FIRST Photography: How do YOU cover it?

[MissInformation]

How prominent is your role as a photographer on your team?

I guess I am the primary photographer for my team, with my boyfriend being the secondary. Of the team photos on the web, I've taken about 75% of them.

What do you use?

I now use a Panasonic FZ20 (up until kickoff of last year when the zoom broke, it was an Olympic C2100UZ)

What subjects are you good at shooting? (Robots on field, Candids, group photos, etc.)

I think candids are my best... I'm sneaky with my 12X optical zoom. But I do okay with robots on the field and group photos too.

What subjects do you prefer to shoot?

In robotics? In my alternate life? I like trying to capture emotion, so I tend to prefer shooting living things, but the machines are fun to shoot as well.

When at competitions, where do you shoot from?

Anywhere I can get a good view from. I'm short, but I've gotten pretty good at overcoming that obstacle.

Anything you'd like tips with?

How do we convince FIRST that they should have a space for each team to place 1 photographer or videographer for their matches at every Regional? Dealing with the refs, the judges, the professional photographers and videographers and volunteers is hard enough and I will not complain about them, however, then having to deal with the constant foot traffic of everyone else as they wander to and from the pits (and the bathroom, the snackbar, etc) makes getting a good shot next to impossible at times. Sigh.

WILL YOU BE IN ATLANTA?

No.

Here's my team's photo site: Team 116 Vex 18 Photos and
my personal page I'm currently working on two more galleries, Living Things 3 and Odds and Ends. One day, I think I'll actually take a photography class.

Heidi

[dhitchco]

For all you team photographers & videographers out there:

1) I will be teaching a digital photgraphy overview class on Thursday 4/27 as part of the 2nd annual FIRST conference to be upstairs at the World Conference Center (above the pit areas)

2) We are also trying to schedule a "group shot" of all team photographers (likely to be Friday around lunch) since were the ones always BEHIND the lens! Come and meet fellow photo nuts!

3) Since I live in Rochester, NY (home of Eastman-Kodak) and have lectured at the Eastman House, I will say that digital capabilities (camera resolution plus editing capabilities) have indeed made film obsolete. Kodak's top execs agree on this one!

4) The #1 top priority you MUST do in taking pics is to a) compose the frame first and b) ask yourself if the photo "tells a story" without words.

That said, here's a bit on me:

How prominent is your role as a photographer on your team?
I'm the team's #1 photographer and videographer, but it's equally important to empower multiple people (mentors & students) to take candid pics. We have one common upload repository for all our pics at rollingthunder.smugmug.com

What do you use?
Last year I was digital plus film (used a SLR with 500mm lens). This year is a) point-shoot Kodak digitla with 3X zoom, b) Olympus 10x digital, and c) Canon Digital SLR with telephoto lenses. Also using Sony mini-DV camcorder with good shotgun microphone (and wireless mike for pit interviews)

What subjects are you good at shooting? (Robots on field, Candids, group photos, etc.)
All of the above; but rely on someone to record the "master" video feed (e.g. NASA or circuitrunners) to grab after event for video highlights. This year, I'll also have green screen chromakey backdrop so you can put pics and interviews overlayed onto robot action. Also good for team shots without background clutter. Candids shot with 10X zoom (stealth-style) are the best!

What subjects do you prefer to shoot?
For stills, shoot lots of candids of teammates and meeting other teams; brings out the joy and gracious professionalism of FIRST

When at competitions, where do you shoot from?
At regionals, be sure to shoot from the field back up into your team's spirit section. You'll see me with my "thundercam sky pole" to get above the crowd from the sidelines. be sure to shoot tight action shots in the pits of work-in-progress. Also, you can grab generic shots of the venue (e.g. Georgia Dome) from their web site for use later on.

Anything you'd like tips with?
Layout a "story" for your highlight album or video when done. Mix-in stills and video amybe NOT in exact chronological order. No need to simply do match highlights video (ecept for training). Put together a 5-minute ultra-highlight video/slide show for your patrons and future sponsors.

*EDIT*: WILL YOU BE IN ATLANTA?
YEA....Also, bring your top five (5) photos to the team 1511 pit and we'll upload them and display them on our pit TVs.....

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by dhitchco

At regionals, be sure to shoot from the field back up into your team's spirit section. You'll see me with my "thundercam sky pole" to get above the crowd from the sidelines.

I saw the press release you sent to our company (Icuiti), using our M920Video display. I used our DV920 binocular video eyewear for all the still photos I took at FLR this year. Being able to hold the camera up in the air with one hand (or on a mono-pole) and see the camera's NTSC video out in the video eyewear allows you to see much more than you would through the viewfinder, or in the camera LCD window.

And this has one added benefit - when you are standing on the sidelines, holding the camera up in the air it is pointed down onto the field at an angle, so you dont get as much distant-background stuff in your shot (which tends to be dark and distracting from the primary subject).

[dangerousdave]

That video eye wear sure sounds & looks nice! I only use my video cameras for First events and family video's. I will have to continue jockeying for position with the others on the floor due to the $800 cost of the M920.

Dave

[thatphotochick]

How prominent is your role as a photographer on your team?
my main role is photographer and videographer. i did most of the photography (about 90%) during the build season, and at the competition about 50% of the video footage is mine. i'm also a scouter at competitions so getting pictures is hard, most pictures from competition are from mentors.

What do you use?
my own camera is a Canon Powershot S1 IS (i've used it during competitions)
robotics camers are sony cybershots DSC-S40 and DSC P10

What subjects are you good at shooting? (Robots on field, Candids, group photos, etc.)
i'm good with all..for the most part

What subjects do you prefer to shoot?
i prefer scenery shots..outside of robotics..but in robotics i like shots in the pits..of people working on the robot

When at competitions, where do you shoot from?
i'm in the stands most of the time, so from there

WILL YOU BE IN ATLANTA?
sure will..if you see me come say hey

[KenWittlief]

Originally Posted by dangerousdave

That video eye wear sure sounds & looks nice! Dave

If you have a camera with NTSC (video) out you can also use a portable LCD - like some of the ones designed for video game consoles, to allow you to hold the camera up in the air. The M920 and DV920 are nice because you wear them like glasses, so both hands are free.

[JVGazeley]

A fair bit of our team take cameras to the event. Mainly as we have to fly Trans-Atlantic to get there and thus want photos of New York City itself as well. I had my camera with me most of the time on Thurs and Fri at NYC but left it in the pit for most of Sat... probably a good thing given how delicate it can be.

I take photos of all sorts of things... Just a few examples, all downsized:

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2549/10003181hj.jpg < Flags flying in Battery Park City
http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/2557/10001975jz.jpg < A member of our team with the flag wrapped around them
http://img345.imageshack.us/img345/7059/10002020ce.jpg < Robot Crossing Sign (why? why not...)

You can see a few more of mine in CD Media, I put a few up the other day. All of the ones I took come under the "frc759" tag.