August 17, 2007 - Sean Akita, owner of the store Mechahawaii in Kaimuki, holds a Zegapain character in his store. Exposure details: Canon EOS 20D, EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 (at 10mm), Manual, 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400, Daylight balance

These pictures go way back to August (I can’t write about anything that hasn’t been printed yet, and these pictures came out this week in our progress edition). The assignment was to shoot the owners of two toy stores in Kaimuki. I figured I’d do simple environmental portrait deals.

I decided to keep things as simple as possible, so I left the umbrellas and light stands behind, and went in to see what I could do with what I had.

The first store was Mechahawaii, which is filled to the gills with various Japanese toys and models. I looked around for a place that would show as much of what the store had, and found a corner lined with models. Sorry, I didn’t shoot a photo of the set-up, but it was essentially two Canon 580 EX speedlights with Stofen Omni Bounce units on them places on the shelves on either side of him. I used the Omni Bounces since I wanted light scattered around the room to show everything behind him. The light behind to the right was about a stop or two brighter than the one to left, which adds a bit dimension to the subject, while providing enough light to show the background. I had him hold a character figure “for effect.”

After that shot was done, I moved to the other store, Urban Toys, which was in the same building.

August 17, 2007 - Owners of Urban Toys in Kaimuki, Kathy Bachelott, left holds a Kid Robot Smokey figure, and Scott Nonaka holds a Kid Robot Geisha Dunny figure in their store. Exposure details: Canon EOS 20D, EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 (at 10mm), Manual, 1/200 sec at f/5, ISO 400, Daylight balance

This store wasn’t quite as packed with stuff, and things were a little more spread out, so I figured I go with a wide view of the store with the owners in the foreground. One side of the store is just large windows, but the available light wasn’t all that great, so I decided to just light it up with my two Canon 580 EXs. Again, I wanted to light the whole room, so I stuck on the Omni Bounces. I was a little torn where to put them, though. While there was one convenient shelf to the left of the photo, there wasn’t anything on the right. So I stuck the strobe on the handle of a door to the side of me.

Strobe set-up. I stood a little off to the side of where my camera is on the floor.

The strobes were set at almost even power, if I recall correctly, but since they were a little closer to the strobe on the left (which was slightly behind them) that side is a little brighter and adds some depth. For the pose, I just had them grab a couple of toys they liked for that “holding a toy effect.” The only by-product of this “naked light” is harder shadows, and you can see shadows of the subjects thrown on the wall behind them (which didn’t thrill me too much…). I also could have used a third light in the far back to the right to light more of what was behind them.

The shoots were a good exercise in getting reasonable lighting using as little as possible to achieve it. I’m always looking to improve my work, and I learn more and more everytime I try different things.

September 22, 2007 - In the editing room at Aloha Stadium after the UH football game against Charleston Southern. Clockwise from left, Andrew Shimabuku, The Honolulu Advertiser, Ronen Zilberman, Associated Press, Marco Garcia, Getty Images, Jamm Aquino and George F. Lee, Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

The Bulletin sends three photographers to cover UH football games at Aloha Stadium. And that makes for a lot of pictures.

We have two edit sessions during a game, one at half-time, the other at the end of the game. And all that editing is done deep in the bowels of the stadium — in the Women’s Officials Locker room, of all places.

There are never any women officials during the UH games, so the stadium lets a bunch of surly photographers take over and sift through the photos in there. It’s always pleasant when we get in there a few hours before the game, but for some reason, it turns into a seedy locker room soon thereafter. I guess if you put a bunch of stressed-out guys who have been running all over the field with 50 pounds of equipment into a small room, things are bound to turn rank.

This is pretty much the party place, most of the local photogs join in, and sometimes visiting photogs from the mainland are subjected to whatever goes on. It is a handy place, though, since we can lock the door, allowing us to keep our computers running while we’re on the field, so when we get back we can get our photos out as soon as possible.

We used to transmit using telephone lines right from the room, but now that we all use cell-cards, we have to run outside to transmit our photos since the room is nearly devoid of a useable cell phone signal. Maybe someday we can get a wi-fi set up in there. Then we’d probably never leave.

