Shooting Hockey indoors is always a challenge, there is never enough light. As a photographer you just have to except that. So what I do is a shoot with a shutter speed of 200 to 300, and just accept that the picture is going to come out dark. My focus is to find a great image, and fix whatever needs to be fixed on the picture on the computer later. So it is the angle and the image that I am most concerned about.

In this case this is the NYS Hockey Semi-Finals, play at the AUD in Utica NY. In this picture, the New Hartford skater is clearly drawing a lot of attention from the Pembroke defense. In this image there is at least three defenders focusing their energy on this one offensive player. In fact one of the defenders has his stick on on the offensive player in a hooking motion.

The ice spraying in the air is the focal point of this picture, and the colors of the New Hartford Uniform. The red in the blue are vibrant colors, the mesh well with the fully visible decal.

I was very fortunate to catch the puck in the picture as well, that is what my the image exceptional, however it is impossible to keep the puck and the player in focus being that they are two separate parts of the image. The Puck however being out of focus, shows motion, and the player being in focus show motion captured.

It is in the eyes....

Again it is in the eyes, but that is not the first thing that catches my eye in this picture. The first thing that catches my eye is the foot in the background. Even though it is a bit out of focus, what is it doing there. Doesn't it look like the foot was photoshoped in there or did this running back give that kid such a move that his foot ended up above his head or is that his own foot? What do you think?

The unique aspect of this picture is the eyes again. Look at the focus and the intensity of the eyes, they say it all. This is the first time that I caught the image with the correct shutter speed to read the writing on the football. The running back is in a perfect pose there and the focal point of this picture I feel is the ball. It is safe and securely tucked under the running backs arm, even though he is carrying the ball in the wrong hand.

The faded background give the running back the appearance of speed, and as you know speed kills. Is he ready to dash down the sideline or cut the run back. But in the end it is the foot I can't explain where it came from and who it belongs too.

The Rededication of David kramer

After some deliberation, I have rededicated myself to these blogs. A picture a day for the rest of this year.

Have your ever seen a movie twice, or read a book again in your life. Did you ever notice something different the second time, that you didn't pick up the first time. I find that I do that this this picture. Every time a I look at this picture I find something else that I love about it.

The first time that I saw this picture I instantly fell in love with it. And what I remember from the day, was it was a cold wet day in Frankfort, NY. I was shooting from the Frankfort Sideline, which I snuck onto without permission. It was a day that I wasn't sure I should be there. It was night game they are always tough to shoot, it was raining, and you always have to wonder if you passion for photography is getting in the way of you being a good father or husband. You want to be there for everything in your family and not miss a second, but you also have a desire to pursue your dreams.

This picture however made the day worth it. I only took three pictures and left at the end of the first quarter. One because the game was a blowout, and second because I was soaking wet at the time and then I began to worry about the camera, and hoping that the driving rain would not break it.

In this picture you see the Frankfort Quarterback, rolling out to his right. In this photo you get a sense that the quarterback is being extremely careful with the ball, but what caught my eye about this picture today was the player driving through the rain. He clearly was not letting the effects of the weather limit himself. The quarterback is driving through each rain drop, which seem to bend around his body. The curvature of the rain drops closer to his body are clearly different the the rain drops away from his body.

The second thing to notice about this picture is the background of the picture is clearly out of focus, creating a focal point of the Quarterback in the image. This makes the quarterback and his movement stand out, from the background. This works perfectly to make the quarterback the most important part of the image.

The last aspect of this picture is the quarterbacks eyes. If you attempt to read his eyes, you can see, that the quarterback eyes are look down field trying to move the ball to a receiver.