Anyone shoot referees?

[Tandem]

Last night the person in charge of the local basketball referees asked me if I would get some photos of the referees during the games I shoot. He said that many of the game officials would love to get photos of themselves in action.

While I have gotten officials signaling a touchdown or handing out a yellow card, I've never gone out of my way to make them the focal point of a photo. In fact, most of my efforts have been to keep their backsides out of my photos. I found it very difficult to switch my attention from the players making the play to the ref calling the play and most of the time I was out of position anyway.

If you have any good ref shots or any ideas for shots then please post them.

[Croasdail]

Yes I do as a regular practice. I try to take a good stock photo of each per game, and then I also look for opportunities where the ref/official is interacting with someone else (player, coach, other official). For game coverage, you never know what the "story" will be. It could be an errant call, number of penalties, what ever. Its always good to get stock images of anyone on the field. And at the end of the day, they are still someone's Dad, brother, husband, or son (and obviously the same for female officials) and these images have value for them as well.

Unfortunately I don't have any images on this machine... but when I head home I will look on my image server, I am sure I have something.

[n1as]

There are times I've sure wanted to!


Oh, wait, you me photograph ... :)

- Keith -

[neil_r]

I mis-understood the thread tittle.

There are plenty of times when I have wanted to shoot the referee... :-)

[neil_r]

snap ....

[primoz]

I actually do shoot them, I mean photograph them, just that there won't be some misunderstanding :mrgreen:
But it's always with some other reason, not because of this what you wrote. If I would get order to shoot them like that, sure, but otherwise I don't see point.
Anyway... few of my samples :)
Hockey (http://www.photo.si/photo_show.php?imn=s_icehockey_20070421nw_0268.jpg )
Basketball (http://www.photo.si/photo_show.php?imn=s_basketball_20070414nw_0079.jp g)
Some more basketball (http://www.photo.si/photo_show.php?imn=s_basketball_20070225bm_0083.jp g)
And some more of basketball (http://www.photo.si/photo_show.php?imn=s_basketball_061214bm_0301.jpg) :)

[troutbreath]

Aptly named the file "satan."

http://www.michaelrparker.com/images/satan.jpg

[dlpasco]

I regularly shoot the refs. One of my officials photos is still hanging at our rink - two of the officials play in our adult hockey league and the third is the father of two boys that went through our youth hockey program.

[EnronRocks]

I have a few shots of Refs yelling at coaches, and thats about it. I really get pissed at them because they get in the way.

[KIPAX]

At soccer I always include the ref in my collection and his assistants because they are as much a part of the game as the players.

[Darsk47]

Once I was asked by the crew working the game to get shots of themselves. (hockey)

They were pleased. Refereeing for kids amateur hockey is for the most part a hobby. You earn a few bucks (tax free) per game which is like getting paid to exercise, and it's a good way to stay involved with the game you like.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2008/2127370296_2afcfd15f2_o.jpg

[MT]

You get a lot of official ass when shooting wrestling...

[superdiver]

I tend to try and shoot a couple of the refs and the coaches as well. I try to get them making a call or arguing with the coach or confering with another ref. You know, ref "action" photos...kinda hard, but I try...

[nicmo]

I concur with MT. I have a great collection of Ref butts as they step into frame. So I guess I do shoot the officials best side…:D

[KirkHMB]

There are times I've sure wanted to!


Oh, wait, you me photograph ... :)

- Keith -

+ 1

As I know most of the refs for VB, I do try to get pixs of them. The soccer ones, not so much, but as others have said, lots of shots of the back of the ARs heads.

[Zivnuska]

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/Trinity.jpg

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/Trinity-2.jpg

Last week I was talking to a ref during a time out. We were chatting about the game when he mentioned that he used to take pics of his kids when they were playing sports. He said he did it mainly to help him keep his mouth shut! Great guy.

They are human you know. Plus, a good relationship with the refs helps me gain access to the places I need to be for the best shots.

[Jimmy Boyd]

I would like to but they are not in season here.

[Steve Day]

I am primarily a photographer of Referees. I work NCAA D1 basketball games. I work mainly with one conference's referees. They love real action shots. Most photos taken of the refs are either after the fact or incidental. I just printed an 8 foot tall poster for one. I am shooting a University of Kentucky game next week for the refs.

[Dunner]

A real ref action shot.

http://www.kevindunn.smugmug.com/photos/174056934-M.jpg

[oaktree]

I've got many sharp shots of basketball refs. Because of their striped uniforms, my XTi/lens tend to focus on them better than the basketball players next to them!

[KIPAX]

Officials assistants as well

http://www.kipax.com/mbgfx/potn/pcup1.jpg

[PaintballPhotography.com]

Here are some paintball refs

http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/6195/1D4B2996WC07.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4039/PSPRCOSun_07M188.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/4214/PSPLAO08.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/3180/GL5T7292Denver7_05.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/8131/QL7P3826BostonNPPL07.jpg
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2254/QL7P7630HBNPPL.jpg

www.paintballphotography.com

[superreds]

Here’s one for you, not looking at the action as per usual for a referee.

[Apollo11]

Here's one take at a Sabres/Leafs game a few weeks ago....

[RonnieA]

I coach high school baseball and this ump kicked me out of a non-league game a few years ago - his strike zone sucks and he ALWAYS makes his presence known by making a crappy call at a crucial time in a ball game! I've been plotting his demise ever since that day. From the stitched cut along his cheekbone, it looks like someone tried to beat me to it. :D

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/197/495714222_758e617343_o.jpg

[dsul413]

As a paintball ref, I can say that we like pictures too as refs. ;)

[PaintballPhotography.com]

http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/3016/1D4B0798WC07.jpg
http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/943/1D4B4327BostonNPPL07.jpg

I always take pictures of the paintball refs because I have tremendous respect and admiration for what they do. I have worked beside them for many years and the disrespect, name calling and threats they get simply amazes me. There is no amount of money in the world I could be paid to do their job. They get hit more than me and it seems almost no one ever thanks them for what they do. When they make a correct call nothing is said but if they make a questionable call they are yelled at and called names by the players, spectators and coaches. It seems as if they are in a no win situation.

