Dockyard Derby Dames

For those that don’t know, I’m one of those photography enthusiasts with a day job. This means that when things get busy at the office, blog posts and photo shoots become less frequent. You’ll notice that lately, I’ve updated this blog a little less. Fear not, here’s some fresh photos for you to feast your eyes on.

Last weekend, I attended a fundraiser. It was also a Roller Derby bout for the “Dockyard Derby Dames.” It was my first, and it was AWESOME. The venue left a little to be desired, but the sport and the action was incredible. I only wish I had the means to capture it all. There are so many different types of women in participation, and the supporting sub-culture seemed like a cross between WWE fans and soccer parents. It was amazing.

This is Renee, A.K.A. “Hit-o-honey.” She recently began Roller Derby and kicks some serious ass. She’s quite the show-woman too.

I got the motion blur by have a slightly slower shutter speed and moving the camera along with her during exposure.

This is Renee dishing out some pain. I know it looks like she’s getting sandwiched, but don’t be fooled.

Although I didn’t expect it when I decided to go, I found that this was the more typical Roller Derby participant. It was so fun to watch.

I spent a lot of time trying to get a shot like this that was decently exposed, despite the dim gym setting. This was probably the best I got… next time I hope to be better prepared.

This is probably my favorite photo from the event. I don’t know why. Still looking for people serious about getting photos taken! Let me know!

 

- Elldub

A weekend experimenting with vanishing points & depth of field

Lately I’ve been obsessed with images that seem to draw the eye deeper in to the photo. There are many of my friends on Flickr that do this with ease. For me, it’s always been incidental, and rarely deliberate. So this weekend I set out to capture images that have this effect. The three methods used for this series are depth of field, vanishing point, and tilt shifts.

This first photo was taken in Pioneer Square, Seattle. the intended focal point is in the lower right hand quarter. I used a slight tilt shift to give a little blur to the perimeter of the photo, and you’ll notice that the composition has a little bit of vanishing point, provided by the lined on the canopy.

 

This photo also uses a slight vanishing point in the bottom right corner. However, instead of a tilt shift, the light provides a similar effect. Is is a random alley in downtown Seattle, but it could be any major American city. The truth is that I don’t know why I like this photo, but I do.

This is an example of a shot that confuses the eye. The clock face is perfectly in focus and in the center of the frame. Meanwhile, the vanishing point is placed below the clock, and the tilt shift blurs everything but the clock. They eye is drawn to the clock and then down to the bottom. You’re likely going back and forth between the two subconsciously wondering where to focus.

 

 

 

This might be my favorite shot from the mini-shoot, and not just because that’s my mom in the photo. The light, tilt shift, vanishing point, and lighting give the eye a clear direction to move. I took the photo but I feel myself getting drawn in. The eye looks deeper in to the alley and then around the perimeter of the frame.

For those of you who come here looking for new portraits, stay tuned. There are a few opportunities on the horizon, and each could yield some fantastic shots.

- Elldub