Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Long time no read
Whoa, I guess I haven't written to the blog in some time. Same story, different week. I have been so busy at work, the blog has taken a back seat, unfortunately. I've been writing like a mad man for the newspaper. In fact, on Sunday alone I wrote three stories, copy edited and rewrote material written by a co-worker, helped make up a schedule of must-see games and toned a bunch of photos for my stories. It's been rough to say the least, but I've made some decent pictures. 
The weeks have been full of football and volleyball. I generally cover a volleyball game or two during the week then up to four football games on the weekend. Last week, I shot volleyball on Wednesday, the Colts vs. Saints on Thursday, high school football on Friday and Saint Francis football on Saturday. There was even talk of picking up another game on Sunday, but the Bears were in San Diego. It's a good thing I love football. I'm hoping to cover a Colts road game or two. I thought I would like to go out to San Diego in November, but after the Chargers got blasted by New England, I'm not sure the game would be all that good. I can guarantee one thing, though, the light and weather in SoCal in November is incredible. It would be fun to go just for that reason.
These last two photos were shot in SoCal last November. I had a great time out there and would definitely go back. The thing about Southern California is that its a good place to visit, but it's good to get back home to Indiana.
The next couple of weeks will be long. Not only will I be incredibly busy, but in two weeks I'm heading with my family for a much-needed vacation in South Carolina. I'm definitely looking forward to that.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Glad to be home
It was a long weekend covering the race then heading off to the Indianapolis Colts' training camp. Considering it's late and I am all tapped out from writing, I'm just posting a couple of pics from the Colts' camp. Check out Reggie Hayes' stories about training camp and my photos at The News-Sentinel.com.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Stewart wins No.2
Check out The News-Sentinel and it's new community photo sharing site CU for more pics and coverage from race day at the Brickyard.
Clearing up Confusion
This is an example of what a reporter with a camera might carry while walking about covering an event such as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
This, however, is what I carry for six to eight hours while walking around a two-and-a-half mile racetrack in 80-90 degree heat looking for different angles to cover an event such as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. I'm the size of a small NFL lineman, so that's not exactly a walk in the park.
***Note: everything pictured in this photo, except for the 400mm f/2.8 lens (I hope to have one soon) is 100% bought and paid for by ME.
After the race is all done, and I've run up and down pit road with this gear trying to get celebration photos of the winner so that I don't get outdone by the Associated Press, I go back to the media center and drink a few bottles of water because I've usually sweat out all the fluids in my body. Then I sit down and edit through more than 1000 images to get to the 10 or so I will submit to the paper. Next, I tone all of the select photos to make sure the color and size is correct. After that, I write captions for the images and finally transmit them back to The News-Sentinel.
Now my responsibilites include writing stories to go with the photos. **Note - not on race day; Reggie Hayes and Pete DiPrimio handle those duties.** I have to be knowledgable of the drivers' story lines and statistics. I have to think of questions that don't make me look more ignorant than I am to ask the drivers. I transcribe quotes to make sure I'm correct, that is if I was lucky enough to make it to the press conference in time. Thank goodness at events such as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard a lot of the quotes are tanscribed by track staff. But, if I'm not present I might not get the context of the conversation. Once this is all done, I write the story(s). That part takes me a lot more time than seasoned writers such as Hayes, DiPrimio, and Blake Sebring. Those guys can bang out a story. Finally, I read through the story to make sure it makes sense then send it off to The News-Sentinel.
This year I tried my hand at shooting video to go with the still photos, but with my other duties I just didn't have time to edit and process the raw footage.
I suppose that just about covers what I do in one day at the track.
Oh, then I get to hike with all that gear about a quarter mile or more out to my car in the media parking lot. Follow that up with a dinner stop and 2-hour drive ... if I'm going home.
