Trying something different.

I got a job, well I got paid to take photos.  Something different, as opposed to taking photos and then hoping people will buy them.  The first, is something I know I would like to do again.

I was asked to photograph a football game.  I have never photographed football before and I told the client that.  She seemed happy to let me try and see what I came up.

My first thoughts were that my lenses wouldn't be large enough.  Football fields are large and the play happens all over the field.  You need a large lens to get the shots that happen on the other side, as it turns out the players always seem to be on the other side.  My 200mm was OK, but a 300 or 400 would have been ideal.

Following the action was much the same as it is in netball, you know all the players are after the ball.  Though, having said that, the strange thing with football is that the ball is an odd shape and does tend to be unpredictable as to where it might go.  Which also left me wondering if that is why the ball is that shape, so we, the spectators, get a good laugh watching people trying to get the ball, very entertaining.

I tried moving around to various places to take photos, but it didn't really seem to make that much of a difference.  I remembered that my tripod was in the boot, so after taking some half time shots in the dressing room I got out my tripod and set it up in one spot.  It was brilliant. 

People have said to me that I should use a monopod for photographing the cycling, but I stand up, I sit down, I kneel down, my height changes all the time and I think a monopod would be more of a hindrance than a help.  For the football I could stay in one position and not moving up and down, so it didn't matter.  If I were to photograph the football again, I would definitely go for this option.  Perhaps a monopod might be less awkward, though I think a new head on my current monopod would be better, a ball and release system of some sort that enables you to move the camera quickly would be good.

I'm sure you can tell from the photos that it was a gloomy day.  It had been raining quite a bit in the morning, and the sky was still threatening to let down more.  I am not keen to take photos in the rain.  Not because I don't want to get wet, but because I don't want the camera to get wet.  The camera is no good to me if it gets wet and stops working.

When it starts raining, my first thoughts are, "keep the camera dry".  I have also started taking lots of plastic bags with me to keep it dry and some electrical tape.  The best thing is to be able to have someone with an umbrella over me.   When we saw that it was raining, my husband decided he wouldn't be riding his bike that day and said he would come with me.  I was so glad he did.  It didn't rain a lot, but rained enough and he was there with the umbrella and did a great job of keeping it dry.  Thanks Dave.

As I was at the football for one specific person, I had to concentrate on getting photos of her mainly.  Though, I also thought, that I wouldn't just stand there when she wasn't in the action, and did take photos of the game as well.  I took a lot of photos, again, one of the lovely things about digital, it really doesn't matter.

I am sure I missed some of the things she may have liked me to have photos of.  I didn't do it on purpose, it was more my inexperience at not knowing what was going to happen.  Once you start photographing a particular sport and get used to it, you start to understand what is happening and, more importantly perhaps, understand the proceedure of what is going to happen.  Once you know that, then you know what to photograph, you know where to go.  Nothing beats spending time practicing the sport you want to become good at photographing. 

If I were going to do more football, I would need to get a bigger lens, or a teleconverter for my current lens.  I haven't used one yet, but I think it is probably the next thing I need to seriously think about getting.  You need to get as close to the action as possible.  When you can't physically get close, then you want the camera to be able to do it for you, big lens.  For the cycling I haven't felt like I needed one, occasionally for netball I've thought it would be good, but for football, definite bonus.  I might start saving, after I pay for  . . .

It was a great experience to be able to go and take photos of Belinda's 250th game.  I am so glad she asked me.  It has opened up the possibility to me, that I can do more than just photograph cycling and netball.  It is good to experiment and try different things.  Continously learning new skills is a good thing.  You never know what it might lead to.  I should also thank Jarrod for giving my name to Belinda.  Thanks Jarrod.

Travelling to Canberra

Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Canberra.  I was there as a chaperone to some young riders who were racing in the Canberra Women's Tour, there was also a Junior section.  Part of the deal with going up, was that I was not allowed to go the racing, seems that the coach has decided that my daughter needs to start being more independent.  I say great, but good luck.

