Cornell sophmore and Lansing high school graduate Travis Dake celebrates after notching the first fall of the day against Iowa State. Dake started off the on the mat after Cornell took the first match via an Iowa State forfeit at Newman Arena. Cornell took revenge for an Iowa State win last year 24-13 with a 30-16 win today. It also marked head coach Rob Koll's 200th career victory. I had a great morning shooting Waverly High School wrestlers, taking a break for a soft pretzel and checking out the campus then returning to Newman Arena at 1pm for the start of the match. I also met some cool new photogs as well and was able to talk shop a bit. Good day all and all.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
from the vault 28
PSU #34 Nathan Stupar hauls down Temple # 86 Steve Maneri during their 2009 meeting at Beaver Stadium. Not much to do inside on this crappy day, Thinking of taking the gals for a walk downtown in a few. I spent the morning re-editing and tone mapping some HDR-"ish" photos, reset security system on all computers with new passcodes....so there....I am definately looking forward to getting up early tomorrow, grabbing my tunes and my coffee and hitting the road to Ithaca to shoot the Cornell -- Iowa St. wrestling match.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Waverly vs Oxford
Wow what a quick match at Waverly tonight during the Section IV wrestling duals agains Oxford. Several pins and several forfeits on the night with the entire match over in less that an hour. Oxford was up the entire match but with one match to go, Waverly went up 33-31 and ended up taking it 37-31 with some great matches at the end. Was good to see some other photogs across the mat from me. Lighting...eh...but better than basketball using slower shutter speed and in the middle of the gym rather than behind the boards. So...all in all.....good night. Tomorrow off and I might do something creative then off to Cornell Sunday to shoot the Iowa match. Thanks again to the Towanda Daily Review for hooking me up....
Thursday, January 27, 2011
National Aquarium Washington DC
I shot this a few years back right after i picked up my 85mm 1.8. Shot this behind the glass after i wiped it off with my sleeve of course..Some basic editing and cloning stamp to wipe out some imperfections in the glass. I was excited and proud at the same time when I was approached by DC Map Guides to use this on their 2009 street guide as a thumbnail for the National Aquarium. I guess they Googled images and found this on Flickr and requested to use it. So this was pretty cool for me. No $$$ but a little exposure and my hits on Flickr went through the roof for a while.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
from the vault 26
Cornell student body during an intense mens basketball game against Seton Hall last winter. I hope to get back up on the hill soon to shoot some hoops or wrestling, maybe this Sunday when the Big Red grapplers take on Iowa St. on the mat. I always enjoy shooting college sports. Love the intensity, love the crowds and the campus atmosphere, but as a photographer, I definately love the lighting in most college gyms. I want to give a big shout out to BF and the Towanda Daily Review and their sports section for always trying to go above and beyond to cover all local and collegiate sports as so many of our local athletes continue their success in sports at the local college level. Thanks. !!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Anticipation
A shot of starting pitcher Brad Holt of the AA Mets taken during the summer of 2009 at NYSEG Stadium.....Now that the 2010-2011 football season is winding down with the much anticipated Superbowl on February 6th between the Steelers and Packers, BASEBALL season is on tap lurking just behind that with most pitchers and catchers reporting on Feb. 13-14th. It is a glorious time of year, Spring and Summer, with baseball, cookouts, swimming, parties, campfires, vacations, the beach......yada, yada, yada.... I for one, have had enough of this deep freeze and snow....Hopefully on Valentines weekend, with the reporting of MBL's pitchers and catchers, we all can feel just a little warmer in anticipation of Americas favorite past-time.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
from the vault 22
I thought I’d write a thought or two on the desolate and creepy part of the mountain that lies at the dead end of a winding mountain road. The cemetery, or rather the main one that all the ghost hunters venture out into in hopes of finding the ever elusive spectre or ghost "orb", has been a popular "tourist attraction" by locals and has been trodden down and trampled over by many a foot looking for some sort of evidence of another plane of existence without giving much thought to what lies only a few short feet beneath their own feet that still flow warm with life. The dead.
From my research there are many souls that have been laid to rest on that cold lonely place. Perhaps those that lived, worked, played, and died on the mountain in the mid nineteenth century thought by all their accounts that the town would last and thrive for more time than they actually could have imagined. Maybe they could not foresee a time when the coal would run dry and the town would fall fate to such a demise as it did and become an abandoned and forgotten place. Makes me stop and consider the modern gas drilling that is tearing up our county now.
