First AHL shoot coming up, protocol advice?

[namasste]

Here's the skinny, I shoot with a few guys locally who cover our AHL team (for the team itself). They were going to be travelling and asked if I could cover the game (duh! YES!!!!!). Well, the parent company said no since they don't me but after getting pressure from the team for soem coverage and seeing some work samples, they agreed to use me. Needless to say, I am stoked!

I've searched and read, then did some more on settings and whatnot and feel I have a decent starting point at 1/1000, f4, and 1600 (although I'll get there early to really test it out). I don't know if I'll have use of house strobes or not yet so I can't make any assumptions there. Either way, the Monsters play at the Q in Cleveland so I'm guessing that the lighting will be good for ambient shooting regardless. If shooting ambient, am I better bumping ISO all the way to 3200 and upping the shutter as much as possible (i'll try to use a gray card to get the metering down if possible)?

My real questions relate to protocol. I've never shot in a venue like this and want to make sure I don't step on any toes. Should I make introductions to anyone on staff (I assume I should def. talk to the other shooters). I will have access to a cutout but don't know if that means I just go there and stay put of if I should move around a bit. Since it's for the team, I have locker rom access as well and I'm not sure what's appropriate or not there (as a photog, I played hockey all my life so I knwo nothing appropriate happens in there!:lol:). Anyway, I could go on and on but I was hoping a few of you pros could weigh in on protocol. I know I can get the job done but I want to make a great first impression so they'll use me more in the future.

To make me more stressed, there's a wedding between periods and they want coverage of that as well. Yikes, now I am really on thin ice (no pun intended).

Thanks in advance all!

[Anderson-Photography]

I shoot the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on occassion and the protocol I adhere to is not getting in the way of a paying customer such as standing in front of them to shoot, or march up and down the stairs in the stands while the game is on. Chances are you'll shoot in a corner where the Zamboni comes out so you need to be aware of the staff opening and closing the doors and the players coming on and off the ice at the beginning and end of the period.
As for introducing yourself to anyone you may want to send an e-mail to their Director of Media/Broadcasting and let them know you will be there to shoot and you want to know if there are any rules/procedures you will need to follow. I'm sure they'll be nice enough to let you know what is expected and may even send you a media guide which will cover all the bases. In the arena the IceHogs play in we can shoot from pretty much anywhere as long as, like mentioned earlier, we don't get in the way of paying customers and we don't go up into the catwalks to shoot down on the ice. Everything else is pretty much common sense and also a matter of safety as with the puck zipping around you want to keep an eye on your noodle.
It sounds like the cutout you mention is a small hole in the glass that allows you to shoot without having the plexiglass get in the way. If you have access to this by all means take advantage of it. Just be careful not to stick your lens through the hole or an errant puck may ruin your day or an official may stop play to tell you to tuck it in.
If you do have to shoot through the glass make sure you are aware of players that hit the boards as they will give to absorb the shock. You have your eye pressed up to your camera and the lens near the glass and they hit it you can walk away with a black eye, nice headache and a bruised ego.
Since you've never shot in an arena such as this you might want to try shooting your team on defense in the first period. This way you can get some nice reaction shots of the goalie and since the majority of the other photographers and news cameras will be focusing on offensive play they'll be at the other end of the rink so you'll have your own little corner for a full period.
Have fun!

[namasste]

I shoot the AHL's Rockford IceHogs on occassion and the protocol I adhere to is not getting in the way of a paying customer such as standing in front of them to shoot, or march up and down the stairs in the stands while the game is on. Chances are you'll shoot in a corner where the Zamboni comes out so you need to be aware of the staff opening and closing the doors and the players coming on and off the ice at the beginning and end of the period.
As for introducing yourself to anyone you may want to send an e-mail to their Director of Media/Broadcasting and let them know you will be there to shoot and you want to know if there are any rules/procedures you will need to follow. I'm sure they'll be nice enough to let you know what is expected and may even send you a media guide which will cover all the bases. In the arena the IceHogs play in we can shoot from pretty much anywhere as long as, like mentioned earlier, we don't get in the way of paying customers and we don't go up into the catwalks to shoot down on the ice. Everything else is pretty much common sense and also a matter of safety as with the puck zipping around you want to keep an eye on your noodle.
It sounds like the cutout you mention is a small hole in the glass that allows you to shoot without having the plexiglass get in the way. If you have access to this by all means take advantage of it. Just be careful not to stick your lens through the hole or an errant puck may ruin your day or an official may stop play to tell you to tuck it in.
If you do have to shoot through the glass make sure you are aware of players that hit the boards as they will give to absorb the shock. You have your eye pressed up to your camera and the lens near the glass and they hit it you can walk away with a black eye, nice headache and a bruised ego.
Since you've never shot in an arena such as this you might want to try shooting your team on defense in the first period. This way you can get some nice reaction shots of the goalie and since the majority of the other photographers and news cameras will be focusing on offensive play they'll be at the other end of the rink so you'll have your own little corner for a full period.
Have fun!

great advice Chris, thanks so much. I will definitely drop them an email. Fortunately, I've played since I was a little tacker so I have some sense for the game and how things happen but shooting a game, well that's going to be a whole new (and exciting) world for me. To make it even better, I have a 1DM2 that is out for delivery to me right now so I have a few days to tinker with it before the game (I'm taking the 30D as well, just in case!)

