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October 26, 2007
Capturing The Drama At A Hockey Game
For me tonight's loss by the Washington Capitals to the Vancouver Canucks was overshadowed by the injury to Chris Clark of the Washington Capitals. Clark caught the slap shot of fellow Caps player, Alex Ovechkin to the head. Early reports are that he got stitches in his left ear after the game.
The following picture is a great example of being lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time (my apologies to Chris Clark), photographically that is. In several locations around the ice rink there are holes cut into the plexi-glass that protects the spectators. It is through these holes that we shoot our pictures.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 26: Captain Chris Clark of the Washington Capitals is injured during a NHL hockey game with the Vancouver Canucks on October 26, 2007 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Allen Clark/OffWing)
So what you say? Try taking a picture of something as fast moving as hockey without moving your lens more than a few inches to the left or right. The plexi-glass while providing safety, robs the photographer a clear view of much of the ice. I would estimate that from the hole where I was sitting tonight I could view approximately 40% of the ice.
Sometimes you get, only what you can get. Tonight I was lucky (but also prepared to shoot what I could). But sometimes the drama unfolds in that 60% of the ice that I can't shoot. This carries through to other locations with their own limitations.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 26: Captain Chris Clark of the Washington Capitals is injured during a NHL hockey game with the Vancouver Canucks on October 26, 2007 at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. (Photo by Allen Clark/OffWing)
Being creative can overcome some difficulties, but there is little you can do when you are shooting a basketball game in a dark gym, with a lens that has a maximum aperture of 5.6. So don't knock yourself to hard if those shots don't come out. Sometimes the pictures just aren't out there.
Below is a picture that includes an official's elbow when he skated by the hole that I was shooting through. I would have loved to have that picture.
But when everything does go your way, you better be ready!
See more photos from the game by visiting our Photoshelter gallery.
Posted by Allen Clark at October 26, 2007 10:40 PM
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