Stats: 2 full-size digital SLR cameras (sometimes 3)
400mm f2.8 lens
300mm f2.8 lens
70-200mm f2.8 lens
16-35mm f2.8 lens
50mm f1.4 lens
1.4x teleconverter
Flash
Monopod
waist pack
Extra batteries and chargers
Flash cards
Audio recorder w/external microphone
Computer bag with laptop
point and shoot digital camera for web-sized video
a lot of other miscellaneous crap I probably don't really need
Total weight: around 40-65 pounds of gear
Total miles walked during one day: upwards of 5
Total hours: 14-20 depending on the day
Total meals: 2
Total restroom visits: 1 at the track and 1 at dinner
Amount of perceived appreciation for what it takes to cover a race such as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard: negligible
This, however, is what I carry for six to eight hours while walking around a two-and-a-half mile racetrack in 80-90 degree heat looking for different angles to cover an event such as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. I'm the size of a small NFL lineman, so that's not exactly a walk in the park.
***Note: everything pictured in this photo, except for the 400mm f/2.8 lens (I hope to have one soon) is 100% bought and paid for by ME.
After the race is all done, and I've run up and down pit road with this gear trying to get celebration photos of the winner so that I don't get outdone by the Associated Press, I go back to the media center and drink a few bottles of water because I've usually sweat out all the fluids in my body. Then I sit down and edit through more than 1000 images to get to the 10 or so I will submit to the paper. Next, I tone all of the select photos to make sure the color and size is correct. After that, I write captions for the images and finally transmit them back to The News-Sentinel.
Now my responsibilites include writing stories to go with the photos. **Note - not on race day; Reggie Hayes and Pete DiPrimio handle those duties.** I have to be knowledgable of the drivers' story lines and statistics. I have to think of questions that don't make me look more ignorant than I am to ask the drivers. I transcribe quotes to make sure I'm correct, that is if I was lucky enough to make it to the press conference in time. Thank goodness at events such as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard a lot of the quotes are tanscribed by track staff. But, if I'm not present I might not get the context of the conversation. Once this is all done, I write the story(s). That part takes me a lot more time than seasoned writers such as Hayes, DiPrimio, and Blake Sebring. Those guys can bang out a story. Finally, I read through the story to make sure it makes sense then send it off to The News-Sentinel.
This year I tried my hand at shooting video to go with the still photos, but with my other duties I just didn't have time to edit and process the raw footage.
I suppose that just about covers what I do in one day at the track.
Oh, then I get to hike with all that gear about a quarter mile or more out to my car in the media parking lot. Follow that up with a dinner stop and 2-hour drive ... if I'm going home.
Stats: 2 full-size digital SLR cameras (sometimes 3)
400mm f2.8 lens
300mm f2.8 lens
70-200mm f2.8 lens
16-35mm f2.8 lens
50mm f1.4 lens
1.4x teleconverter
Flash
Monopod
waist pack
Extra batteries and chargers
Flash cards
Audio recorder w/external microphone
Computer bag with laptop
point and shoot digital camera for web-sized video
a lot of other miscellaneous crap I probably don't really need
Total weight: around 40-65 pounds of gear
Total miles walked during one day: upwards of 5
Total hours: 14-20 depending on the day
Total meals: 2
Total restroom visits: 1 at the track and 1 at dinner
Amount of perceived appreciation for what it takes to cover a race such as the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard: negligible
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Sorenson captures Brickyard Pole
Indianapolis
News-Sentinel photos and story by Chad Ryan
Reed Sorenson captured his first Nextel Cup Series pole position on Saturdya to become the youngest driver to win the pole for a major race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. NASCAR rookie Juan Pablo Montoya will join him on the front row as the Chip Ganassi Racing teammates claimed the top two spots for Sunday’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Nextel Cup Series race.
Running second in the qualifying order, Sorenson posted the fast lap of 184.207 mph that held up as 47 other drivers tried to knock him off the top spot.
“This is a great place to get our first pole,” Sorenson said. “I’m pretty excited. I know it means a lot to Chip (Ganassi) and for everybody involved, and hopefully we can stay up there all day (Sunday). I think we’ve got a pretty good racecar.”
With David Stremme’s qualifying position, Ganassi placed his whole team in the top 12 spots.