I knew I would be travelling up alone, as Briony was going to be in the van with the other girls who was also going up.  So I wouldn't be alone, bored and risk falling asleep while driving, I invited a friend to come with me, Kate.  She has a friend who lives in Canberra and she would be staying with her, but spending time with me.

The first day in Canberra, Simon picks up all the kids I'm looking after and I leave to go and get Kate.  Canberra is a not an easy place to find your way around and I manage to lose my way once, but quickly turn around and head in the right direction.  I get to Kate's and we are off, heading to the National Gallery of Australia.

On the way my petrol light comes on and we start the search for a petrol station.  Really, you should do research on this type of thing when travelling to Canberra, because you don't see them anywhere, too ugly apparently.  We had to phone a friend to find one.  Was not a good feeling knowing you are running out of fuel, but can't find anywhere to refuel.  We found somewhere and didn't run out.

We made our way to the Gallery and parked the car and proceeded to walk through the sculpture garden to the entrance.  One thing that Kate and I have in common, besides doing our fine arts degree together, we both love photography.

My camera bag is a backpack and it wasn't something that I wanted to carry around all day, it's heavy, and, and, I knew that when I got to the gallery I wouldn't be able to take it in and I would have to leave it behind.  As far as I was concerned that wasn't an option, so I decided to carry just the camera with the 18mm to 105mm lens.  It should cover everything I would want to shoot and if it didn't then I could always crop.  (I don't like shooting like that, I know people recommend doing that, but I think I'm still in the film mentality and I try to compose my images through the camera lens.)

I liked carrying the camera with me, it was over my shoulder and ready to use anytime I saw something that I thought would make a good composition.  Of course walking though the sculpture helped me to find many things to photograph.
There are some really big and beautiful sculptures here and the garden surroundings can really help to show them off.  It is like they are part of the environment rather than the enveronment being there for them.

It is a shame in some ways that it was a drizzly overcast days, then again it made the lighting more even and I didn't have to deal with direct sunlight giving me very bright patches and harsh shadows.

Next we entered the gallery.  I was told the gallery was amazing, not just what was inside but also the building.  I could see straight away that their were some interesting elements in the building.  We decided to head straight for the coffee shop and get coffee, look at the map and make some decisions about what we were going to see.

You can see from the photo of the coffee shop part of what I was saying.  The ceiling was quite amazing.  Perhaps had aged, and didn't look as spectaclar as it once had, but still impressive. 

I didn't get to take any more photos really, I made the mistake of asking what the policy was on taking photos and was told that I could not take photos of anywhere inside.  I could take photos in the gardens outside, but not inside.  Shame really.  I wasn't interested in photographing the artworks, but I did want to take photos of the buildings.  I say it was a mistake to ask because there is always the element of ignorance, doing it until you are told otherwise.  I know not the best way to deal with it, but still...

After we had a look around we headed over to the portrait gallery.  What an amazing place.  We had lunch there, definitely a fantastic decision to eat there.  The food was extremely good.

The building was incredible as well.  It reminded me a art deco building, but it is not that old.  It has the elements of being a modern building, yet it has those design aspects of another era.  I thought it was beautiful and couldn't stop looking at it.  I wanted to take lots of photos of it.

I did go and ask someone about their photography policy and was really pleased to learn that I could take photos of the building, inside and out, but could not photos of the galleries or the artwork.  This all suited my purposes and I took several photos looking at these.

This above image reminds me of people sitting on a train.  I suppose it is the way the seats are positioned and the way the people have sit down, as if to face the way they are travelling.

This is the entrance to the toilets.  I know it is not the usual place to take photos, but I thought it fun the way the wood is placed.  Again, it is all lines, but it brings me into the first Willy Wonka movie.  The room they went into that got smaller and smaller.  It was almost disappointing when I did go towards the ladies to discover that it didn't get smaller. 

Something I got from Canberra, was that I should always try to carry a camera with me.  I know it isn't always possible, but perhaps I should make a habit of it as much as I can.  Being able to grab the camera and take a quite snap was really good.