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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Hockey Photo shoot...help needed.
Eric Jones, Photographer
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Greenville | NC | USA | Posted: 9:17 PM on 11.22.09 |
->> I've been asked by a hockey parent if I would do a photo shoot with their 12 year old son who is playing in a hockey league. She wants some action shots, sorta like having him spray up ice and a few other shots plus some cool hockey portraits on the ice with him by the goal. Now, the rink that we have in our town is open everyday but with so much going on the parents will be renting out the ice for around $90 an hour and we only have one spot that is open for one hour then we have to exit the ice. The other option is too shoot after 9 on Friday night but she doesn't want to pay no more than one hour for the ice plus the photo shoot fees from me. Is it possible to go out and do this shoot and do it right with out being rushed in one hour? I'm all about getting that right shot and making sure the light is right but it just seems impossible to do this in an hour. It will take at least 10-15 minutes to set up the lights and then another 10 minutes to pack up all without busting my butt on the ice. I've shot several sports portraits but I feel like this one will be a little tough to get done in 40 minutes. I want to make sure I can get the best possible shot but I'm sure there will be time going through the shot, picking the best place to capture the shot and then doing some re-takes as I know I will not nail this on the first shot. I just don't feel like this can be done in an hour but the parents are really wanting this shot. I hate to disappoint and not get the shot and then they have wasted $90 on the ice time. Any suggestions or thoughts?
Thanks
EKJ |
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Erik Markov, Photographer
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Kokomo | IN | | Posted: 9:35 PM on 11.22.09 |
| ->> I don't know Eric, that sounds like a tough one. Mom sounds a little overbearing maybe, I can see how you might end spending an hour on just one image, never mind the others she wants. I've shot a bit on the ice before several years ago. Shooting shouldn't be too much of a problem, of course you have to be careful. The rink should also have some walking mats they could lay down for you to give you steadier footing. But I don't know I would tell them yes considering the time restraints they're putting you under. You might be able to get the ice spray shot in one hour but the portraits and other action? Hmmm :( |
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Michael McNamara, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Phoenix | AZ | USA | Posted: 9:39 PM on 11.22.09 |
->> You will want a game plan for the shoot before you get there....if you're on a tight schedule, you won't want to be improvising (too much).
If the parents are renting the ice, ask that it be resurfaced before your one hour begins. The ice will look a lot nicer, and if they are renting the space, the least the rink could do is give them a fresh sheet.
Get there about an hour early and set up your lights and figure out where the best outlets are. That way, when your ice time starts, you can have your lights in place in about two minutes.
A good idea would be to hire an assistant for the shoot. They can help take care of getting your lights to where they need to be, and making sure that everything is working properly while you can spend your time worrying about taking the photos. Another thing the assistant can do for you is to watch the clock. Say you have four different shoots to do in the alloted time. Figure out before the shoot how much time you want to spend on each setup, and have the assistant watch the clock for you. "Eric, it's now 9:20. We should move on to the next shot."
Depending on how much lighting gear you own (and how much you're being paid), you may want to consider renting some extra lighting equipment. This way, while you are doing one shot, the assistant can be setting up the lights for the next one.
Assistants can be worth their weight in gold, especially when you're needing to do a lot of things in a short amount of time. |
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Andrew Fredrickson, Photographer
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Seattle | WA | United States | Posted: 10:17 PM on 11.22.09 |
| ->> I say yes, this is very possible. Just get to the arena early, have all your equipment set up as best you can before getting on the ice. I did a similar shoot in which I allotted a 15 minute window for. I got there about an hour early, set up all my lights on their stands, power packs connected, everything I needed. Even took some exposure readings and figured out how I would have the lights out on the ice before hand. When the buzzer sounded, and it was our 15 minutes on the ice, I was more than prepared. Moved in the lights, directed the hockey player to do some specific stances and actions, took about 50 frames, and we were out of there in 12 minutes. |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 8:43 AM on 11.23.09 |
->> I agree with Michael and Andrew, there is ice time and YOUR time. The two are not (should not) be the same. On your end of it you are looking at more like 2 hours and that assumes that you know the rink and the general lay of the land.
This is a lot like shooting sunset portraits or other environmental portraits where you have no control of the time or timing. You have to be there early and do all the prep in advance so that when the shooting window opens all you are concerning yourself with is shooting.
Talk to the rink management about your plans too. One of the rinks that I work at won't allow us to setup lighting or a photographer on the ice with out a certificate of insurance AND they have to be named as an additional insured. Another rink just wants the COI and at yet another they couldn't care less who or what is on the ice as long as the time is being paid.
I think it can be shot in the hour I just don't think you can plan and set it up in the same hour too.
Good luck. |
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Darren Whitley, Photographer
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Maryville | MO | USA | Posted: 9:29 AM on 11.23.09 |
->> Check out Dave Junion's photography. He does sports comps and shoots them in studio. He charges a lot of $$$ for them too.
Based on his approach, I don't see why this even has to be done at the rink. All you need are some stock images of the ice from a certain angle and it won't matter if they were shot in that setting or not. |
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Richard Denham, Photographer
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Toronto/Buffalo/Niagara | On | Canada | Posted: 9:32 AM on 11.23.09 |
->> 1hr with one player, I wish. You should have plenty of time.
As for the rest of your questions.
1. how to get it done as fast as possible?
Invest in these http://tiny.cc/icegripper you will be able to move around on the ice with ease for $20
2. where to take the shot
for the shot where he will be skating towards you, set up between the two face off circles at one end and shoot down ice. Either get up high, or down low to lose the light off the glass. This will allow you to crank up the f-stop to like 11 or 13 and drop the background. for portraits, use the net, maybe the same place with the same setup. To get some extra time with him, don't be afraid to shoot off ice. You could shoot him "geared down" sitting on the edge of the boards at a bench, or find an area in the arena to shoot, heck even bring a background to get a couple if you want. Check out these two recent shoots I did for hockey portraits.
Shot with a white backdrop http://rickdenham.com/blog/?p=174
Shot using the Zamboni doors http://rickdenham.com/blog/?p=111
all the best, feel free to call and pick my brain. |
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Aaron Bell, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Belleville | ON | Canada | Posted: 10:57 AM on 11.23.09 |
| ->> FYI - usually an hour of ice time is 50 minutes so that they have 10 minutes to flood (Zamboni). |
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