Of the 144 headstones and grave markers that have been identified by two separate teams of researchers in 1978 and most recently in 1993, it appears that 68 of them are children under the age of 18 and most of them being just wee toddlers of 3 or younger. Many of the children fell victim to the deadly diphtheria epidemic during the winter of 1884-1885.
Some woeful parents lost all their children as the plague swept through the town and struck indiscriminately without apparent rhyme or reason in a time before modern advances in medicine. Some children as young as 14 and 15 perished in mining and sawmill accidents as well as there were no labor laws to protect them from the financial demands and hardships that forced them into jobs to contribute to the welfare of the family.
What lies beneath the feet of those who trod on the surface of the hallowed ground at Barclay Cemetery are the stories of innocence lost, hopes, dreams, fears, laughter and love of a time long forgotten.
Some claim to have captured "images" on their digital media that we call "orbs". Others have claimed to have actually seen apparitions and have heard the sounds of children laughing as well as the sounds reminiscent of a pickaxe striking the once valuable black ground that first yielded its prize in 1812 and that commenced the rapid growth of Barclay and ultimately led to its demise when it ceased yielding its "black gold" by the winter of 1890 following a great snowstorm that closed the last mine for all its purposeful use.
Few know of other more private and much smaller cemeteries that lie on or near the towns of Barclay and Laquin that I am sure hold stories all their own but fail to inspire the interest, humility and curiosity that the old Barclay Cemetery does.
From my research there are many souls that have been laid to rest on that cold lonely place. Perhaps those that lived, worked, played, and died on the mountain in the mid nineteenth century thought by all their accounts that the town would last and thrive for more time than they actually could have imagined. Maybe they could not foresee a time when the coal would run dry and the town would fall fate to such a demise as it did and become an abandoned and forgotten place. Makes me stop and consider the modern gas drilling that is tearing up our county now.
Of the 144 headstones and grave markers that have been identified by two separate teams of researchers in 1978 and most recently in 1993, it appears that 68 of them are children under the age of 18 and most of them being just wee toddlers of 3 or younger. Many of the children fell victim to the deadly diphtheria epidemic during the winter of 1884-1885.
Some woeful parents lost all their children as the plague swept through the town and struck indiscriminately without apparent rhyme or reason in a time before modern advances in medicine. Some children as young as 14 and 15 perished in mining and sawmill accidents as well as there were no labor laws to protect them from the financial demands and hardships that forced them into jobs to contribute to the welfare of the family.
What lies beneath the feet of those who trod on the surface of the hallowed ground at Barclay Cemetery are the stories of innocence lost, hopes, dreams, fears, laughter and love of a time long forgotten.
Some claim to have captured "images" on their digital media that we call "orbs". Others have claimed to have actually seen apparitions and have heard the sounds of children laughing as well as the sounds reminiscent of a pickaxe striking the once valuable black ground that first yielded its prize in 1812 and that commenced the rapid growth of Barclay and ultimately led to its demise when it ceased yielding its "black gold" by the winter of 1890 following a great snowstorm that closed the last mine for all its purposeful use.
Few know of other more private and much smaller cemeteries that lie on or near the towns of Barclay and Laquin that I am sure hold stories all their own but fail to inspire the interest, humility and curiosity that the old Barclay Cemetery does.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
waverly 130 lbs IAC Tourney
Tevor Nocchi at 130 lbs for Waverly wrestles at the IAC Tourney in Watkins Glen today. Trevor's opponent was seriously hurting going into the 3rd period to the point of not being able to finish the first round match. I believe when the match was called Nocchi was up 13-1. Had a great morning shooting with my partner Mark from SentimentsSports as he was shooting for The Valley Sports Report and I for the Towanda Daily Review. As most of you know Mark and I are collaberating on a joint venture to provide quality sports images to athletes and their families through our website www.sentimentssports.com We had a great conversation on the way up and back about photography, old school things that made us both laugh. I chose to shoot with 2 bodies today. The MK IIN with the 85mm and no flash and the 40D with the 70-200 equiped with flash. Overall I was happy with shots from both cameras after figuring out some tweaks here and there.
