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Sunday, March 8, 2015

the Kaiser Permanente Arena as a venue for roller derby

For two years the Santa Cruz Derby Girls skated at the Kaiser Permanente Arena, and this is a little something about what it was like to shoot there.

SantaCruz_vs_SinCity_L7028271

The place is lit.  


The KP Arena is not a dimly lit roller rink (with weirdly colored walls or ceilings) or a dimly lit warehouse.

It's lit for television, but the lighting is fine for still photography of what is at times a fast moving sport.

Pippi Hardsocking #45 breaks out of the pack wearing skull kneepads

Setting the exposure at the KP Arena was wonderful because all the thinking about it was thought and finished with long ago.  The only thing left to do was the doing.  Set the ISO to 1250, aperture at f2.8, shutter speed at 1/750.  The shutter speed could of been set to 1/1000th, but I wanted to make sure that faces were lit, and I could always burn the highlights in post.  Exposure was just that easy.

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1SCDG_SugarSkulls_vs_Hollister_L3013033

2scdg_bombshells_vs_treasurevalley_L3016024 (1)

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Often times with the black and white camera I'd stop it down to f4 and double the ISO

1SCDG_SugarSkulls_vs_Hollister_L1038625

Every once in a while I'd shoot wide open and set the shutter dial to "A" if I didn't want to think too hard doing the f-stop math.

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 I always had to adjust the color balance a little bit.  Perhaps it was the light, perhaps it was the light reflected off of the blue track, or maybe it was my camera's quirky sense of color.  Sometimes the Undead Betties purple uniforms were a bit too blue

2sirens_vs_bettys_L3018278 
(1)

and sometimes skin tones, especially in the shadows were a bit too red or purple,

some times it pays off to get a sneak 
preview of the halftime show before the doors open.

but these are minor quibbles.  Nothing like dealing with mixing flash and green flourescents or the glorious oompa-loompa skin tones made from shooting under sodium lamps.


It was a roomy enough venue; you could shoot from the inside,

1scdg_hellcats_vs_ccad_L2082338

including action shots of the referees on the inside of the track.

killahertz is not lead jammer. he's not even pointing at the lead jammer!

 I could always get some nice shots of the referees conferring on the inside,

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shells_vs_belles_L3032858 (1)

and I often could get some fun shots of warmups within the ref lane on the inside before the general audience was let in the door.

scdg_hellcats_vs_ccad_L2082259

dancing

sigh.

Just trying to get over reminiscing about the old days.





Friday, January 2, 2015

a nocklebeast retrospective 2014

Hey! It's time for the best of the best of photos of 2014, and there's some few non-roller derby stuff too.

 Chantilly Mace is yelling and Skatelyn is smiling.  And I'm a sucker for lens flare.
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If you don't know that junior derby is good derby, you should do something about that.
1SCDG_SugarSkulls_vs_Hollister_L1038625

Ack! Broken ankle!
1SCDG_SeabrightSirens_vs_HighCountryMountain_L3013720 (1)

This may have been the last time I was at San Jose Skate (ever).
1svrg_vs_mbdd_L1038978 (1)


1scdg_bombshells_vs_treasurevalley_L3015837 (1)

Betty the Kid and Maiden Hades
1scdg_bombshells_vs_treasurevalley_L3015970 (1)

 I cropped this one down a bit and it made me smile, because is similar to Bob Ayers' style.
1hellcats_vs_queens_L1039986 (1)

1hellcats_vs_queens_L1040149 (1)

Behind the scenes at the Big O.
unicorn? or unicron?

A little pre-bout pep talk from Beans
groms_vs_kittens_L1041102 (1)

Captain signs the post-bout paper work.
captain signing the end of bout paperwork

A message from the Santa Cruz Gromshells for the Texas juniors is recorded.
a message for the Texas juniors

Team USA vs Big O MVPs!
usa_vs_mvp_L3032353 (1)

Hauss the Boss is MVP!
usa_vs_mvp_L3032451 (1)

some pre-bout warmup roller dancing
dancing

Santa Cruz Portland Cement and VW Bug
Santa Cruz Portland Cement

with a whistle so soft
with a whistle so soft, like a spooky ghost train

oh! Babygirl! (I should shoot wide open more often)
1sirens_vs_drivers_L3401242 (1)

bench
bench

soft focus supermoon
soft focus supermoon

The Memorial Auditorium as a venue for roller derby
the Memorial Auditorium of Sacramento, California as a venue for... roller derby!

1minn_vs_tampa_L3403635 (1)

Slambda Phage verifies Erick Rawk has got the points right
Slambda Phage verifies Erick Rawk has got the points right

 terminal_vs_blueridge_L3404027 (1)

Ace Wenchura on one toe stop
Ace Wenchura balances on one toe stop to avoid cutting the inside of the track.

Taraism takes the outside track to pass New Hampshire’s blockers.

 1rat_vs_minn_L3405683 (1)

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some post-bout roller dancing
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Inflict Her Pain #29 gets blocking help from Sharon D. Payne #16 against Kansas City’s Barbarian #10

Earlier? What I said about junior roller derby?  It's true (it's good!)
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2bombshells_vs_badapples_L3408743 1

holiday parade!
cosmo factory

penny
penny

 the full flickr set of my best of 2014 is here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157649569957207/

And I have several 2014 favorite sets for roller derby

2014 roller derby
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157639181164504/

WFTDA D1 playoff tournament at Sacramento favorites
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157649175463351/

Pac Destruction faves
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157645136868478/

Big O faves
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157644567551171/

Monterey Bay faves
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157643171436185/

Silicon Valley faves
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157643173502774/

Bay Area faves
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157642081085343/

Santa Cruz faves
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nocklebeast/sets/72157642079260475/