intimiste: alexandr dolgopolov

Thursday, September 8, 2011

us open 2011: from the pit

well not really, the "pit" because on court 17 there is no photographer's pit. just media seating in the first row.

i'd been snuggled into a seat in row 2 and loved it when, toward the end of the first set of dolgo/dr. ivo, the pros showed up with the big guns.

there is one photographer who i see every year, and i couldn't resist asking his name.
meet "arata" (in photographer in the middle).

i think i threw him off a little when i introduced myself--he seemed a little embarrassed.

but then he was back to covering the scene:

Monday, September 5, 2011

us open 2011: magic man

in one afternoon at the open, i took roughly 750 shots. that's me "holding back."

for the first two hundred or so, i was fiddling with different settings -- trying to find the right shutter speed and ISO combination that would stop action, and give a more crisp line. i figured it out, generally, though there's a lot more practice required. i want to have a better understanding of what to do when the light and conditions change, and learn how to make images with more impact.

but there are certain players who give you chance after chance after chance to get something good. it always feels like "magic hour" with them-- you just make sure your battery's charged and you've got plenty of room on the card.

an editor will spot easily the best of the bunch that i took of alexandr dolgopolov. but i pretty much love them all, for the amazing torque, height and lift he gets. and i'll remember the excitement of sitting second row, in the new court 17.

i'll start with these... from his victory over ivo karlovic (6-7,6-2,6-4,6-4)