This month, do :: or :: diso addresses nothing technical. Take a breather from f stops, shutter speeds, 50% gray post production, and remotes. For a few moments, just think about subject matter and re-orientation at a game by the simple act of turning around. Sure, you are on the sidelines to shoot the game, but every once in a while, if you look away from the action, you will find the other part of the experience — to shoot. These are fun, and easy to find, images and help capture the craziness and the craze of athletic events.
If you look away from the athletes, you will find the fans in the crowd, the bands, the cheerleaders, and the mascots. No match is complete without a crowd, a school song, a crazy fan. So, consider turning around to find the fans; turn to the left and catch the band; turn to the right and find the cheerleaders; and find the mascot as it flits all over the place inciting the fans.
The Fans:
One part fun:
One part loyalist to the very end:
One part social commentator:
One part arm chair coach, umpire; and critic:
Sweating out the close games:
Participating in between innings at the minor league games:
And, look for the . . . well just nutty getups:
But does the fan affect the outcome of the game? The fan is offended you could even ask.
Look for interaction between the fans and the athletes. These are fun moments.
Look for the camera crew egging the fans on:
The Band:
One part symphony; one part organizer for fans and cheerleaders; one part the heartbeat of the loyalists, rabble-rousers, and daredevils. This is a chance to find something that is a little different:
The Cheerleaders:
One part adventurist; one part loyalist. Find a shot:
or a moment:
or the famous Chicken Dance with the fans on the court during a timeout:
or just the the cheerleaders doing their thing:
The Mascots:
These are the cheerleaders with the cool costumes. The are 100% crazy, 100% loyal, 100% nuttier than a fruitcake, 100% fun and 100% easy to shoot. Find the Wildcat and the loyals as they ignore the announcement of the opposing squad:
Or the Roo as he tries to rally the crowd while the Miner looks on:
Or the duo that just hangs with the fans in right field:
Take a moment out from the game to shoot some non-athlete shots. Look for loyalists, the crazy, the emotion, the shot that is different. It all helps to explain the total athletic experience and tell the story of the competition, not only by the competitors, but the faithful.
Next month, do :: or :: diso interviews Matthew Hicks, a college sports photographer, and reports about his path, his passion, and his craft; and here is one of his shots:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
mark shaiken :: photography
contact me at: mark@markshaiken.com
or by calling 913.530.6539