Shooting sports photography during a night DVI playoff game



McComb's Jerry Brown, right, carries the ball ahead of the Tiffin Calvert Senecas.

A McComb panthers coach yells to get his players motivated.

  The McComb Panthers and the Tiffin Calvert Senecas battled for the Div. 1 regional final spot on Friday night at Lake High school, in Millbury, Ohio.

   I shot this game for my sports assignment and found just how difficult shooting sports can be. Not only can it can be tricky to get color and everything in your camera right but stopping the motion of a player is important, as well. Sports photography might take some practice but when you know what you're doing you can capture some great moments.

   Some obstacles I had to overcome during this assignment were finding a game on a day that I didn't work, contacting the correct people in order to enter the game and standing in the best place to get the best shot.   

    By entering the game with my Owens ID and Assignment hand out I was able to shoot the game  and not have to pay for a ticket. I contacted the sports director who was there to get permission to enter the field for a short time, and got a few players names and information from fans around me. 

   The next issue dealt with the lighting on the field, I have never shot that much movement at night and I found it difficult to stop the action. ISO and white balance were two things I knew I wanted to set first so I worked with my camera on how to correctly expose and image but still stop the action. A fast shutter speed helps but the best way to stop action and not eat up a lot of light is with a flash. 

   I tried to remember that during sports you want to capture not just the players but the fans and the coaches. There is a lot of emotion and action going on not only on the field, but on the sidelines and in the bleachers.

   In the end McComb out scored the Senecas 42-0, taking the team to 12-0. Beating Tiffin Calvert also moves them ahead to the regional finals this Friday night against Delphos St. John's at Findlay's Donnell stadium.

   I enjoyed shooting sports, and know that it will still take a lot more practice but this was a great learning experience for me. I already know I would like to shoot sports again.





McComb Panther fans wear there favorite players jersey during a semifinal playoff game against Tiffin Calvert.

 

Shooting smiles with the dental progam for a portrait assignment

Lauren Murtaugh

   Portrait photography allows the photographer to be more in control, and this idea can be scary to some. Portraits can capture the meaning or feeling of a person. The photographer needs to work with the subject and understand them as well as the surroundings.

   Lauren Murtaugh is a second-year student in the Dental Hygiene program at Owens Community College. I am covering the Dental program currently in my photojournalism class, and followed Lauren for my portrait assignment. Lauren, as a second-year, gets the opportunity to work with real patients in their clinic at Owens. I shot her portrait as she was setting up her work space before her patient arrived. She was meeting her patient that day for the first time, but had already looked over his form and was prepared for what was needed.

   When I first arrived to shoot this assignment my first thought was to get a head shot of Lauren. To get the right exposure in a head shot you need to be sure you are setting up the subject and white balance correctly. A head shot is a basic head and shoulders shot with their head tilted back and their face forward. In addition to the head shot portraits should include an environment shot which the subject works or lives, which is her cubicle at the clinic. 

Lauren Murtaugh prepares for her patient before clinic (PHO245 photos by Sam Ricker)

   I wanted to capture Lauren working in her clinic space as she was working with her own tools because not only would Lauren feel more comfortable but I could easily see how she works and what tools she uses regularly. Lauren put on her sterile gloves, protective glasses, mask, and cover slip just as if she was preparing with a patient. With her face covered however portrait photography can be tricky. It is important to see a smile and a face in portrait photography. I'm sure a dental student won't mind showing off some teeth. 

  After tackling feature photography and learning to not be afraid of photographing people, portraits did not seem so scary. Knowing an visually appealing way to pose a subject comes with experience but capturing someones life and portraying them is fun and exciting for both the subject and the photographer.

   The Dental Hygiene program has been great in allowing me access and information. They were very welcoming. Hopefully they enjoyed this assignment as much as I did.

Second-year students in Dental Hygiene, like Lauren Murtaugh, participate in a clinic at Owens Community College.