more midget (high school) hockey

Hillsborough v Fayetville, at winston-salem. W-S is my favorite rink in the area to shoot, with the most uniform lighting.

1. goalie action

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David

Like the 1st shot. What sort of PP work do you do on your shots?

Alan

Top notch, as always! I assume you're in the box again? Does the league make you wear a helmet? Our penalty box is glassed in, but I have been thinking of asking the rink if I can get on the player's bench. The coach would be fine with it, but the rink may be a little weird about it. Who do you normally ask about that stuff? Team, or rink?

Alan - I shoot JPG, standard picture style with saturation turned up one notch. I straighten the badly rotated ones, crop, add my signature, and sharpen (USM 300-0.3-0). That's usually it. Sometimes I adjust the midpoint in levels to brighten faces, if they're too dark.

Lacks - thanks much. yes, I shoot from the bin mostly. Have shot from the bench, which has advantages -- first and third period you're closer to your goalie and second period you get better offensive shots. You just have to be able to stay out of the players way during line changes. I've also brought a stepladder to get above glass, but then you're shooting down and don't get faces.

USA Hockey rules don't require a helmet unless under 18. I usually wear one, but not always. Team assistants are allowed, so I just ask the coach. never been a problem.

Focus...

You actually should ask acouple different people.

Tell the ref what your intentions are. As long as he knows you aren't apart of the coaching staff (each team gets 4) it wont count towards that.

As an official myself, if someone is on the bench taking photos without my knowledge I usually ask who they are. There is a rule in USA hockey where no electronic devices of any type are allowed on the bench.

And ask the coach so he also knows whats going on.

The rink people really don't have a problem as long as you don't have to go through an area designated "rink workers only" to get to the bench area. If you do then you obviously will have to talk with someone.

That will clear up anything to anyone that should allow you to be able to shoot from the bench.

Hope that helps.


Ross

Very nice shots...

Here is what the USA Hockey rules have to say on the subject:

I am a Level 3 USAH Coach and have worked it out with the Midget Head Coach to be listed as a'Team Official' when I want access to the bench. I believe that rule exists in USAH for liability insurance purposes.

Rules being what they are, most teams and most rinks don't care. If you are on the bench with permission from the Head Coach nobody else is going to ask questions - at least, that has been my experience.

Dan

superdiver -- thanks for the comment.


Ross & Dan -- good point about the 4 limit. I'm also level 3 coach-certified (assist coach on the bantams team). Usually they don't mind if non-certified staff are on the bench, as long as at least one certified coach is there. There's no rule barring non-certified assistants. The person assisting in the penalty box counts towards the limit of 4.

Thanks for the info and suggestions. I wouldn’t have considered speaking to the refs first. I should be able to get on the bench. No game this week, but we do have a practice so I will try to set things up with people then. It would be very nice to not have to shoot through the glass for a change. I'll have to think about the helmet thing... I don't need any dents in the dome!

Great pictures! Very sharp, and at the right moment. Although i always hated playing against fayettville as i thought they were too good for the travel B league i used to play in years ago! I will gladly challenge them on my AAA 18U team now though haha.

Krohn - Right about Fayeteville. They consistently beat us, but this game not by so much -- if we had a full bench we might have kept up in the third period. way it goes.

Which AAA team?

David.... will they let you flash at all - even bounced? Your timing is working great, it would just be nice to be able to sneak a little more light in there somehow.

Yea I understand about nobody ususally cares if there is a photographer on the bench. 99% of the time it is never an issue.

The rule about electronics mainly pertains to devices that are able to relay information between coaches and players. But some officials don't fully understand that and can misinterperate it and apply it to all electronics (including cameras).

I'm a level 4 official. I have officiated NCAA Div II and Club hockey on down to Mites. I personally have been a linesman in a game where we had a photographer ejected because he was on the bench and started voicing their opinion to a call.

It's always the 1% that seems to bite ya in the butt. It's my personal feelings that sometimes it's better to inform the people you might think something in the game would effect.

If you are continously shooting in the same rinks it should really never be a problem. Im not saying you always have to but better safe than sorry.

Ross

Mark -- spectators with little point & shoots use flash all the time from the stands, but I don't think a flash from inside the glass would be welcome.

Metalman -- I'm supportive of officials ousting obnoxious parents. It's a great game, but it's just a game.

Very Nice! I might be shooting at my nephews high school game this weekend. I have not a clue how to shoot in a rink. If I remember from when I was a kid they are usually poorly lit. I will be behind the glass. I have never been to this rink, so I don't know what to expect. My friend may let me borrow his 70-200 F4 L for the shoot otherwise I have an inferior 80-200 lens.

Any tips for a first timer? Tripod?

Thanks
Steve