Friday, January 21, 2011
frozen millstone
Yet another snow day today, No school, no shooting HS basketball tonight, maybe up to Watkins Glen tomorrow for some IAC wrestling. Checkin' the schedule now !! Got out to shoot the snow covered hills and streams of the backwoods however. This is another shot of the Millstone a little nearer to civilization. Maybe I'll trek it out with Arctic gear and do some major hiking soon. Any tag-alongers? Would love to get out with someone and do some hiking and shooting, and it would be nice if that person new CPR or good first aid skills. I am figuring out the HDR stuff a little at a time. Now I need to focus on tack sharp, popping wrestling shots....later
Thursday, January 20, 2011
from the vault 20
A shot of Champ Devon Soper from the 2009 NY State Sectional Championships at the Veterans Broome County Arena in Binghamton, NY. I can count on 1 hand the number of times I have shot wrestling but I am off tonight to challenge myself to learn more about shooting this faced paced action sport....er..uh..umm..well maybe not.....Any way, after talking to 2 local PROS when it comes to shooting this sport (EB/BE) I think I have a better understanding. I am gonna try to use the fill flash tonight even though Sayre's new lights are now providing ample ambient. I want the "pop and fill" factor...So, we shall experiment some..This shot was all ambient at high ISO...Of course the lighting at Broome County Arena is slightly better than most local HS gyms...I'm out the door at 6:30...later
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
sayre towanda girls
Great game in the teepee tonight between the Sayre Redskins v the Towanda Black Knights. A thriller to the end. Sayre led most of game but Towanda clawed back in the last few minutes to go ahead only to have the fleeting lead wiped away by Sayre's Robinson. Sayre won the game 36-34 right down to the buzzer for the Black Knights. Def. a nail biter. Sayre remains undefeated. Shot with both the 40D and the MK IIN tonight with different lenses. No flash though. Waiting for tomorrow to shoot wrestling with my home-made gadget in the same venue. Congrats to the Sayre girls, and THANKS to Pete for letting rest my hind quarters on the nice table. Til tomorrow....peace and good night !!
I saved money....Yippee
So, I am going to shoot some high school wrestling this week. I was looking at camera/flash brackets online and found most of what i wanted were between 85-145 bucks. i wanted the bracket that attaches to bottom of my camera and L's off to either side where I can attach my speedlite off cam. to the right or left and slightly above. So off to the local hardware store I went. I purchased 2-L brackets with holes already drilled, 2 small bolts and wingnuts to attach brackets to each other and 2-key bolts (they look like little keys) that I can attach the camera and flash to the bracket with. TADA...$10 flash bracket...the only drawback is it is metal and a little heavy. but that's what I go to the gym for anyway....I hope to use it tomorrow night at the wrestling match for some cool off cam. lighting. I will post some pics after. the small things get me so excited !!!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
millstone roots
I took off a little early today in my old 2 wheel rear drive minivan out to the "no winter maintenance" roads of bradford/sullivan county in search of something creative. I went up Millstone and Overton roads and I trekked in my boots and jeans up and down some frozen, well sort of, creek beds (only stepped through the ice once) looking for some unique shots. Most of the water was not flowing enough to get some cool slow running shots. So I opted for a few others. I figured.....what the hell.....all schools were closed today so no shooting sports tonight. I got home and built a cool off camera flash bracket in hopes to use this Thursday for Sayre wrestling. Stay tuned. Later.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Barclay/LaQuin
barclay laquin on facebook
Saturday, January 15, 2011
HDR
I spent some of today revamping some things. I listened to some Beatles while editing some basketball shots, since for some reason I have been on a major Beatles kick. I also decided to add an HDR link to my blog. The artist in me loves this techinque and all the possibilities that HDR photography and tone mapping offers. Don't get me wrong, I still love the composition, exposure, lighting and effects that you can do with single image photography, but this HDR stuff really appeals to my artistic side. So thanks again to my friend Andy who got me started with this. I know I have a lot more to learn and challenges lie ahead but that is why I am grateful to still have the opportunity to get out and learn as well as teach. This fooball image attached to this post is processed and tone mapped from a single exposure. So, technically not true HDR i suppose, however, I thought the result turned out ok.
Friday, January 14, 2011
not bad...no flash
Went out to NEB to shoot NEB v Troy. I forgot just how small a gym it was with hardly any room to shoot behind the basket. Was pretty pleased at the lighting though as I was able to click off at f/2 1/640. Had to adjust some WB a little as it was quite warm. I almost stopped and grabbed a nighttime HDR image of one of the gas rigs. Maybe next time. Hope to shoot some ECHL Hockey this weekend at First Arena.
