Shots from the 2009 Ancient City are up on the site.
I was delighted with my results from this show. A few near the end came out a bit overexposed, but that was caused by PEBCAC (Problem Exists Between Chair And Camera).
It’s a shame, though, that the competitor turnout was so low. Stupid recession…
Apropos nothing, isn’t Eos a nice theme? I wonder if I can hack it and port it over to Coppermine…
Shots from the 2009 Mid Florida Muscle Classic, held June 20 in Orlando, have started to make their way on to the site.
Yes, I’m still *very* busy. And if you feel like rating some of the shots, please feel free to do so.
:)
Update 1: 2009-07-09, 18:20: Another 50 shots up. No more tonight, possible a few early in the morning.
Update 2: 2009-07-12, 16:05: Another 75 shots up.
Update 3: 2009-07-12, 21:10: Another batch up. I’ve lost the count, will have to go back and check later that nothing’s missing.
Update 4: 2009-07-12, 23:00: Another smaller batch up.
Update 5: 2009-07-16, 23:58: Last batch up, just in time for the Ancient City day after tomorrow. Oyez.
Just found out that the Tampa show prejudging starts about 9 am and is scheduled to run past 2 pm.
I don’t really feel as though I have that much time to spare– I’d have to be up about 5:30 AM to get a good seat and I wouldn’t get home until 5 or so. I think I’m going to shoot Deke’s show in Orlando the following weekend instead, even though the lighting is better at the Tampa venue.
Shots from the 2009 Gateway Classic are up on the site.
Lighting wasn’t too bad, though I had to shoot at 1600 and the banners behind the competitors fouled up the white balance again. I also made a boneheaded mistake; I left the autofocus set to “all points” from my last use of the camera instead of a single point, so in several of the shots the autofocus was zeroing either the banner ads on stage (bad but salvageable) or the top of one of the judges’ heads (very very bad).
I really want to push myself so that even in rough lighting conditions I’m keeping more shots than I’m throwing away. I’m not there yet.
Anyway, enjoy. The next show I’m attending is late June, but I hope to have some updates before then. Why “hope”, you say? Well, if anyone didn’t know, I’m getting married (!) next week, which fact may limit the amount of attention I can give this for a month or so.
Shots from the 2009 Jacksonville Championships (a.k.a Jax Physique) are up on the site.
I’m not sure what it is about Jacksonville that all the venues seem to be dark pits, but I smelled trouble on the wind as soon as the front door attendant ushered me around to the side entrance. Turns out the main auditorium was in use by the Sunshine District of the Barbershop Harmony Society, and the bodybuilding was held in a smaller auditorium around the corner.
It’s been far too long since I’ve sung any barbershop. One day soon, perhaps… my voice is still in pretty good shape.
Anyway. I shot the show at 1600, which I don’t like to do, and ran a custom white balance as I couldn’t be sure whether the lights were tungsten, incandescent, or agitated fireflies. A usuable fraction came out all right, though, and though the show was probably the smallest I’ve ever attended, all went smoothly.
Ironically, due to the river and the ginormous mirrored buildings next to the Jacksonville Landing, the area outside was literally awash in light– a magnificently lit setting. I didn’t know anyone at the show well enough to suggest an outside shoot, though, and didn’t feel quite up to making a new connection– my mind was already elsewhere after the prejudging ended.
This is the first show I’ve been to this year, and so is the first in which I’ve encountered the “Bikini” class. There are several reasons that I have been and remain skeptical.
Oh, I could have a long theological discussion with the NPC officials about it, but they would just end up noting that it isn’t all about what I think, that the shows aren’t held for my personal benefit, and things would spiral downward from there. Who needs that bother? Not me.
;)
Seriously, though, enjoy the photos (and the short turnaround). There’s another one coming up in just a couple of weeks.
Shots from the 2008 All South in St Augustine, FL, have been added to the site. There are a couple hundred more to go but I’ve gotten the hang of the Coppermine process and should be able to finish in the next day or so.
Followup #1: Another 100 shots up. Only 111 to go, should be able to finish those tomorrow.
Followup #2: Only got 50 in tonight. 61 to go.
Followup #3 All shots up.
I’ve added the shows I plan to shoot in 2009 to the site. There are six, all close to home and well-lit venues.
“But,” I hear you cry, “what about the 2009 Nationals? In Hollywood, Florida?”
Probably I’ll go.
I wish that I had more time to devote to what has become a delightful but costly pastime. I expect next year to be better.