Upcoming Workshops and Presentations: Click here

 

ads

On The Road
"Camp Life"

August, 2008

Hi and welcome to this edition of On the Road. If you have been reading On the Road for a few years this annual visit to the Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania should be familiar. For several years now the Klaus family (Bruno, Cheryl and Brent) have brought me back to my roots as an athlete growing up and competing in the sport of gymnastics. I return to International Gymnastics Camp each summer to photograph for their brochure and advertisements. It's always a highlight of my year, almost like returning home. Usually I would bring all the gear I own ... cameras, lenses, lights, stands, etc ... all in an effort to bring the Klaus's the very best photography I could. This years return to camp life would be different. A single piece of equipment would change my approach to the job of documenting International Gymnastics Camp. The Nikon D3 camera. Training facilities and gymnasiums traditionally give sports photographers fits regarding HIGH ISO noise and image quality. Arena strobe lighting is usually required to stop the action perfectly and make images suitable for use in the brochure. But this time I would be able to photograph high quality gymnastics action without arena lighting. I would be able to do so with great quality and great confidence. I would be able to move quickly from gym to gym and follow groups of athletes doing high level and extremely fast moving skills. The high action skills could now be captured with almost noiseless quality thanks to the Nikon D3 camera and its HIGH ISO capabilities.

 Image #1       Chalking Talk ... Seems simple enough, it's just some girls chalking their hands for uneven bars class, but to freeze the chalk and the girls hands perfectly requires a fast shutter speed ... which requires a high ISO setting ... and for use in a brochure requires perfect quality ... which is achieved with the Nikon D3. In past years I would set up lights to do this, but now I just noticed the scene and took the shot. Done!, Finished!, Case Closed, and without a flash or an extension cord or a lightstand or an assistant. Nikon D3, ISO4000, 1/1000 at f2.8, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, WB Fluorescent, D Lighting, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

Image #2       Mid Air Finesse ... IGC offers a very good student to instructor ratio. Coaching gymnastics requires "spotting" for both safety and for muscle memory guidance. It can be somewhat distracting to a young gymnast attempting a new aerial skill when a strobe flashes. Not this summer. Athletes are frozen in mid air performing high level skills merely by using the near noiseless high ISO capabilities of the D3. Also, the 3D Focus Tracking system with its 51 focus points proved invaluable and practically fool proof when keeping even the fastest series of skills in focus. Nikon D3, ISO4000, 1/1000 at f2.8, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 points, WB Fluorescent, D Lighting, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

Image #3       Dance Hall Girls ... The dance room is a very different environment compared to the gymnasiums. Daylight from windows, Sodium Vapor Lights and Fluorescent Lights, wow!, what a mix. To make it really tough this summer's dance routine was fast paced with lots of body motions, jumps and leaps. I usually lit the entire room with strobes in years past, but this time I used 2 Nikon SB800 Speedlights. Nikon D3, ISO1600, 1/500 at f5.6, Nikon 14-24mm, 3D Focus with 51 points, WB 7140K, Two remote SB800 Speedlights ZOOMED to 105mm with a power output of -2.0, SU800 Commander, Lexar 8G Flash Card. The exposure was slightly under expose for the ambient mix of light. The two Speedlights were aimed directly at the dance instructor and illuminated her as the teacher.

Image #4       The Big Trick ... Gymnastics is a fast sport. A high degree of difficulty requirements encourage athletes, even young ones, to "throw Big Tricks." This young boy is learning just such a trick, a full twisting Yurchenko on the Vault. The gym seems perfectly lit to the athlete, but to the photographer trying to freeze the action it appears dark and an impossible task. Camp director Brent Klaus teaches this event and for good reason, he won a National title in Vaulting by scoring a perfect 10. It was a special pleasure to see him coach this class of young men and be able to photograph him and his student with perfect quality for his brochure. Nikon D3, ISO6400, 1/1600 at f2.8, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, 3D Focus with 51 points, WB Fluorescent, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

Image #5       Bruno's Rock ... Part of my job description is to photograph subjects outside the gymnasium walls. The camp property is also the Klaus family home and is beautifully landscaped with flower gardens, statues of gymnastics and lush forests. Last year I discovered and photographed Bruno's Boat. This year I found Bruno's Rock. Nikon D3, ISO640, 1/50 at f9, Nikon 14-24mm, WB 4000K, Six remote SB800 Speedlights with Warming Gel on each, Power Outputs varied depending on the distance from Speedlight to subject (close subjects like the rock used a power output of -2.0, while farther away subjects like the middle ground pine trees used a power output of +2.0), Nikon SU800 Commander, Gitzo Tripod and Ball Head with Kirk "L" Bracket, Lexar 2G Flash Card.