[MJPhotos24]

I have a decent starting point at 1/1000, f4, and 1600 (although I'll get there early to really test it out).

You have better light than the AHL dungeon here then, I was 1/800, f2.8, 1600 ISO. Definately get there early and check out the arena. I knew there were no holes in the glass when I went but like an idiot didn't scope out the areas that had clean glass to shoot through. Come game time I found out there was only 3 that were decent enough to shoot through. Problem was (according to the team photog) they take them out and put them back in different places all the time because of other events being held at the arena llike concerts and such so if you didn't go searching you'd never find them.


I don't know if I'll have use of house strobes or not yet so I can't make any assumptions there.

If you can don't hesitate...

If shooting ambient, am I better bumping ISO all the way to 3200 and upping the shutter as much as possible.

Going to have to play with it and see the lighting, noone here can tell you exactly what it is unless they shot there with the same equipment. The zamboni is usually on the ice early and makes for a great test subject to shoot...slow, but you can get your settings down a bit.

My real questions relate to protocol. I've never shot in a venue like this and want to make sure I don't step on any toes.

Don't wear the clown shoes then Scott, geez!

Should I make introductions to anyone on staff (I assume I should def. talk to the other shooters).

Will you have your pass ahead of time? Sometimes you get them from will call, sometimes you have to be sent to the press box to get them (rare). The Amerks game I shot I talked to the media guy through emails but did not introduce myself to him once I was there - honestly had no clue who he was and was I sick as hell so avoided everyone like the plague. Usually though would go and find the person and introduce myself, they are trained to ask what you need, where everything is, etc.

Other shooters, some are talkitive, some are not. Others on staff always good to give a smiling hello, just dont annoy them, :lol: If around a lot of fans there's usually one that starts talking, even if you're busy, those people you just tell if I turn away quick shooting I'm not ignoring you just need to get the shots. Never ran into a fan that minded, but I see some photogs get caught up in the conversation and not shoot which is pointless since that's what they're paid to do.


I will have access to a cutout but don't know if that means I just go there and stay put of if I should move around a bit.

Cutouts, lucky SOB. Like I said AHL game I had none, NHL though you get there early and sign up for different locations. Sabres you sign up for hole 8 by the entrance for the 2nd period then you're shooting at hole 8 the entire period. You change during intermission to your next location. AHL no clue, they may only have one or two holes. You do always wait till there's a break in the action before moving though.

Since it's for the team, I have locker rom access as well and I'm not sure what's appropriate or not there (as a photog, I played hockey all my life so I knwo nothing appropriate happens in there!:lol:).

I've had that access for baseball and never used it...never saw the point. I just dont need images of a guy doing an interview or anything. Unless it's a championship celebration there's no point I dont think.

I want to make a great first impression so they'll use me more in the future.

Walk in and slap the media director screaming "I'm here and I'm fabulous" - sure you'll never be seen again but one heck of an impression Scott.

To make me more stressed, there's a wedding between periods and they want coverage of that as well. Yikes, now I am really on thin ice (no pun intended).

Horrible pun, just bad...that's interesting though, umm...I hate weddings and dont shoot them, my guess is they want something that shows it's at the rink.

[namasste]

I have a decent starting point at 1/1000, f4, and 1600 (although I'll get there early to really test it out).

You have better light than the AHL dungeon here then, I was 1/800, f2.8, 1600 ISO.

Fortunately, the Monsters play at the Q where the Cavs play so it's NBA quality lighting.


My real questions relate to protocol. I've never shot in a venue like this and want to make sure I don't step on any toes.

Don't wear the clown shoes then Scott, geez!

Seriously? They are just so damn comfortable! :lol:


I want to make a great first impression so they'll use me more in the future.

Walk in and slap the media director screaming "I'm here and I'm fabulous" - sure you'll never be seen again but one heck of an impression Scott.

I figured I 'd just introduce myself as Mike Janes. If they don't through me out, I'm good to go!

To make me more stressed, there's a wedding between periods and they want coverage of that as well. Yikes, now I am really on thin ice (no pun intended).

