I'm a huge fan of Scott Kelby, I mean who would not want to take photos of premier sports in the US. I've gone over his "YouTube" clips a million times and looked at his blog with his NFL shots in awe.
After a month or so, playing around with the Leica M6 range finder, I decided it was back to using AF, and what better equipment to use than the Canon 1Dx to see if I can get in to the groove to do sports. My dream is to be a NRL photographer, for those who don't know what the NRL is, it is basically a Rugby League competition played in Australia. The competition basically has teams made up from the east coast of Australia, plus one New Zealand team. It is an elite competition with some the ferocious hits in a brutal contact sport. True gladiators play this game !!
Tonight I have bit the bullet and decided to go watch my beloved St George Illawarra Dragons come against the North Queensland Cowboys. Both teams are a little under strengthened with both sides having players represent the annual State of Origin series.
I used the SpyCal to calibrate my 70-200 f/2.8 L IS lens (version 1) and teamed it up with the 1Dx. I know I do not really have the reach so I got a seat closest to the fence and prayed there would be no balls or players flying at me.
I benched myself before the start of play (actually watched the game before hand) to try and get familiar with what kind of shots I will be able to get. I choose to get a seat pretty much behind the goal post so all the traffic coming down my way would be running towards me. From memory the camera was set to Scenario 5 which was for erratic behavior and to my surprise it tracked players very well. For those interested in the settings, white balance was set to cloudy, aperture f/2.8, shutter 1/1250, ISO 3600, single point auto focus.
The score ended up favorable to my beloved St George Illawarra Dragons and I hope my photos do justice to the Dragons on a special day where we remember the late Great Reg Gasnier. What a special player ... what an IMMORTAL.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 27 (J Nightingale 3 A Quinlan C Runciman tries G Widdop 3 goals G Widdop field goal) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 24 (A Winterstein 2 C Rona T Sims J Taumalolo tries E Lowe 2 goals) at WIN Jubilee Oval. Referee: Gavin Badger, Adam Devcich. Crowd: 12,082.
Oh and would i love to get a real paying gig to do this stuff.. you bet i do !!!
Unfortunately the dragons warmed up on the other side of the field.
Former junior Dragon and Cowboys captain Ashton Sims warming up
Ben Creagh leading the Dragons out and running past the retired Reg Gasnier no.# jersey
The Dragon's million dollar per season gamble, Benji Marshall. Ready for the kick off
The Cowboy's sending big mew recruit Tatau Moga down the right side for the Dragons. Marshall and NIghtingale hada hard time of it in the early stages of the game
Winterstein barges his way over in the corner, and that's Cowboys 4 Dragons 0
Jack Stockwell back in grade and pondering how that first try was so easy for the Cowboys. Must have looked at his wrist and dew strength from Alex McKinnon
Benji giving Stockwell a rev up after the first try
Hangon the cheer girls are up and its now Dragons 4 Cowboys 4.. would have needed a 1000mm lens to have caught that action on camera. Charly Runciman scores the first one for the Dragons
Didn't have to wait long for the Dragons faithful braving it in the cold, the ever reliable Jason Nightingale takes the Dragons to a 8-4 lead, his first of three for the evening. Tough conversions for Widdop for the first two tries and he missed them both.. only just...
Captain Creagh CRUNCHED .. the Sims brothers, Tariq and Ashton snash their former junior team mate straight after the kick off
A bit of bad blood .. a little push and shove and it is all sorted out.
Big Tariq taking u ball off Lui... young kids keep your eye on the ball like Mr Sims
Another junior Dragon, Kane Linnett trying to find space for his winger
The ever reliable Jason Nightingale under the high ball... but ummm he drops this one out of the bread basket
Benji Marshall cleaning up in the in goal after the Cowboys put in a pressuring grubber kick
More work for the Dragon's right side D
Winterstein makes it Dragons 14 Cowboys 10 just before half time. I forgot to mention Quinlan scored earlier to make it 14-4 to the Dragons but again the action was on the other side of the ground
Mike Cooper makes a much needed powerful hitup to try and restore order for the Dragons
That's half time and the score is 14-10, Dragons head in with a slight lead. Ashton Sims leads his players to the sheds for half time
Dragon's toughening up in the middle of the ruck
Widdop trying to get Quinlan in to space
Quinlan's hole closes and he tries to get Beale involved
Beale thinks better and runs away from Tariq Sims
After starting the second half soft and letting the Cowboys jump to a 20-14 lead, the awkwardly hard to tackle Nightingale saves the day. Close to the line one on one he is tough to get a hold of. That's 20-18, Cowboy's with a slender 2 point lead
Make that 20 all as Widdop pilots a simple one through the goals.
Ex Raider, Joel Thompson lives up to his promise tonight, and probably had his best game in the Red V
I think Beale knocked the ball on whilst attempting an intercept, the ref's let it go and he makes a long break to allow the Dragons to take a 26-20 lead, due to a great try to Nightingale in the corner and Widdop also converts a tough one.
Widdop still probing late in the game, the Englishman has really lifted his game this season after leaving the Storm
The defiant Happy Dragon mascot .. gives the crowd a fist pump after Widdop kicks a field goal to make it 27-20 with less than 10 mins on the clock
Ah Mau to Quinlan, the apparent small forwards the Dragon's have are busting the middle of the Cowboys late in the game
Nightingale trying to make it 4 for the night in his man of the match display. Just a little short here ..
Stockwell makes a late break in the game but it is in vain. The run led to no increase in the score for the Dragons and the Cowboy's scored a late consolation try in the 80th minute to make the full time score 27-24.