Image #6       Fly Boys ... Trapeze is my favorite recreational time hang out. Campers get a chance to dance on the sky and fly above the tree tops. Trapeze instructors Tony and Lejanna make this sport fun and safe for all those who want to fly. The sun had gone behind some clouds and left my fliers in silhouette. The D3 and some SB800 Speedlights would make this difficult photo scenario easy. I used two SB800 Speedlights to cover the distance of flash to subject of about 35 feet and the spread of my subjects of about 20 feet. Nikon D3, ISO640, 1/1000 at f8, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, 3D Focus with 51 points, WB 7140K, Two remote SB800 Speedlights with Power Output of +3.0, Nikon SU800 Commander, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #7       Bananas Foster Anyone? ... This is not camp life as I remember it. Whatever happened to a greasy burger and stale chips? Not at IGC. Chef John is a perfectionist from scratch. He prepares great meals and puts on the Ritz for celebration occasions like July 4th. Young campers light up with glee when Chef John prepares desert ......... Flame on Johnny! Nikon D3, ISO1600, 1/60 at f6.3, Nikon 14-24mm Lens, WB 6670K, Two SB800 Speedlights (one pointed at the girls faces and one behind the girls) each with a Power Output of +1.3, Nikon SU800 Commander, Lexar 8G Flash Card. Oh yes, they do have hamburgers and they are great!
Image #8       Justin Spring ... The coaching staff at IGC is second to none and features many National Champions and Olympians. This is Justin Spring performing his signature release move on the Horizontal Bar during the staff exhibition. Capturing this extremely fast skill would have been impossible in past summers, but not this time. The D3 makes it not only possible to capture the action thanks to 9 frames per second, but do so with beautiful quality that is easily publishable as a magazine or brochure cover. By the time this article is posted Justin will already be in Beijing, China preparing for his Olympic debut at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. Good Luck Justin, bring home the GOLD! Nikon D3, ISO6400, 1/1250 at f2.8, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, 3D Focus with 51 points, WB Fluorescent, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #9       "Everybody Clap Your Hands!" ... The camp dance brings out the best movers and shakers from all cabins. Usually a photographic nightmare with darkened room, disco lights and outdoors visible though the doors and windows the D3 and one SB800 Speedlight makes sweet music for the picture. I underexposed the outdoors that was visible cranked up the ISO to match the volume of the beat of the music and placed one remote SB800 up in the ceiling. Nikon D3, ISO1600, 1/6 at f2.8, Nikon 14-24mm Lens, WB AUTO, One SB800 Speedlight with Power Output of -1.7, Nikon SU800 Commander, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

Well, time to pack up my sleeping bag, flashlight and toothbrush, and say farewell to camp life until next summer. This was clearly the most successful photo shoot at International Gymnastics Camp I have ever had thanks to new technology with the Nikon D3 camera. Not only did I make strong images, but I had a great time as well. Many thanks to Brent, Cheryl and of course Bruno. Thanks for the camp sweatshirt and making me feel like I was at home.

See you all next month On The Road.

Adios, Dave

WORKSHOPS and PRESENTATION Schedule

 

January 11-13, 2009... Imaging USA tradeshow in Phoenix, Presentations at the Nikon Booth www.imagingusa.org

April 14-22, 2009 ... Photo Quest Adventures, The Netherlands. www.photoquestadventures.com

June 30-July 14, 2009 Photo Quest Adventures, Mongolia. www.photoquestadventures.com


   December, 2008 (click here)   
Memory Lane

   November, 2008 (click here   
Gone Fishing

   October, 2008 (click here)   
National Geographic Adventure Photography Workshop

   September, 2008 (click here)   
Olympians, Weather and Workshops

   August, 2008 (click here)   
Camp Life

   July, 2008 (click here)   
Lightpainting the Southwest

   June, 2008   
The Kentucky Derby

   May, 2008 (click here)   
A Southwest Tour

   April, 2008 (click here)   
The Endless Winter

   March, 2008 (click here)   
PMA Show in Las Vegas!

   February, 2008 (click here)   
At the Ballet

   January, 2008 (click here)   
One Week of Work



    December, 2006 (click here)    

People of Willoq, Peru


    November, 2006 (click here)    

Lexington, Kentucky TREK


    October, 2006 (click here)    

Training for the Mr USA Title


   September, 2006 (click here)   

"The International Golf Tournament"


   August, 2006 (click here)   

"Tour of Champions Documentary"


   July, 2006 (click here)   

"Northern California, the FBI and Clint Eastwood ..."