from the vault 13
Not much last night. Had the night off from shooting so I took the fam. out for sushi and Chinese...well, im the only one that goes for the sushi...Love It !!!! I had a chance to look through my leather bound 365 photo album/coffee table books that recently arrived. I am very happy with them. They make nice conversation starters sittin on my antique trunk. My only photo thing for the day was my entry in the "from the vault" album "green #1 from Dick's Open last summer"...Not as challenging as the 365 project, but I am having a blast reminiscing throught my archives....Off to NEB for boys basketball tonight...I'll take my flash just in case
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Sayre vs.Wyalusing
Over to Sayre High School tonight to shoot the Sayre Wyalusing boys basketball showdown. Sayre led at the half and eventually pulled out the win by 8 with a score of 64-56 over Wyalusing. Better shooting tonight and needless to say the lighting is much better in this venue than most local gyms. Props to SASD and the athletic dept. for the new lights. The crowd was pretty lame and I was quite disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm by the student body. During the singing of the alma mater I was lost for a moment thinking I might be at a funeral. Alas, the boys pulled out a tough win against Wyalusing. I was able to shoot at f/2 1/640 ISO 1600 for most of the game. No flash thanks. Off to NEB Friday.To flash or not to flash.....
Man, I remember just last year I was shooting in the Athens HS gym at like f/2.2-2.8 and 1/640 ISO 1250 and getting nice shots. Last night without flash all i could muster was f/1.8 1/320 at ISO 1600. Have the lights gone out at Athens or what ? The bulbs have def. lost power over the last year. I HATE flash for sports but some times it is what it is...I thought Waverly HS gym was atrocious for their lighting. The Athens gym may be right up there with them, however, Athens is decieving because it is so brightly painted and open. I was able to bounce flash off the ceiling however at 1/2 power to try and reduce the ugly effects and red eye so common with direct on flash. The WB is another story as well. I love a challenge..If anyone has tips or techniques on using flash in HS gyms...please share. I typically use my 85mm 1.8 lens for indoor basketball or volleyball. Thank God I am shooting Sayre at home tonight with their nice new bright lights.Tuesday, January 11, 2011
361/365 and a rant of sorts
This shot of an old run down farm house was number 361 of my 365 project last year. I want to thank my friend Andy W. for giving me some basic instruction on HDR photography. I hope to continue to improve my skills in the area of HDR and overall photogaphy skills in general over the next year and more.
What started out as a part time freelance gig 6 years ago with the local sports newspaper has become a great outlet for my creativity and has grown into quiet a passion. My creative outlets over the years have included pen and ink drawing, playing guitar in numerous bands and recording, working with adolescents in therapy using "outside the box" interventions, home interior on a personal level...i love moving things around.
But this, by far, has been one of the most rewarding outlets for me for many reasons. I get to enjoy solitude and just going out into the field alone where nobody can bother me, I don't have to deal with others opinions or input like the band years, I can create a nice piece of art that doesnt take weeks like the pen and ink drawing did, I can gain access to see many cool events and sports, I can make some extra pocket change which is very cool too, and it is something I can pass along to others including my own kids who seem to have a creative flair as well. I enjoy helping others create and share memories of their lifetime as well.
What started out as a part time freelance gig 6 years ago with the local sports newspaper has become a great outlet for my creativity and has grown into quiet a passion. My creative outlets over the years have included pen and ink drawing, playing guitar in numerous bands and recording, working with adolescents in therapy using "outside the box" interventions, home interior on a personal level...i love moving things around.
But this, by far, has been one of the most rewarding outlets for me for many reasons. I get to enjoy solitude and just going out into the field alone where nobody can bother me, I don't have to deal with others opinions or input like the band years, I can create a nice piece of art that doesnt take weeks like the pen and ink drawing did, I can gain access to see many cool events and sports, I can make some extra pocket change which is very cool too, and it is something I can pass along to others including my own kids who seem to have a creative flair as well. I enjoy helping others create and share memories of their lifetime as well.
Favorite basketball shot of the week
This weeks events
This week I have 3 events. Off to shoot Athens girls basketball tonight, Sayre boys tomorrow and NEB boys on Friday. Basketball has been my favorite thing to shoot in the realm of the sporting world followed by hockey I think. Both are challenging and action packed. I am still trying to figure out how to add slideshow of my galleries on here but for now here is a link to the BU Cornell mens basketball game I shot last month.http://www.flickr.com/photos/lquattrini/sets/72157625500702825/
Monday, January 10, 2011
NEW STARTS
I thought with the new year, I would try new things.....So, here is my first attempt at a blog about Mach III. I hope to pick up biz. this year with new adventures, venues and jobs. excited about working in conjunction with sentiments sports. So to make this short, just seeing how this works.
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