Hockey question, please help!

Before anyone (KIPAX, Paul) rushes to the OP's defense, you might want to do a search on his previous posts and all of our responses. I am well aware of who this young fella is, as are others on the board. The OP has frequented these forums before, and has ignored my and others attempts to inform him that he needs to develop his skills and abilities (and probably purchase some improved gear) before aspiring to cover events at these levels. We have tried many different styles and I can only speak for myself that I lost patience with this a while back.

I think I can safely say that I and a couple other respondents tin this thread have gone out our way to help and assist people with patience and understanding of their relative inexperience. If you don't think so, then so be it, but I advise you to also do a little research before jumping up to defend a supposedly helpless young photographer. And also do a little research before you flame another forum member, as in:

Yeah, whatever, man. Judge me if you must. I will stick by my comments. Like I have said before, in some of the circles I shoot, I am the neophyte as I have only been doing this seriously for a handful of years. Many of the photographers I know worked for many, many years to get their first chance to shoot pro sports, and had excellent portfolios full of outstanding images before they even considered themselves worthy of asking for the opportunity to work these events.

Some of us who have actually SHOT a pro hockey (or baseball, or football, etc) game or two spend a lot of our free time on this and other forums trying to help aspiring shooters to develop their skills and experience. I will bend over backwards to aid anyone who shows a willingness to put the time in and do the work required to learn how to become a better photographer - and yes, who shows a modicum of talent, or at least an ability to think for him or herself and make steady improvement. We're not all pro's, and most don't even want to be, but if you post on here and ask for help, expect the replies to be honest and critical, in a hopefully constructive manner.

What I have no time for are people who want to start at the top, and who show no awareness of or respect for the opinions of people who are already doing what he hopes to do one day. I begrudge nobody for having the chance to advance their skills and stretch to cover an event or level outside of their comfort zone. However, saying you want to learn how to shoot a PRO hockey game in 25 minutes from an online forum, with NO prior experience and with marginal equipment tells me the OP hasn't learned a thing from all the posts he has made here, and that I am wasting my time even trying to give him a serious reply.

And I don't care HOW old or young he is. One of my best local shooting buddies is 17 years old, and he is working for his High School's year book, and has busted his tail shooting alongside me for his entire Senior year, covering dozens of events at all levels and all situations. If he were to get the chance to shoot a pro ANYTHING, I would drop whatever I am doing and give him my full attention and the benefit of what little knowledge I have, because I know he is giving everything he has, and then some, to becoming the best photographer he can. Next year, he's going to the University of Missouri Photojournalism school, and one day (probably soon) he will shoot right past me in ability, talent and experience, and I will be very proud to say I once was able to help him.

And I am outta here...

You also have to take note KIPAX this isn't the first time for this OP and the first FEW times Dennis did nothing but give good advice - when the same question is asked AGAIN it's a bit frustrating and with 25 mins even makes it worse!

(didn't see Dennis response when I wrote the above, got distracted editing and never hit enter seein it).

KIPAX wrote in post #5241702
dmwierz now believes he is so much better than everyone else that he can scorn people at the lowest level .. Shame on the rest of you for joining in

I know Dennis personally and I've shot with him several times, we've even enjoyed a few beers together. He doesn't believe he is above anyone else here and always offers excellent to the point advice to people who want and appreciate it. It's just ridiculous to ask this question 25 minutes before you leave to shoot an event. No one can tell you which camera settings you need to use without having shot there before. If you have to ask these kind of questions your no where near ready to shoot a pro event. I mainly shoot baseball, everything from T-Ball up to the Majors, but I didn't start out shooting MLB games. It took along time for me to get to that level.

Dennis, Did not know any history of Stephen's prier posts. Got to love these forums FWIW I think it will take me at least two hockey sessions to get it right. So thats about
20K shots more or less ?

There's a fundamental principle that we try and live by on POTN

"If you can't think of anything positive to say then it is better to say nothing"

It seems some of you have forgotten that. This topic is closed.