Sports Shooter Academy IV underway in Irvine, CA

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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2007-04-06

Sports Shooter Academy IV underway in Irvine, CA
By Crystal Chatham

Photo by Jordan Murph

Robert Hanashiro presents AVP players Nicole Branaugh, Tyra Turner, Brooke Hansen at Cal State Long Beach.

Sports Shooter Academy IV is underway this week in Irvine, California.

Forty participants, comprised of both students and professionals, converged on the Crowne Plaza Hotel Wednesday evening to kick-off the five-day, hands-on photography workshop.

After a welcome from SportsShooter founder and USA Today staff photographer Robert Hanashiro, Academy participants watched short presentations by each of the workshop's faculty members including Hanashiro, SSA co-founder and Southern California freelancer Matt Brown, Wally Skalij and Myung Chun of the Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune staff photographer Sean Haffey, and Jack Gruber of USA Today, all of whom are SportsShooter.com members.

The evening culminated with "Lighting 101" -- a crash course in the 'hows' and 'whys' of studio lighting equipment - led by Matt Brown. Workshop assistant Jordan Murph challenged SSA-ers to 'tame the beast' by breaking down and setting up an unruly softbox.

"It was easy. Matt did a very good job of explaining how to do it," said Whittier College student and SportsShooter.com member Paul Gallaher. "Our school's photo department is tiny, so I don't have a lot of opportunities to use that kind of equipment."

More hands-on experience was in store for participants on Thursday, the first full day of shooting. Arena lighting, location portraits, and sport-specific remotes and tips awaited participants during assignments spread across venues in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

Horse racing, beach volleyball, baseball, tennis, and boxing shoots were added to classroom sessions.

Photo by Jordan Murph

Sports Shooter Academy faculty member Jack Gruber of USA TODAY works with participant and SportsShooter.com member Jim Comeau during a baseball game between Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine on Thursday night.

First-time horse racing shooter and SportsShooter.com member Lisa Olson, a staff photographer at the East Valley Tribune in Mesa, AZ, spent a day at the races at the Santa Anita Race Track.

"There was a lot more to shoot than I was expecting." Olson and nine other participants worked eight races at the historic track

"I went with the theory that if I was in the same place as someone else, I needed to move," Olson said of working the same event as other shooters. "(It) helped me find different things other than the racing."

At Cal State Long Beach, 14 Academy participants photographed AVP beach volleyball players Angie Akers, Nicole Branaugh, Tyra Turner, Brooke Hansen during a scrimmage and a portrait session.

SportsShooter.com member Daniel Belis from Pasadena City College covered his first beach volleyball event. "I feel like I was able to anticipate more because, instead of just pushing the shutter I thought ahead about the shot."

Belis said angles were important. "Don't be restricted to just standing up. Think about different angles and cleaning up your background."

Sports Shooter Academy continues through Sunday.

Related Links:

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Ikuru Kawajima Wins First 'Photo of the Day' at Sports Shooter Academy IV

Beach volleyball action garners second 'Photo of the Day' at SSA IV

Sports Shooter Academy