Gary
www.paintballphotography.com

[MJPhotos24]

Always try to get at least one or two a game of the umps/refs at any level. I get to know some umps in pro baseball and they seem to enjoy them, or least soon as you mention it they want a copy!

#1 - Home plate ump heading down the line to assist in a double play call (I think - only two umps on duty). Single-A ump.
http://www.knockoverrecords.com/Ref02.JPG


#2 - That'll be two strikes against your hitter! Triple-A ump
http://www.knockoverrecords.com/Ref01.JPG



Ronnie - I've learned some sure ways to get tossed...

Scenario One: Don't know what our pitcher did to the ump but both times he pitched he was on and couldn't get a call. It had to be a perfect 4-seamer down the pipe to get anything. The other teams catcher was diving (literally) to stop the pitch, one bounced before the plate and it was called, I had parents ready to charge the field! First game noone said a word, all nice even though the ump sucked, second game for about 4 innings it was all nice until just couldn't take it anymore after obvious one way umping....

Me - "You know a sinker actually sinks and that's why the catchers glove goes down a bit, maybe you should watch the actual pitch instead of the glove" (walking to 3rd base coaches box)....

Ump - "Heard enough"

Me - "I'm serious, it's weird I know but the pitch actually sinks, I think that's where they got the name" (walking back to the dugout from 3rd base coaches box)

Ump - Not a word

Me - "ARE YOU SERIOUS!" (bad call at home our 3rd string catcher had the plate blocked 4 feet up the line perfectly)

Ump - "One more word and you're gone!"

Me - "Fine, I'll just swear at you in spanish the rest of the game" (As I went to sit with the crowd).

Scenario Two:

(after long argument when official - er, teacher who filled in for the official who didn't show - started cheating when we made a 20 point comeback to bring it within four - 4 straight steals, 4 staight times going up for a layup, 4 straight times pushed hard from behind, 4 straight calls against us for getting pushed in the back - didn't get it myself)

Official - "You say one more word and I'm calling your AD"

Me - (Walk three steps towards the bench and turn around) "You tell Jack I said hello!" (That's the first T)

Top it off with a parent yelling REF YOU SUCK and you get to sit in the hallway the rest of the game for that 2nd T.

Third Scenario:

During a break in the action walk up by the official...look straight, not at him....

Coach - "Can I get thrown out for what I'm thinking"

Official - "Thinking? No"

Coach - "Good, cuz I think you suck!"

Some coach did that around here, ref T'd him up anyways...

That concludes todays lesson of how to get thrown out of games as a coach. I've officiated four games before and won't do it again, though an official I know made 2500 more than I did as a coach and he didn't work even close to as many days/hours. Hmmm...

[nascarmaniac]

From where I shoot at the Saddledome, I get a ton of ref shots, but most are unintentional, as the ref likes to put himself somewhere in a lot of my frames. Here is on of the intentional ref shots. Just watching over the play of a Hitmen game!

http://38.114.207.19/a205c625e7e90a7af23d67563847cdbb4g.jpg

[Mark Alexander]

I always try to get a good shot of each ref and give them a print. Seems to build good will...

[snapmando]

I shot one, looks like her was happy about it too....

[npuckhead]

Being an official, seeing pictures are231593 a great learning tool in their positioning and signals.

[Steve Day]

One from the Kentucky game today. Billy G. wasn't happy.

[lance v]

Heres a non american 'ref' (umpire) He likes to give people out when he falls asleep or gets bord....

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/2076893599_ad7f084511_o.jpg

[Just Be]

I was tempted when they took the Super Bowl victory away from the Seahawks in '05. :mad:

[Lacks_focus]

Not sure if this counts... Santa was playing ref.

http://lacks-focus.smugmug.com/photos/239207701-L.jpg

This one needs a caption.

http://lacks-focus.smugmug.com/photos/239207780-XL.jpg

[bsmotril]

I shot one once. I'm still hiding out, so far, so good ;-)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1062/701621138_c0aea040e9.jpg

[txduggan]

I've never shot basketball before...headed out to a HS game with a friend (his daughter cheers for the school)...we showed up late and only had a few minutes to shoot...

This guy kept getting in my way!



http://tomduggan.com/misc/ref/_MG_4901.jpg

http://tomduggan.com/misc/ref/_MG_4909.jpg

http://tomduggan.com/misc/ref/_MG_4912.jpg

And, I actually think he used to be a teacher at my HS alma mater ;)

Anyhoo....since I was blowing monkey chunks big time with the sports action, I gave in and took a still:

http://tomduggan.com/misc/ref/_MG_5534.jpg

It's been said before....much respect and props go out to sports shooters...it's not easy!!!!!!

:shock::shock::shock:

Tom D

[superdiver]

http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/239189502-L.jpg

http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/239197955-L.jpg

http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/238623892-L.jpg

http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/238288363-L.jpg

[inchman254]

Refs are people too. ;)

[Sauk]

http://www.athleticsphotog.com/img/v3/p1017920813-4.jpg

http://www.athleticsphotog.com/img/v3/p776061964-4.jpg

[Zivnuska]

Refs are people too. ;)

I hope you got a print to that ref.

[IODebbie]

I shoot the umpires in Little League games and give a disc of the photos to the guys at the end of the season - they really seem to appreciate it!