“We showed up here today, and all our cars were quick,” Ganassi said. “We were working as a team, and it paid off.”
Rounding out the top five spots, Ryan Newman qualified third, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., took the fourth spot and Kasey Kahne drove into fifth. Earnhardt took the track first in the qualifying order and ran a lap speed of 183.419 mph. He had been running in the top five all day during practice, and fast lap during practice would’ve put him in the second position.
Other notables were Mark Martin at No. 13 and Tony Stewart at 14. Last year’s race winner, Jimmie Johnson qualified at 19 and Jeff Gordon came in 21st.
The 14th running of the Allstate 400 is set to start at 2:00 p.m. Sunday and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
For more race coverage go to News-Sentinel.com and the new community photo sharing site CU
Juan Pablo Montoya, left, talks to J.J. Yeley on pit road during qualifications on Saturday for the 14th running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
Tony Stewart story for Saturday
Indianapolis News-Sentinel photos and story by Chad Ryan
Winning relieves pressure. Few people understand that better than Tony Stewart. When the second half of the NASCAR season kicks off Sunday in Indianapolis, Stewart won’t be feeling the pressure.
Winning two weeks ago in Chicago, Stewart snapped a 20-race winless streak. After his first win of the season and a week away from racing, he says now is a good time to start having fun. Stewart looks to continue the party at his favorite race in the Nextel Cup Series: the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
“If you have to have a streak when you don’t win and then you get your first win, and it’s about a week before you come (to Indy), that’s the week to do it,” Stewart says. “If you get a good package here, it’s a good package for other racetracks we have to run in that 10-week stretch that get you to the end. So, if you run good here, you got a good shot of doing well the rest of the time.”
Statistics say drivers who win in Indianapolis have better than just a good shot of doing well through the rest of the season. Six of the 12 Brickyard winners, including Stewart in 2005, went on to win the Series championship. Stewart dismisses that fact as a “neat stat.”
“We still race them one race at a time, so anything can happen,” Stewart says. “If you’re a betting person, you always bet on the odds, but there’s no guarantees. I’d rather bet on a guarantee.”
It took seven tries for Stewart to win at Indy. Stewart considers the Brickyard his home track having grown up minutes from the speedway and making the annual trek to watch the Indy 500 with his father.
“It’s my home race, obviously,” Stewart says. Growing up in Indiana and every year watching the Indy 500 and the whole month of May leading up to it, a race at the Brickyard is more than just a regular points race. It’s always been a big race to all of the Cup drivers, but then when you grow up in Indiana, it just makes it that much more important.”
The betting person can be guaranteed one thing: Stewart wants to win it again. He says he now knows what it takes to make it happen.
“Definitely last year, the race level wasn’t as intense,” Stewart says. “It wasn’t that we weren’t trying to win, it’s that now, you go out with no pressure on you. Now you can just go out and focus on and have the knowledge of what you got there before. You know what it takes to win, and that’s half the battle.”
One feature of the track at Indy that makes it difficult for NASCAR drivers is the flatter, non-banked turns that are separated by straight-aways, giving the track four 90-degree turns instead of two 180-degree turns. Stock cars don’t have as much down force as Indy cars do, forcing drivers to work the brakes harder in the turns. It is especially important that stock cars are handled correctly in the first and third turns. The front and back stretches are long compared to other tracks, allowing the drivers to push the speed.
“I think the biggest thing is the way we ran at Chicago,” Stewart says. “The package is pretty good. It’s not the same setup, obviously, but the approach is the same.”
Right now Stewart’s approach is to stay relaxed during this stretch of the season.
“Every day, I wake up, I’m pretty happy, so everyday is just a new day, Stewart says. “It’s not about, really, stretches, you just go out and do what you do, and we’re having fun as a race team, being able to do what we do. I’m having fun as a driver …”
For more race coverage go to News-Sentinel.com and the new community photo sharing site CU
Foggy start
It's quite a foggy start to the day here at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Practice is set to begin at 8:00 a.m., but crews are working to dry the track. I'm sure the practice will be pushed back, but no announcements have been made yet about when that might be.
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