Shooting for file

It's much less physically demanding to sit and blog than to exercise off some of my rapidly expanding fat rump. Guess what I'll do this morning. :-)

Lots of stuff today. I'll break it up into bite-sized morsels.


Mark M. Hancock / © The Dallas Morning News

Dallas Stars' center Mike Modano waits for the puck to drop during a NHL hockey game against Calgary at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Wednesday, October 29, 2003.

Let's talk hockey. The Stars won. I didn't have an evening shoot, so I shot the game for file. To shoot "for file" means to shoot images which might get used in the future, but aren't for deadline.

The game was assigned to Michael Ainsworth because he rocks. He got to suffer all the paranoia involved with shooting pro sports on deadline (I laugh knowingly). Meanwhile I got to take all the chances because if my images suck -- no problem.

The flip side is that if his camera dies, I'd suddenly be the one on deadline (and he would laugh knowingly).

I shot the first two periods and went back to the office. I put in five images for file. I put the one below onto my most recent page on the DMN site.


Mark M. Hancock / © The Dallas Morning News
Dallas Stars' Aaron Downey (No. 47, right) and Calgary's Krzysztof Oliwa (No. 33, left) fight during a NHL hockey game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Wednesday, October 29, 2003.

I rarely know the final score of the games I cover until long after the game is over. When I left the game it looked like Dallas was sure to lose, but they beat Calgary in overtime while I was working in the scanning room. Whodathunk.

Before I close out this entry, I must say I love to shoot at the American Airlines Center. They have great light. It has at least two full stops more light than Reunion Arena (which is still better than most other local gyms and arenas).

Enough for now,