Hello & happy new year to you all

Hello everyone, I have just found this forum and registered.I've been a pro for about 18yrs (seems longer) in the UK.I now specialise in event photography,formal & sporting but mainly figure skating. I also shoot few weddings, graduations and still a few portraits.
My equipment is 1D, 2x 1Dmk2's and a range of L series lenses.

I've posted this on the pro's section aswell but as I shoots sports I thought I'd post here also.Hopefully I can offer some advice and still maybe learn a trick or two from some of you.

Happy New Year to you all

Hi Graham... A warm welcome to POTN and a Happy New Year to you...

I'm sure you'll have plenty to contribute to what is a very active forum! Figure skating in particular is an under-represented sport here (and in general I suppose), so I'm sure you'll be able to offer some invaluable advice.

It would be great if you could post some of your images or perhaps a link to your galleries so that we can get a taste of things to come!

All the best,

---- Gavin

Thanks for the welcome Gavin.Yep you are correct, figure skating is about as popular as tiddlywinks in the UK at the moment. What we need is a new Torvill & Dean or someone who can capture the publics imagination.
Feel free to visit my website at:
www.grahamtaylorphotog​raphy.co.uk
The skating galleries are all password protected due to child protection policies which as you are probably aware of in the UK.
I have just attended the British Ice Dance & Figure Skating championships in Sheffield which I was the official photographer so heres a couple of pics from there.

Sinead & John Kerr British Senior Ice Dance Champions and Vanessa James British Senior Ladies Champion.This maybe someone familiar with the US public as she trains over there.

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Welcome! Sorry to say I am probably like the rest of the sporting world and only really give this sport some time every 4 years.... a shame but it is what it is. I am glad you are here though as I have a good friend whose daughter (10) competes nationally and I have been asked to get some shots of her for them. I don't know much about shooting it as a sport other then the lighting can be dreadful as a lot of arenas actually lower the lighting for performances\compititi​ons. So it will be good to get some of your knowledge here before I attempt it.

Welcome again... cheers.

Hi Mark
Some ice rinks have very poor lighting and action shots are hard to achieve.In well lit rinks you will still find yourself shooting at f2.8.I personally use a 70-200f2.8 and try to keep a min 400th sec.at ISO 1250 but can go upto 3200 rather than drop my shutterspeed.Set focus to AI servo for tracking but always remember no flash.Try for the arty shots and spins instead for the jumps.
Hope this helps.