September 14, 2007 - Kamehameha’s Popo Walker is brought down by Punahou defenders Siu Tafuna (7), Nick Kido (2), and J.J. Autele (99) in the first half at Aloha Stadium. Exposure details: Canon EOS 1-D Mark II, EF 400mm f2.8, Manual, 1/500 sec at f/2.8, ISO 3200, Fluorescent balance

Working for a newspaper can be a lot of fun, since everyday is different. A new day, and there are new things to shoot. And lots of sports. Which I love to shoot for the same reason. Sure, it’s football again, but every game is different, and the action is always different, too.

There was some good action to be had at the Kamehameha/Punahou football game at Aloha Stadium Friday night. The players were really going at it, and the guys were taking some hits. When I saw the play above, all I could think was, “whoa, that’s gotta hurt.”

**EDIT** Got an e-mail regarding Popo Walker. Turns out he suffered a concussion on the play. I hope he’s doing okay.**

September 14, 2007 - Punahou’s Kameron Steinhoff can’t get a handle on the pass ahead of Kamehameha’s Chaz Bajet in the first half at Aloha Stadium. Exposure details: Canon EOS 1-D Mark II, EF 400mm f2.8, Manual, 1/500 sec at f/2.8, ISO 3200, Fluorescent balance

I love those “right-on-the-fingertip” catch photos. So when I saw the Punahou QB air out the ball in my direction, I immediately started getting my hopes up. The receiver was headed straight to me, and I started tracking him. Plus there was a defender right on him… added drama. And yeah, it was on the fingertips, alright… but just out of reach. Oh well… there’s always the next game, right?

The next day, I was pegged for the mixed martial arts affair at the Blaisdell. Love shooting the fights, but hate it when they’re in a cage. Last time I shot a cage match, I was right up against it, so I could shoot right through it no problem. But when I arrived at the venue this time, I was, to put it lightly, not thrilled to see we were a few feet back.

Ringside before the MMA fights. Far, far away from the cage…

So I bellied up to the edge of the catwalk thing surrounding the cage, and found that my autofocus was useless - dazed and confused by the fence. Now it was time to rely on the old-school “manual focus” technique (cue sinister music here).

Hrmph.

Luckily there were a number of undercards and other fights before the good stuff, so I could get a feel for the action (read: uh, practice).

September 15, 2007 - Robbie Lawler, left, gets some hits in on Murilo Rua during the EliteXC Middleweight Title Match at Blaisdell Arena. Exposure details: Canon EOS 1-D Mark II, EF 70-200mm (at 110mm) f2.8, Manual, 1/640 sec at f/2.8, ISO 1250, Tungsten balance

By the time the Lawler main event came around things seemed okay. Bodily fluids from the ring were minimal (aside from some guy who spit water all over us… “gross” is a kind way of describing it).

And I was able to make my photos, although some were a bit (ahem) softer than I’d like.

September 15, 2007 - Robbie Lawler, left, goes in for a kick on Murilo Rua during the EliteXC Middleweight Title Match at Blaisdell Arena. Exposure details: Canon EOS 1-D Mark II, EF 70-200mm (at 70mm) f2.8, Manual, 1/640 sec at f/2.8, ISO 1250, Tungsten balance

September 13, 2007 - The Air Force Thunderbirds flew over Honolulu during a practice run for Saturday’s show. Exposure details: Canon EOS 20D, EF 300mm f2.8, Manual, 1/3200 sec at f/8, ISO 800, Daylight balance

Sorry, been on vacation, thus a lapse in bloggage… But I’m back, and refreshed. A new man, if you will…

Word on the street was, that the Air Force Thunderbirds were in town.

I was working in the office at Restaurant Row yesterday, and went down to the street for a relaxing smoke break. It was right around 9:30 a.m., and suddenly jets came out of nowhere, screaming like so many banshees over Honolulu.

Ahhh yes… the Thunderbirds.

I figured they’d just be hanging out over Waikiki, but apparently flight paths were drawn over the city. Well, this is fun, I thought, as I watched the jets zip over buildings.

Then I got to thinking… “Well, there’s another practice run at 2:30, I should probably come down here to the street again and try to get some pictures…”

I liked the idea that they were flying over the city, which would give me a chance to try and put the planes in some kind of context, rather than the stock “planes against blue sky” shots.

