WCHA Final Five D1 Hockey: Huskies v Gophers

Being a Husky fan at the XCEL Energy Center (again!), I was more than a little outnumbered by Gophers' fans, but I have to say, they were very friendly to my Saint Cloud hat when all 19,000+ fans were packed into the same area.

Anywho.. the pics. I graduate this summer, so unfortunately, the goal with 12 seconds to go is probably the last Huskies' hockey photo I'll take for the school paper. Who knows beyond that. I may have a staff job waiting at the local paper, the SC Times. That would rock.

NOTE: I use the site for the school paper, the Chronicle, to download pictures. Downloads for this gallery ARE ON, but I just ask that unless you are downloading a photo for constructive editing, please refrain.

http://bdstewart.smugm​ug.com …y/4554512_KCkuv​#268365956

Wow those are excellent captures. I see peak action in them all.

Good shots. Crops are a bit tight for my liking but you captured key moments and exposures are good.

Cheers!
Chris

Thanks for the replies!

And yea, I shoot a bit tight, but to me it's better than being loose.

Will you be in Madison for the Wisconsn game?

edit: Opps, I see St. Cloud is in NY.

Wisconsin plays Denver.

That was a great game to watch, and I enjoyed every minute of it (even the relatively slow first half of the third period). Did you use the 300mm + 1.4x TC for this? The angle is very different from the type of shot that I'm used to seeing; that's why I ask. The timing is great, and it's a solid capture, but I do wonder about the color and exposure. It just seems a tad saturated (in the reds of the Huskies' jersies), while the ice seems very bright. Did you overexpose these and bring the exposure down in PP, by chance?

You're exactly right about the angle and the equipment, minus the IS.

It might be me - but the ice at the XCEL really is that bright. I did bring some up and down a bit in Photoshop, but thats really what I remember seeing.
The Chronicle is also printed on well, interesting paper that doesn't show white/red details too well anyway.
We have photos on a wall from last year's Final Five which look kinda dull.

EDIT: Regarding the angle, our school paper got credentials the day the game was played - cutouts were all full so I had to shoot from up top.

I did notice that the ice was blown out all over the place during the WCHA tournament, but I just figured that was an FSN issue, not an Xcel one. Honestly, going back to the Wild website and looking at photos from home games, it seems to me that what you're saying is really pretty true. I wonder what the explanation for that is because I've never noticed this sort of issue with other rinks.