The temperature doesn't really matter on a day like today, but as us here in the Northeast know, this Winter/Spring has been crazy! But it doesn't matter, BASEBALL IS HERE!
The view from home plateApril 8, 2016. McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket, RI.
As a photographer, our job is to cover the game visually, freezing that moment in time that can be remembered. For myself, I love to have the fans see what they can't see: behind the scenes before and after the game, dugout interaction with the players, or the reaction from a player after they didn't do so good behind the plate or in the field. With the extended access we have, it's our duty to bring the fans the game from every angle we can.
Dugout requirements...April 8, 2016. McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket, RI. Cleaning home plateApril 8, 2016. McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket, RI. The grounds crew at McCoy Stadium has to be the hardest working crew in Minor League Baseball. Just 3 days before Opening Day there was snow on the field, and then Opening Day had to be postponed one day due to extremely heavy rain. But by gametime, the field was perfect! The fans don't usually see how hard they work to get the field ready.
And then, of course, is the game! The fans are excited for the start of the baseball season, but so are the players. And again, it's up to us to give to the fans a view of what they might have missed, and to capture the action for years to come. And who knows, today's player could be tomorrow's superstar!
Oh... and as I start my 40th or so year of visiting McCoy Stadium, it's great to give back, even though it's only something as simple as photography. As a photographer, we really aren't supposed to show support for any team we cover, but for the PawSox, I can be usually be seen doing some mental fist-pumping...
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]]>I get that all the time when I tell someone that I am a drone owner. With all of the negative connotations associated with the word "drone", I'd rather call them "quadcopters". I'm sure you've heard all of the bad stories about drones... crashing into ferris wheels, flying over private property, and there was one crash that almost ended the career of skier Marcel Hirscher (YouTube link - it's in French, but you'll get the idea..)
But have you ever heard of the good? There is a group called S.W.A.R.M. (Search With Aerial RC Multirotor), a volunteer group of drone owners that help find missing persons. Then there is videographer Phillip Bloom, putting together an AWESOME video from drone footage shot on a trip to Thailand.
Phantom 2 droneMy Phantom 2 Non-Vision drone outfitted with a Zenmuse H4-3D gimbal, with a GoPro Hero 4 Black mounted. So this is my drone... it's a Phantom 2 Non-Vision, with a GoPro Hero 4 Black mounted with a Zenmuse H4-3D gimbal. What that all means is that a gimbal is a device used to stabilize a camera, whether it be in the air or on the ground, using motors to stabilize the camera. I've just begun scratching the surface of the Hero 4 Black, but I have used to to take pictures and video. Go to my gallery to see 2 video clips, not put together in any professional way...
This shot was taken on November 15, 2015, at about 400 feet (more about height requirements later...)
And this shot was taken on October 26, 2015...
There are 3 rules (not laws) that drone operators SHOULD follow:
1. Do not fly above 400 feet AGL (Above Ground Level)
2. Do not fly within 5 miles of an airport
3. Do not fly over crowds (you don't need to be crashing on someone's head... or skis!)
As long as those rules are followed, there shouldn't be any issues at all... but there are those that DON'T follow these rules, and those are the ones you always hear about.
So when you hear the word "drone", please try to think and know about the good that drones do, not just the bad. I bet you find more good than bad anyway...
Kyle BuschKyle Busch's crew working on his car before the Sylvania 300 on September 27th, 2015.
From the super-tight tolerances on engine parts, to the extreme workouts that the pit crews partake, NASCAR is more of a sport than anyone realizes. And no sooner than the checkered flag falls, the NASCAR teams pack up and head to next week's track to do it all over again. This is a sport that one hundredth of a second could be the difference between starting on the pole, or starting in 20th place.
And then when the race starts, you have to deal with 42 other teams/drivers doing the same thing you are. At tracks like Daytona, the average lap speed is roughly 185mph... and a lot of times the cards are just inches apart. Try that on your local highway doing 55 or 65mph! (well, actually... don't try that... it's not smart..). And at Daytona, the pit road speed is 55mph... so as you're cruising down the highway, think about the driver that's coming down pit road then has to stop on a dime at their pit stall... it ain't easy!!
All during the race, the crew chiefs and pit crews are monitoring just about every aspect of the car as they can... fuel remaining, speed, and other telemetry. Fuel seems to be the tricky one (there are no fuel gauges in a stock car), as Kevin Harvick can agree on... since he was in the lead and ran out of gas on the final lap...!
So in this race, Matt Kenseth took the checkered flag, and the burnout followed...!
Watching it on TV is one thing, but to REALLY experience it all, you NEED to get to your nearest race track!
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]]>With less than 2 minutes left in the first period of a 2 15-minute period game between the Boston Pride of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) and the Les Canadiennes of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL), Pride forward Denna Laing took a fall and was severely paralyzed. The outpouring of support from the hockey community, and everyone else for that matter, has been unbelievable.
