. The photos are about the game and the players, the wins and the losses, the cries of pain and joy. I've seen people at games take photos from the sidelines, go and drink some beer with the fans and then come back, take pictures, get in the way of the game, cheer at the home team and holler at the opposition. How does this make the opposition feel and how will the players react when they look into the lens of one of us who really does have some professionalism in our conduct and really do just want to tell a story of a game? The players game.

On the lighter side, with all the 70-200 F2.8 lenses and big bodied DSLRs being sold, perhaps someday we will justs get to the piont where there will be 39,000 photogs at a sporting event and 12 people in the stands. Beer service will be spectacular.

I too am a sports fan and appreciate that those who read these posts are often fans who want to better understand how to make good sports photos. I believe everyone should have the right to do so. Just follow the proper channels and avoid impacting the game.

Weather aside, Rob's weekend was pretty hairy.

Lens (mm): 165
ISO: 6400
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/800
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

 

Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 6400
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/800
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

 

Lens (mm): 100
ISO: 6400
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/1000
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

"If the shoe doesn't fit... don't wear it!"

Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 6400
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/1000
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

 

This past week Devona and a few friends were able to go way up in the sky to shoot a few photos of the city and had a blast even though it felt like it was about -40 up there with the wind chilly

The above two images were shot with a technique called HDR. Basically you take a minimum of 3 shots all at different exposures and then you blend them together using a program rendering all of the highlights and all of the shaded areas. Not something the imaging latitude of a camera, or even the human eye, can really see.

Lens (mm): 104
ISO: 100
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 2.5
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 100
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 3
Exp. Comp.: +0.3


Lens (mm): 97
ISO: 100
Aperture: 5.6
Shutter: 5
Exp. Comp.: +0.3

The above 3 images were shot by using a technique called zoom pushing...or pulling. With your camera mounted on a tripod ensure that you have a bit of a longer shutter speed and then as soon as you release the shutter either zoom in or zoom out with your lens while the photo is being taken. The result is a pretty neat effect. This also is used quite frequently with photos of flowers etc.

Rob and his buddy Brian went out quadding in the snow and slush yeasterday out by Kennossee. They spent about as much time on the quad's as they did trying to get them unstuck! Here are a few pics that Rob shot of the day with his Canon Powershot G10:

 
Lens (mm): 6.1
ISO: 100
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/60
Exp. Comp.: -0.3 

Lens (mm): 6.1
ISO: 100
Aperture: 8
Shutter: 1/125
Exp. Comp.: 0.0

This image very shortly after Brian "smelt the swamp gasses". 2.5 hours later, this machine was free thanks to bracing the second quad up against one of the trees in the background and winching the stuck one from behind combined with a come-along jack on a second tree and way, way too many f-bombs.

Here's Rob covered in mud with a huge smile on his face... what is it about boys??

 

 Below is an image that were taken last night. I decided to play around with it for a bit in Photoshop after I had already gone in and tone mapped it to get the effect of highlights and shadows.

I input the following image in place at the bottom of this blog only to see if our friend and consistent reader has the intestinal fortitude to make it all the way through to the bottom of this rather longish installment of our blog. Consider yourselves caught up. Now get your ass out there and shoot.

Hi Ben!