| Sign in: |
| Members log in here with your user name and password to access the your admin page and other special features. |
|
|
|
|
|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2008-03-08
Shooting commences at Sports Shooter Academy V
Workshop participants photograph boxing, beach volleyball, basketball, and softball during first day of shooting.
By Crystal Chatham
Photo by Jordan Murph / Sports Shooter
Sports Shooter Academy co-founder and Southern California freelance photographer Matt Brown leads a portrait lighting class with Cal State Fullerton basketball player Frank Robinson during Sports Shooter Academy V being held in Orange County, CA.
|
The first full day of shooting commenced at Sports Shooter Academy V on Thursday, March 6 with a variety of scheduled lighting classes and sports including boxing, beach volleyball, basketball, and softball. Many SportsShooter.com members, including more than 50 students and professional photographers, dispersed at locations throughout Southern California for hands-on shooting opportunities flanked by Academy faculty and staff, which are a signature aspect of the five-day workshop.
The Academy's first morning kicked off with a pair of portrait lighting sessions which gave participants exposure to location work and multiple setup shoots with collegiate and professional athletes. On the campus of California State University at Fullerton, Academy co-founder, instructor, SportsShooter.com member, and Southern California-based freelancer Matt Brown turned a collegiate basketball player into a celebrity surrounded by security guard, adoring fans and paparazzi who were portrayed by Academy participants.
Simultaneously in Irvine, Academy instructor Donald Miralle led a class in location portraiture with AVP pro volleyball athletes Brad Keenan and April Ross. The six-setup-shoot included two elaborate indoor scenes and four simple one-light setups outside the hotel where SSA is being held.
"My goal was to give students a chance to shoot a wide array of setups indoors and outdoors with the athletes," Miralle said of the class." I wanted to expose them to different equipment, formats and techniques while shooting professional athletes within a given time frame."
Miralle set up an overhead magnum, two beauty dishes, and a strip bank for one indoor setup and an octobank with a grid spot for the second indoor portrait. For University of Lethbridge senior and SportsShooter.com member Rod Leland, the class was an opportunity to use new gear. "I've never shot with that many light modifiers and I've certainly never seen a softbox as tall as I am," the Alberta, Canada native said referring to the 6ft. softbox Miralle demonstrated.
AVP athletes Angie Akers, Brooke Langston, and 2007 AVP Rookie of the Year Jenny Cropp conducted a practice session and location portrait work with Academy members. AVP players have a long-standing relationship with Sports Shooter Academy.
"The athletes were great. They were fun, energetic, and excited to be there," said photographer and SportsShooter.com member Michael Sasser of Galveston, Texas. "They had really great personalities and open minds. The players were very easy to work with." Sasser is a digital media studies major in his senior year at University of Denver in Colorado.
Photo by Susanica Tam / Sports Shooter
SportsShooter.com member and freelance photographer Donald Miralle leads a portrait lighting session with AVP player Brad Keenan at Sports Shooter Academy V being held in Orange County, CA.
|
Thursday's schedule also included collegiate softball and two NCAA basketball games. Academy photographers went five hours early to the UC Irvine vs. UC Davis men's basketball game to hang arena lights and overhead remotes in the Bren Events Center catwalks under the direction of instructor Matt Brown.
In nearby La Habra, Academy photographers found a variety of pictures at La Habra Boxing Club. The environment lent itself to photography, said instructor and Orange County Register staff photographer Mike Goulding. "Boxing was rich in ambiance and opportunity. There was a fury of picture taking and enthusiastic photography with lots of quick strobe set ups to start."
Participants soon started to see beyond the equipment, he said. "The activity kind of slowed when people began to concentrate on the picture instead of the light."
San Diego based professional photographer and SportsShooter.com member Sam Hodgson found the club provided ample shooting opportunities. "Boxing was awesome. There were so many features and stories to shoot," he said. "I may actually come back and do a follow up story with an upcoming pro fighter there."
After boxing, Hodgson returned to Irvine for the Academy's nightly open editing and faculty critique session. "The best thing about shooting was coming back to the hotel and having the faculty members critique my work and tell me how my photos could've been better," said Hodgson, who is the photo editor of the online non-profit newspaper, voiceofsandiego.org.
Sports Shooter Academy V continues through Sunday. The workshop is supported by Samy's Camera, Canon, USA, and Think Tank Photo. Other faculty members include Sports Shooter founder Robert Hanashiro of USA TODAY, Los Angeles Times staff photographers Wally Skalij and Myung Chun, and San Diego Union-Tribune staff photographer Sean Haffey.
Related Links:
Sports Shooter Academy
Sports Shooter Academy V kicks off in Southern California
Alexander wins Photo of the Day at Sports Shooter Academy V
|
|
|
Contents copyright 2008, SportsShooter.com. Do not republish without permission.
|