February 14, 2016 was known as "Denna Day", in support of her. It was her first public appearance since the injury. For more information, and how you can be #14Strong, please go to dennalaing.org.
The Pride then went on to play their final home game of the season against the Connecticut Whales. The Pride were dominant throughout the whole game, highlighted by 2 goals from Jordan Smelker. Brianna Decker pitched in with a power-play goal, and Gigi Marvin capped it off with a goal late in the third period. The Pride finished their home season with a score of 4-2.
The Pride's offense was so strong that in the second period the Whales didn't get a shot on goal until over 15 minutes into the period.
The Pride have just two more games left in the regular season...
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]]>And Villanova played to avenge that loss. They started with a 10-0 run that put the Friars down quick. Villanova's biggest lead in the first half was 19, but the Friars cut it down to 12 at the half.
The Wildcats started the second half the same way they started the first half, increasing their lead to 17 points. The Friars got close, cutting the deficit to 5, but it wasn't enough to fend off the Wildcats, as they cruised to a 72-60 victory.
Despite nursing a sprained ankle, Ben Bentil played strong, with 20 points and 2 rebounds. For Villanova, Darryl Reynolds led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
The Friars have a pretty tough schedule for the rest of their season, but they are still a viable selection for the NCAA Tournament.
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]]>But on January 26th, The Dunkin' Donuts Center was the proud host of the first Top 10 Providence College basketball game in the school's history, as they took on the Xavier Musketeers. I have to tell you, I've been to a LOT of various events at the Dunk, and this was the loudest crowd I think I've ever heard.
Edmond SumnerXavier University freshman guard Edmond Sumner. January 26, 2016. Dunkin' Donuts Center, Providence, RI. Photo: ©KJ Sports Pics The scoring was up and down for most of the first half, but Xavier ended the half with an 8-point lead.
Kris DunnProvidence College junior guard Kris Dunn. January 26, 2016. Dunkin' Donuts Center, Providence, RI. Photo: ©KJ Sports Pics The second half wasn't too kind to the Friars, with Xavier extending their lead to as much as 17 points midway through the half. But then the scoring went up and down again, with Providence coming within 6 points, then fading to 10 points back, then coming back with a big run that brought them within 3 points.
Kris DunnProvidence College junior guard Kris Dunn. January 26, 2016. Dunkin' Donuts Center, Providence, RI. Photo: ©KJ Sports Pics But in the end, the Friars never had a lead in the second half, and they finished the game with a 75-68 loss. The Friars put up a great fight, and I think they proved that they can play with the best of them. A few mistakes, and some bad calls kept them from finishing on top. This is going to be one great season for the Friars!
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]]>I had the pleasure of traveling to North Conway, NH for the Youth Pond Hockey Festival to benefit the Laura Foundation. The teams were USA Hockey registered, playing 4-on-4 with no goalies.It was great to watch them play, betting that most never played on a pond before. The ice isn't as smooth as an indoor rink, so it was a little difficult at times. The weather was a bit warmer than usual in that area, but they still had 8 inches of ice.
It was a great 2 days of pond hockey, and I would bet that the kids had a great time.
Click here for the full gallery of Edgewood Hawks photographs...
Click here for the full gallery of Providence Junior Friars photographs...
]]>After surviving the almost two hour drive from Orlando to Tampa, my family and I were greeted by the nicest staff I've ever encountered at a Major League ballpark. Before, during and after the game, the staff was very friendly and always happy to help (and to guide a first-time shooter at The Trop the right ways to go...).
And as a photographer, it was a dream to shoot in a dome, because I didn't have to deal with the sun, or changing lighting conditions. It wasn't the absolute best lighting, but at least I didn't have to worry about it.
But... on to the game...
Being it was the last game before the All-Star break, the two representatives from the Rays were presented with their All-Star jerseys.
And All-Star Houston Astros' second baseman Jose Altuve was a joy to watch, in the field, and at the plate, hitting a home run in the top of the 4th inning.
But it was Tampa that came out on top... in the bottom of the 5th inning, Grady Sizemore hits a force-out ground ball, but Jake Elmore scores on the play, making the score 4-3, which held up to the end.
I had a great time shooting the game, and I have to say once again, thanks to the staff of The Trop for being so awesome during my time there.
Click here for the full gallery of shots from this game.
On June 20, I had the pleasure of shooting my first rugby game, for the Rhode Island Rebellion Rugby Team. I have always liked rugby, but haven't seen it enough to know the rules, so I did a lot of Googling the week before to make sure I understood the game (knowing what your shooting is VERY important, so you can predict where the action will be...). If you've never seen a rugby game before... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???
The action is nonstop, and these guys are all-out full-contact, with NO PADS WHATSOEVER!!! And you think football players are tough.... Bangs, bruises, blood, you name it...
A huge thank you goes out to Larry Almagno and the RI Rebellion Rugby Team for having me shoot their awesome match! I hope to shoot more soon!
Visit their website at http://www.rebellion-rugby.com for more info and their schedule.
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