Horrible pun, just bad...

You kidding me? That's some of my best material!!


Thanks Mike! Really.

[Anderson-Photography]

great advice Chris, thanks so much. I will definitely drop them an email. Fortunately, I've played since I was a little tacker so I have some sense for the game and how things happen but shooting a game, well that's going to be a whole new (and exciting) world for me. To make it even better, I have a 1DM2 that is out for delivery to me right now so I have a few days to tinker with it before the game (I'm taking the 30D as well, just in case!)

If you're a former rink rat then you'll be able to follow the action pretty easily. I played as well and coached for 10 years and it really helps in terms of anticipating the play. When I focus on the goalie I watch for them to tense up as the shot is coming at them or I listen for the slap of the blade on the ice then I fire a burst of three or four images. Getting the puck in mid-air coming at the goalie is primo.

[MJPhotos24]

Thanks Mike! Really.

When I shot a Bowl game at a MLB park I thought the lights would be great - until getting there and seeing this...

They didn't have 'em all on for the "smaller event"...if they do have 'em all going for ya that will be sweet.

[namasste]

When I shot a Bowl game at a MLB park I thought the lights would be great - until getting there and seeing this...

They didn't have 'em all on for the "smaller event"...if they do have 'em all going for ya that will be sweet.

that would make me sad! even worse, my 1D literally just got delivered and there was no manual inside! I guess I'm printing the 196pg download from Canon. It's failry complicated, much moreso than the 30D right out of the box.

[MJPhotos24]

That's true...I took a 1DM2 right out of the box and went and shot an NHL game - it's not that bad once you get to play with it for a few mins to test things out. Worst part will be chimping, I kept hitting the wrong dang buttons.

[Anderson-Photography]

When I shot a Bowl game at a MLB park I thought the lights would be great - until getting there and seeing this...

They didn't have 'em all on for the "smaller event"...if they do have 'em all going for ya that will be sweet.

Great lights. Looks like Friday night high school football. Ugh!

[MJPhotos24]

Great lights. Looks like Friday night high school football. Ugh!

I think the worst part was the fact I kept seeing some turn off, I think about the 3rd quarter they shut a few more off.

[Anderson-Photography]

I think the worst part was the fact I kept seeing some turn off, I think about the 3rd quarter they shut a few more off.

I wouldn't doubt it. I go to some high school gyms now to shoot bball and they shut off the overhead lights on the ends gym to better "highlight" the action on the court. Great for effect but miserable for shooting.

I actually went on a shoot where I had my ISO at 100, an aperture of f 8.0 and a shutter speed of 1/1000. After shooting high school football in dark stadiums and bball in darkly lit dungeons at ISO 1600 f2.8 at 1/400, I almost got the shakes. I almost didn't think I could get those settings out of my camera.

[namasste]

Well, my fingers are crossed. I spoke with the media guys at the arena today and got my credentials squared up. I thought, why not ask about strobes since I'm shooting for the team and they were quite receptive. I should know tomorrow but possibly not until game time. Cutouts and house strobes...talk about getting the shakes, it's like detox for HS gym shooting!

[Anderson-Photography]

Well, my fingers are crossed. I spoke with the media guys at the arena today and got my credentials squared up. I thought, why not ask about strobes since I'm shooting for the team and they were quite receptive. I should know tomorrow but possibly not until game time. Cutouts and house strobes...talk about getting the shakes, it's like detox for HS gym shooting!

No kidding. I'd give your right arm for a cutout and access to the house strobes. Enjoy the shoot as it sure sounds like fun.

[andrewhuxman]

The cut outs are Awesome , use them as much as you can , the strobes are good also but I just dont like the shadows that they give on the ice but thats just me and my personal preference.You are gonna have a great time !!!!!Two bodies and two lenses you will be good to go cant wait to see the results.

[namasste]

The cut outs are Awesome , use them as much as you can , the strobes are good also but I just dont like the shadows that they give on the ice but thats just me and my personal preference.You are gonna have a great time !!!!!Two bodies and two lenses you will be good to go cant wait to see the results.

I'm going to post my question in the wedding forum but here's where things get messy for me. I'm not too worried about the game itself as I am pretty confident in what I can produce. What concerns me is that I'm not a wedding shooter (as in never done one, don't really want to). Anyway, I found out this morning that I need to cover not one, but three weddings that are taking place on ice between periods as well as portrait shots of the couples off ice. Holy sh#@! I figured I'd call the wedding photog just so he or she knew that I wasn't taking their truf, just covering the weddings for the arena and found out that the wedding photog, is me! Stress level just shot off the charts. First pro event and first three weddings all in the same night..oh yeah, in front of something in the neighborhood of 10,000 people too...am I dead?

