PSP Phoenix Open professional paintball

[PaintballPhotography.com]

Here are a few images from the recent PSP Phoenix Open professional paintball tournament last month. Got my usual spat shots for the magazines I work for :p
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_01.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_02.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_03.jpg
In this image note that not only has the player been hit in the goggles but the bolt of his gun was knocked out is suspended in from of his mask
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_04.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_05.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_06.jpg


Gary
www.paintballphotography.com (http://www.paintballphotography.com)

[PaintballPhotography.com]

Here are a few more….
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_07.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_08.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_09.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_10.jpg http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXSplat_11.jpg

Gary
www.paintballphotography.com

[xOZx]

Those are cool! Would a little faster shutter speed take more blur out of the splatter?

A couple of those images need, "BOOM!!! HEADSHOT!!!" printed on them.

[dsul413]

Great shots as usual Gary.

[IdiotWithAGun]

Gary you are awesome

[bReed]

I have been waiting for this thread! :)
nice pictures once again gary.
i like the one with the bolt flying out! thats a once in a life time shoot.

[speedtest]

Gary, like always, WOW. these are great. I havent played in so long and these just make me want to go shoot from either camera or marker.

Once again WOW. cant wait for the next set.
brett

[Jimmyhickey]

Cool set Gary, #3 is a awesome. Nice catching up with ya down there as well.

[Cmizzle]

psp legal mk3

[PaintballPhotography.com]

Thanks everyone for your kind words, it really means I lot to me to hear this from my peers.
Here are a few more…
See everyone in Huntington Beach
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_12.jpg http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_13.jpg
Kirill Prihidni of Russian Legion, note the Paintballphotography.com logo on his jersey. The Russians are my newest sponsored professional team
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_14.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_15.jpg
Oliver Lang
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_16.jpg
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_17.jpg
Nicky Cuba
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_18.jpg
Jon Richardson
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_19.jpg
Kirill Prihidni again

Gary

[Grentz]

Simply amazing, great work as always! ;)

[Jimmyhickey]

Love the one of the Troll sliding gun up, and the team photo under Ollie is totally one of my contracted teams from Washington:)

[FlyingPhotog]

Sick, sick, sick stuff man...

Every frame of carnage = A Keeper!

Love the Near Miss in frame one of the second set...

[NesianStyle]

Awesome photos!!!..........what are you shooting with?

[YORCHI]

Love the pictures...makes me want to go play :(

[computerguru3190]

Seems they are overexposed a little to me.

[chrisisonfire23]

#3 is one of my favorite. awesome job

[Playonpics.com]

Awesome photos!!!..........what are you shooting with?

1D mark III
With a 300mm f/2.8 (well that if he still loves it... which i'm guessing he does)

[adblink]

are you actually on the field when shooting this stuff? and do you find it difficult to avoid paint splatter? I have played paintball on numerous occasions and i know the stuff goes EVERYwhere lol

[dsul413]

are you actually on the field when shooting this stuff? and do you find it difficult to avoid paint splatter? I have played paintball on numerous occasions and i know the stuff goes EVERYwhere lol

Yup, I know Gary (and most of the other paintball photographers here) are on the field. You can't really ignore splatter, and you just do your best to avoid getting your equipment actually hit. Eventually everyone has their equipment get hit though, its just how it goes.

[adblink]

ya thats what I was afraid of. I think I've seen one image where someone actually had the front element break? either that or it was a filter, I don't remember.

From those who have been hit, any idea how many suffered lasting damage to the equipment? If your getting paid to do the shoot then ok, but just to shoot it as a hobby I wonder if its really worth the risk of damaging your uninsured gear. :(

[Playonpics.com]

i would insure your gear.
That photo your speaking of is Gary's lens haha
And well learn where the lanes and how the game is played then you can move in the correct spots.
I have been shot in the front element about 4 times, and no harm, but ya. Put your lens hood on, because that may protect you time to time lol

[adblink]

lol sounds too risky for me, but i love the sport, and would love to try and photograph it. damn hard decision

[PaintballPhotography.com]

Yes some of my pictures are slightly under exposed. As many of the paintball photographers here on this forum can attest to , one of the biggest problems we face photographing this sport is that more and more teams are choosing darker and darker jerseys. Also to compound the problem the PSP is now using black barriers around their fields to enable only those who have paid in the stands to be able to watch. This creates a difficult situation due to the lack of available light and I occasionally use a flash but this just exposes more of my equipment to the hazards of paintball photography so I have elected to underexpose slightly.

Here is my current set up
Two Canon 1D Mark III Bodies and a Canon Rebel XT.
EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM my current favorite
EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM
EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM wide angle

Here are a few more
http://ladistraction.com//Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_20.jpg
http://ladistraction.com/Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_21.gif
Nicky Cuba jumping over a bunker
http://ladistraction.com/Public/Photos/PSP09PHX/PSP09PHXS_22.gif
A player showing his approval and good sportsmanship which is so typical in this sport

I have flooded this forum with pictures of the trauma my cameras have experienced as the result of what I do….Thankfully the Mark III is a very tough camera and the magazines pay me enough to cover most of the repair bills


http://ladistraction.com/Public/Paintball%20DAMAGE/Broken%20Filter%203-26-06.JPG
http://ladistraction.com/www/Paintball%20DAMAGE/Broken%20Filter%207-16-05.JPG
http://ladistraction.com/Public/Paintball%20DAMAGE/BrokenFilter%20HB.jpg
http://ladistraction.com/Public/Paintball%20DAMAGE/BrokenFilterGoranko.jpg
http://ladistraction.com/Public/Paintball%20DAMAGE/Tampahit.gif

Gary

[dawiyo]

I always look forward to your pictures Gary. You truly have a knack for capturing peak action.


Kinda sucks your equipment sometimes suffers for it though. C'est La Vie.

[DwightMcCann]

Imagine that ... 300mm f/2.8L IS is you favorite lens! :-) Mine, too, but for a different genre! Hey, dude, glad to see you're still alive! You got me back on equipment ... I now have two 1DMIII's (and a 1DsMIII) because of the multiple battery issue, so we're even. I haven't shot another paintball frame since the tournament down in L.A. (or wherever ... it all blends together for me) ... been shooting more girls instead.