I Love Hockey
I've said it fore, and I'll say it again: I love shooting hockey. I don't think I will ever turn down any assignment that asks me to shoot a hockey game. Yes, it's challenging since it's extremely difficult to follow the puck... but when done right, man, are the results worth it! Plus, the games are exciting. The speed, the hits, the emotion of when goaltenders make spectacular saves or when forwards score some fancy goals.
Anyways, on Sunday, I was out at the United Center again to cover the Blackhawks-Senators game. On paper, this game is a tremendous mismatch (heck, every game the Blackhawks play is a huge mismatch), but our Hawks played tough, and sent Ottawa packing with a surprising 4-3 loss! The game started off like any other for me, but like the Hawks, man, did I get in the zone the last few minutes! So many great shots!
This game actually ended in an overtime shootout. It's a rule that the NHL started a few years ago to eliminate ties and jazz up the game, and has quickly developed into a crowd favorite. Basically, if the teams are still tied after the 5-minute overtime period, they have a three-round shootout (if it's still tied after three rounds, it goes to sudden death). Whoever wins the shootout, wins the game.
Now as a photographer, you have three options in overtime. One, you will try to get into one of the photo holes behind one goal. That way you can shoot the near goal and the far goal. However, the way the skaters come in, it is kind of hard getting both the shooter and the goalie in the frame. Two, you can sit in one of the side holes, which is great to get both the shooter and goalie, however, being in a side hole, you can only shoot one team. So if the other team wins the shootout, they're celebrating on the other end of the ice and you're screwed. Three, you can shoot from the concourse. Out of those three options, the concourse is the safest option because you can get an overhead view of the action. The end holes will give you the most "impact" though, so they are the most popular. Unfortunately, there are only four holes behind the goal (two on each end of the ice), so they normally go by "rank." In other words, the end holes always go to the Blackhawks (actually they use two of them), the AP, and the Chicago Tribune. However, I noticed the AP photographer had vacated his end photo hole and saw him up in the concourse, so I took it. Although you can't see the player who scored the game-winning goal, you can see the Ottawa goalie missing the puck and allowing the game-winner, so it worked out pretty good in the end.
On a totally unrelated note, I think goalie helmets are so cool. The Blackhawks' Patrick Lalime has Marvin the Martian on his with Blackhawk feathres coming out of it. However, the Senators' Martin Gerber was far less original, using just a variation of the team logo. Weak.
Anyways, on Sunday, I was out at the United Center again to cover the Blackhawks-Senators game. On paper, this game is a tremendous mismatch (heck, every game the Blackhawks play is a huge mismatch), but our Hawks played tough, and sent Ottawa packing with a surprising 4-3 loss! The game started off like any other for me, but like the Hawks, man, did I get in the zone the last few minutes! So many great shots!
This game actually ended in an overtime shootout. It's a rule that the NHL started a few years ago to eliminate ties and jazz up the game, and has quickly developed into a crowd favorite. Basically, if the teams are still tied after the 5-minute overtime period, they have a three-round shootout (if it's still tied after three rounds, it goes to sudden death). Whoever wins the shootout, wins the game.
Now as a photographer, you have three options in overtime. One, you will try to get into one of the photo holes behind one goal. That way you can shoot the near goal and the far goal. However, the way the skaters come in, it is kind of hard getting both the shooter and the goalie in the frame. Two, you can sit in one of the side holes, which is great to get both the shooter and goalie, however, being in a side hole, you can only shoot one team. So if the other team wins the shootout, they're celebrating on the other end of the ice and you're screwed. Three, you can shoot from the concourse. Out of those three options, the concourse is the safest option because you can get an overhead view of the action. The end holes will give you the most "impact" though, so they are the most popular. Unfortunately, there are only four holes behind the goal (two on each end of the ice), so they normally go by "rank." In other words, the end holes always go to the Blackhawks (actually they use two of them), the AP, and the Chicago Tribune. However, I noticed the AP photographer had vacated his end photo hole and saw him up in the concourse, so I took it. Although you can't see the player who scored the game-winning goal, you can see the Ottawa goalie missing the puck and allowing the game-winner, so it worked out pretty good in the end.
On a totally unrelated note, I think goalie helmets are so cool. The Blackhawks' Patrick Lalime has Marvin the Martian on his with Blackhawk feathres coming out of it. However, the Senators' Martin Gerber was far less original, using just a variation of the team logo. Weak.
posted by Jerry at 9:14 AM
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