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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2003-04-26
On day one it rained like hell
Students and intructors begin workshop with early wake up call
By Max Morse, Brooks Institute of Photography
Photo by Jason Kaye
Dave Black's limited edition Sports Shooter cowboy hat.
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Editors note: Max Morse and 19 other SportsShooter.com members have decended upon Louisville, Kentucky this weekend for the 2003 Collegiate Sports Journalism Seminar at Churchill Downs.
I got two hours of sleep last night. With the time change from California, it is like I got no sleep at all. But that is how it goes out here in Kentucky. The horses ride at dawn … and so do our vans. This morning we all woke up to loud cracking thunder and flashes of lightning outside our rooms at the Galt House Hotel. We loaded on the buses and pulled away at 5 am sharp. That put us in Wagner’s Trackside Kitchen for breakfast by 5:15. After a strong helping of eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and gravy (mmm … southern food) we hit the drenched and muddy grounds.
We all split up and made images of the horses, trainers, and even a few southern belles (way to go Willie!). It was muddy and gross, but there were great pictures made. The rain even subsided for a while, giving us a welcome break from the drizzle. The more than 50 stables and 1200 horses provided more than ample subjects for all of the students and faculty to shoot workouts, baths, and feedings. And I’m not talking about the jockeys.
Photo by Jason Kaye
Students edit their pictures in the Churchill Downs executive boardroom.
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Around 9 a.m. we reconvened at the Trackside restaurant. We pulled the wet garbage bags off our gear and headed up to the boardroom for work flow. While the images were downloading and discs were being burned, Lucas Gilman, DOP at the Jackson Hole News, graced us with some of his work from Wyoming. The most exciting part of his presentation came when he announced that his paper would be offering a summer internship to one of the students here at the seminar.
Next up was a lecture from Bill Frakes of Sports Illustrated. The most interesting part of Frakes’ lecture was the description of his coverage of Marion Jones in the 100 meter dash at the Olympic Games in Sydney. Frakes explained his use of a custom-made slit camera in addition to more than 40 other remotes. The slit camera helped him shoot a stunning image of Jones far ahead of the track that ran across three pages in the magazine.
Next on the agenda was lunch in the pressroom. The most exciting moment of lunch was the mad sprint across the courtyard so as to avoid the downpour that had resurged. After soup and a roast beef sandwich, it was back to the grind.
That is when the day hit its high point. Back in the boardroom, the incomparable Joe McNally graced us with a presentation. He spoke on the topic of "Realities of Photojournalism." Showing us work from such National Geographic projects as Light, and Sight, McNally wowed us with
Photo by Jason Kaye
Kent State University student Scott Galvin gets a portfolio critique from Joe McNally.
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his amazing shots and storytelling ability. He even spoke very candidly about his 9/11 tribute entitled "Faces of Ground Zero." All I can say is that if any of you ever have the chance to hear McNally speak, you had better not pass on the opportunity.
Moving along in the day, we all broke into groups for sessions with our instructors. The topics were: "Location Portraiture," with McNally; "Light Painting," with Dave Black; "Seeing the Image," with Rick Rickman; and "Photo Story," with Lucas Gilman. Each instructor brought their own flavor, and we had a great variety of different ways to approach photography here at the seminar, and in our careers beyond.
Our last official session was the day’s critique. Overall, it seemed as though the instructors were impressed with what we made of a horrendous weather day. Also, I don’t know if I have experienced many cooler things in life than having a group critique from McNally, Black, Rickman, Gilman, and our faithful leader, Skip Dickstein. Unfortunately, our co-director, Mike Corrado, got tied up and couldn’t attend the critique. I am anxiously awaiting his opinion tomorrow.
To wind down the day, we stormed a small Mexican restaurant and feasted after a hard day’s work.
Luckily it looks as though the sky will clear for opening day at Churchill Downs tomorrow (Saturday). Hopefully it will stay that way so that the beautiful women come out in those mind-boggling hats. So now it is 11 p.m. I have to be back up in five hours for an even crazier day of shooting.
Photo by Justin Fowler
Max Morse really needs that Pepsi after getting only two hours of sleep.
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Keep looking for the posts from the following SportsShooter.com members:
Max Morse
Scott Galvin
Paul Clapp
Kevin Smith
Travis Matthews
Kevin Martin
Denis Rochefort
Willie Allen Jr.
David Snyder
Jeff Snyder
Jason Kaye
Joshua Brown
Brendan Smialowski
Thomas Witte
Justin Fowler
Related Links:
Max Morse's member page
Collegiate Sports Journalism Seminar at Churchill Downs
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