So I grabbed the 300mm and stuck it on my 20D and went downstairs to the sidewalk. I had noticed earlier that they flew over the Keola La’i building up the street, and thought that would be a neat shot.

September 13, 2007 - The Air Force Thunderbirds flew past a construction crane at the Keola La’i building under construction on South Street. They were doing a practice run for Saturday’s show. Exposure details: Canon EOS 20D, EF 300mm f2.8, Manual, 1/3200 sec at f/8, ISO 800, Daylight balance

Of course, I looked like a weirdo standing on the street with a big lens aiming at the sky. People walked by, looking at me, my camera, then the sky, then back at me, and kept walking, scratching their head. But then again, I’m used to this, since I routinely stand around with a camera waiting for a shot, looking like a complete nut-case.

But I digress…

Since I’d be shooting between buildings, I really wouldn’t have time to track the planes as they apporoached. I figured I’d have have to be quick to get the planes framed and get a few pictures before they disappeared behind more buildings and trees.

I wanted a relatively high shutter speed to stop any blur of the planes, and a fair amount of depth of field since I was hoping to get both buildings and planes in the shot, so I set my camera to 1/3200 at f8, which needed an ISO of 800.

Soon there was a roar, and planes appeared from behind Waterfront Towers. I was hand-holding the 300 and got the planes in the viewfinder and shot as they went across the sky. They flew behind some palms, which was nice to get some “sense of place.”

I was still hoping for something with the Keola La’i building, maybe the crane, and kept shooting whenever they came through. Finally, they came by at the right angle, and I was able to get the planes as they flew past the crane.

September 01, 2007 - The University of Hawaii Warrior football team takes the field before the start of the game against Northern Colorado at Aloha Stadium. Exposure details: Canon EOS 20D, EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-5.6, Aperture priority, 1/100 sec at f/11, ISO 800, Auto white balance

In case you missed the hype, UH football started again at Aloha Stadium this past Saturday.

Since it was the first game of the season, I thought I’d try to get a “players running on the field” shot. I wanted to get a little higher angle, with the smoke and stadium all around… something a little different than the same old field-level deal.

So I decided to try out the “camera on a stick” technique. I put my 20D with the 10-22mm on my monopod, and shot that way. It gives me the height and maneuverability to move around and adjust angles on the fly. I attached Pocket Wizard remote receiver to the camera, and triggered the camera with another Pocket Wizard transmitter which I held in my hand.

Me holding the pole-cam as the players took the field. I’m holding the trigger for the remote in my right hand. Star-Bulletin photo by Jamm Aquino.

I took some test shots prior to everything starting so I could gauge the angle I needed to hold the camera to get players and stadium in the same shot. Once I had that down, it was just a matter of waiting for them to take the field.

I’m not sure I really like the results, but pole cam was nice to have. I did like the results from the pre-game haka, as well as some other pre-game stuff. I already have some other ideas on what I can do with the “camera on a stick” and will be trying them out in the coming weeks. Photo involves a lot of trial and error, and sometimes you’ll end up with a total bust, or some wild stuff. Don’t be afraid to get out and try seemingly weird ideas. I’m sure people in the stands were looking at me thinking “whoa, what’s that guy on?”

September 01, 2007 - Hawaii’s Gerard Lewis holds up the fumbled ball he recovered from Northern Colorado’s David Woods in the first quarter at Aloha Stadium. Behind is Karl Noa, and at left is Fale Laeli. Exposure details: Canon EOS-1D Mark II, EF 600mm f4, Manual, 1/1000 sec at f/4, ISO 1250, Auto white setting

We’re always looking to get peak action pictures, but many times, an even better picture is the celebration shot after a big play. It’s nice to see emotion from the players, and so I keep my eyes peeled after plays to see what I can find.

September 01, 2007 - Hawaii QB Colt Brennan throws against Northern Colorado in the second quarter at Aloha Stadium. Exposure details: Canon EOS-1D Mark II, EF 600mm f4, Manual, 1/640 sec at f/4, ISO 3200, Fluorescent setting

And yeah, Colt is the big thing this year. So I’ve been stocking up on the Colt shots. We can never have enough of them. It was nice to see, however, the other QBs getting some play time, too. Good time to get stock pix of them, too.