A Day in the Life of a Pro Photographer

November 7, 2009

Getting Your Platform Right

I finally got to experience the life of a pro photographer. Not all the life-just a glimpse. This glimpse drove home the old saying that you should be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. I was lucky(and I use the word loosely here) enough to be able to be a second shooter at the Arkansas State High School Volleyball Championships held at the Convocation Center on the campus of ASU in Jonesboro, AR.

Can I Really Serve Now?

Quite a day. It actually started the evening before when I met the pro, Tom Ewart. Tom has an extensive history shooting big-time sports here in Arkansas and he showed me some of the ropes. Or this case wires. Because we spent several hours the evening before the event hanging lights and stringing wire to give them power and cables to synch the flashes. High up in the catwalk of a major event venue is no place to be if heights are a problem for you. Luckily I do very well with heights. NOT so good with keeping my head out of the way of metal supports. Dang that hurts! I’m not going to get real technical because it would be boring and I really can’t because my knowledge base is limited. Suffice it to say to get everything to work takes testing and the ability to re-rig things on the fly. Once we had things as good as we could get on Friday evening it was off to bed and get ready for a long day on Saturday.

Arriving at the venue about 2 hours before starting ceremonies was a good idea because a few problems crept into the mix that kept us busy working things out until just before the start. We would be available for 5 volleyball matches. No breaks other than ones we thought we could take. Having two shooters meant that if one was not on the floor shooting that the other could cover things quite well. Having the large strobes set up in the catwalks with wireless triggers meant we could shoot all day long at a rapid rate with few problems. Every now and then we hit the strobes a little hard and had to go back up in the stratosphere to reset them.

Pulling Together

Streching Out the Defense

2 on 1

We would shoot the match trying to give equal image time to both teams and fans. At the end of the match we would shoot intimate shots of the winners as the losers really are not interested in that moment. Then it was marketing ourselves by putting business cards into as many hands as we could before the next match would start. Then it was to the computer to dump the memory cards into the laptop and get ready for the next go round. Lets not forget the other photographers working the event and trying to stay out of each others way. Plus knowing that different photogs are contracted for different types of images. So I also had to work not to step on any toes here also.

Once the event is over it is tearing everything down as fast and safely as possible. The Convo workers are setting up the floor for basketball and they want us to be done before they are ready to go home. And they work hard and quick and so we did also. Making sure we didn’t drop any expensive equipment three stories and injure anyone or damage any equipment is tough to accomplish quickly. Even so with Toms’ experience and my enthusiasm we got that done without incident.

Bringin' It Strong

I found out a lot of things during this process.

-Shooting about 5K images in one day with a heavy body and lens takes a toll on the arms, shoulders, and backs of the shooter. I could not do this day in and day out as so many do.

-Being aware of the coverage of my lights and the changing exposure depending upon where I was standing was very new and a constant challenge.

-Making a contact with the event staff is key to getting things done easily throughout the day as you might need the everyday rules bent just a bit from time to time.

-And the fact that media get to graze at the hospitality trough makes the day just a bit easier.

Kudos to the event staff and Westside High School who hosted the event at the Convocation Center.

Interesting stories from the day include the end to an almost perfect season by 3A St. Joseph Conway who had their hearts broken by the girls from Mansfield. The 6A match between Benton and Marion-talent versus determination. Talent prevails in this match with Benton being crowned. The rivalry between the big girls from 7A Rogers Har-Ber and the not as tall but determined champions from Ft. Smith Southside-match to Southside. The repeat of last years 5A matchup between Siloam Springs and Greenwood. Results the same as last year-winner Siloam Springs. And the marquee 4A matchup with local flavor. Westside versus Valley View. The gym was packed during this match. Valley View has won every time during the regular season. But the Westside coach has guaranteed a state championship this year. Both teams were here last year and Valley View won. Now Westside is without a key starter and has changed their entire offensive and defensive scheme in the last two weeks of the season. Westside prevails in three and Coach Glenda Patterson proves her prediction accurate.

Throughout this post and following are a few of the shots from the day during the match between Siloam Springs and Greenwood. Everynow and then you as the phtographer get an opportunity to be in the right place at the right time and capture a special moment. The last image in this group is “The Moment”.