[andrewhuxman]

WOW........pretend that they are hockey players on a breakaway and just click away..:lol:. do what ya can do and dont worry bout it .........I know easier said than done but just do it and Im sure you will do fine.

[GovMule]

Sounds like baptism by fire ! Good luck to ya Scott. Are you announcing the game too ?
:)

[namasste]

Thanks for the support but it just got waaay beyond funny. I spoke with the marketing manager at the Quicken Loans Arena (who's coordinating the whole mess) and she informed me (excitedly, as if this is a good thing) that there are now 12 couples getting married. They want tradtional style wedding shots of each couple getting ready and during the ceremony....ughhhhh, what? Sure, 12 weddings and a hockey game, all within a 2 hr time stretch, c'mon, make this tough for cryin out loud!:rolleyes::lol:

12 weddings...bwaahhhhhaahahaha!! !2!

[MJPhotos24]

You better be gettin a pretty penny for this stuff...my guess is it's going to be assembly line weddings and you just shoot as they go in and keep on going.

Remind me to skip that promotion when it comes to Rochester.

[namasste]

You better be gettin a pretty penny for this stuff...my guess is it's going to be assembly line weddings and you just shoot as they go in and keep on going.

Remind me to skip that promotion when it comes to Rochester.


Mike, skip this promotion when it comes to Rochester!!!!!

I just want to go shoot my hockey game and focus on the sports, this wedding thing is just insane!!!

[MJPhotos24]

Mike, skip this promotion when it comes to Rochester!!!!!

I just want to go shoot my hockey game and focus on the sports, this wedding thing is just insane!!!

Yea, it is...I don't shoot many of the promotions even though as a team photog they make me for baseball. Other stadiums I do but it's for an ex-professor of mine who writes a ton of books and needs those things for his "sports marketing" text books. Wedding, I'd start throw hockey pucks at them and tell them to hurry up.

Might be doing an NHL game coming up, hopefully but no guarantee - that will be shooting/taggin/uploading/shooting/tagging/uploading/shooting/tagging/uploading/driving home - no weddings.

[namasste]

Might be doing an NHL game coming up, hopefully but no guarantee - that will be shooting/taggin/uploading/shooting/tagging/uploading/shooting/tagging/uploading/driving home - no weddings.

hope that comes together for you. Sabres, I assume? I want to shoot more games at the Q so I kinda have to take this one for the team, so to speak. If I lose my cutout to the FSN video guys while I'm doing the weddings, I'm gonna lose it.

[MJPhotos24]

hope that comes together for you. Sabres, I assume? I want to shoot more games at the Q so I kinda have to take this one for the team, so to speak. If I lose my cutout to the FSN video guys while I'm doing the weddings, I'm gonna lose it.

Yup Sabres...Hopefully works out.

AHL is a tough one, there's just not many outlets. We have 13 games left in Rochester and I'll shoot as many as I can along with some in the OHL. Soon as coaching ends my schedule opens up until baseball and I can go nuts at hockey games! I'd go to cleveland but...it's cleveland, ha.

[namasste]

Yup Sabres...Hopefully works out.

AHL is a tough one, there's just not many outlets. We have 13 games left in Rochester and I'll shoot as many as I can along with some in the OHL. Soon as coaching ends my schedule opens up until baseball and I can go nuts at hockey games! I'd go to cleveland but...it's cleveland, ha.

hey now, I love Cleveland. Definitely come on out, you can even buy me a beer.:lol:

I just found out that I will probably have access to the house strobes so I'm keeping the fingers crossed. That would make shooting the weddings worthwhile. Speaking of that, do those things recycle almost instantly or is there a slight delay like shooting smaller strobes?

[MJPhotos24]

hey now, I love Cleveland. Definitely come on out, you can even buy me a beer.:lol:

I just found out that I will probably have access to the house strobes so I'm keeping the fingers crossed. That would make shooting the weddings worthwhile. Speaking of that, do those things recycle almost instantly or is there a slight delay like shooting smaller strobes?

Depends on what kind of strobes they are and at what power. You won't be able to do quick bursts like 8.5 fps, you have to be a bit more picky when to shoot.

I have a good time in Lake County, but my last trip to Cleveland SUCKED!! The drive there is so darn boring, 3 1/2 hours on the thruway straight..ugh!

[namasste]

Depends on what kind of strobes they are and at what power. You won't be able to do quick bursts like 8.5 fps, you have to be a bit more picky when to shoot.

I have a good time in Lake County, but my last trip to Cleveland SUCKED!! The drive there is so darn boring, 3 1/2 hours on the thruway straight..ugh!

yeah, the drive is lame. your last trip was a bit of an exception though since the Captains usually don't play in snow. Then again, it's Cleveland so who knows?