   June, 2006 (click here)   

"The 2006 Kentucky Derby"


   May, 2006 (click here)   

"Off the Road Picture Sales"


   April, 2006 (click here)   

Ladies Olympic Figure Skating


   March, 2006 (click here)   

Torino Italy and the 2006 Winter Olympic Games


   February, 2006   (click here)     

"Hey Dave, are you going to the Winter Olympics in Torino and What Equipment Do You Take?"


   January, 2006 (click here)   

The Holiday Tea with Tchaikovsky
presented by Colorado's Classical Youth Ballet


   December, 2005 (click here)   

Landscapes at Pebble Beach:
a look back at 2005


   November, 2005 (click here)   

Lightpainting Landscapes
NFL Football


   October, 2005 (click here)   

3 Day Photography Workshop
Gardner-Webb University, Boiling Springs, North Carolina


   September, 2005 (click here)   

Michelle Kwan


   August, 2005 (click here)   

International Gymnastics Camp


   July, 2005 (click here)   

the Men's US Open Golf Championships


   June, 2005 (click here)   

The Kentucky Derby


   May, 2005 (click here)   

Nevada Photojournalism Day


   April, 2005 (click here)   

John Bolin's "The Thorn"


    March, 2005 (click here)    

Indoor Track and Field

UC Irvine's Paul Spittle and

the Sports Shooter Academy
with Nikon's new DX2


    February, 2005 (click here)    

Broncos Football:
Denver vs Indianapolis

the US Figure Skating Nationals
Portland, Oregon

College Basketball:
Colorado State vs Air Force


    January, 2005 (click here)   

Broncos Football:
Broncos VS. Dolphins

Assignment work:
Wrestling


   December, 2004 (click here)   

A look back at 2004


   November, 2004 (click here)   

Rich Clarkson's Photography at the Summit Workshop &
Moose Peterson's Digital Landscape Workshop Series


    October, 2004 (click here)   

Whitewater Kayaking
Gymnastics and more


   September, 2004 (click here)   

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games
Athens, Greece


   August, 2004 (click here)   

A look back at some wonderful Olympic moments


   July, 2004 (click here)   

USAFA Graduation flyover

US Olympic Training Center - Swimming and Gymnastics


   June, 2004 (click here)   

Last Month the Masters, this month The Kentucky Derby......I love my job


   May, 2004 (click here)   

Masters at Augusta National


   April, 2004 (click here)   

The American Cup Gymnastics

NIKON COLLEGE WORKSHOP


   March, 2004 (click here)   

Indoor Track and Field

 Women's Freestyle Wresting

Rhythmic Gymnastics Nationals

The Glass Flower Ceiling at the Belagio Hotel in Las Vegas


   February, 2004 (click here)   

College Basketball

Women's Waterpolo

Olympic swimmers on their way to Athens


   January, 2004 (click here)   

NFL Football

The ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Finals

A look back at The Greenbay Professionals


   December, 2003   

Monday Night Football the Sports Shooter Workshop and Luau in LA


   November, 2003   

Photography at the Summit workshop


   October, 2003   

Portraits to workshops to stock image sales


   September, 2003   

Lightpainting in Banf

The World Gymnastics Championships


   August, 2003   

International Gymnastics Camp


   July, 2003   

Thunderbirds

Gymnastics

The Sports Photography Workshop with Rich Clarkson

Velodrome Cycling, More


  June, 2003  

The 129th running of the Kentucky Derby

White water kayakers

The Champions on Ice tour


   May, 2003 (click here)  

PBR Rodeo

Chris Shivers and Little Yellow Jacket ride for $1 Million


   April, 2003 (click here)   

Nikon's featured speaker at PMA in Las Vegas

American Cup Gymnastics

USAFA Women's Basketball

USAFA Swimming

USAFA Boxing

NCAA Fencing Championships


    March, 2003 (click here)    

USOC's Titan Games


   February, 2003 (click here)   

Air Force Basketball

Pro Football Pre-Superball Stock Sales

Swimmers train at the Swim Flume at the USOC

Much more!


    January, 2003 (click here)    

Diving at the Air Force Academy

Denver Broncos VS. The Arizona Cardinals

Olympic Hopefuls Lenny Krayzelberg and Tom Molchow practice at the USOC


 

About | Contact | Workshop at the Ranch | BEST of On the Road | Sports Images
Lightpaintings | Print Gallery | General Interest & Travel | |  Home


©2008 daveblackphotography.com
Website design, maintenance and hosting by 2Doors