2017-11-11 The Luck of the Puck

Sometimes being in the right place at the right time isn't enough. Sometimes 12 frames per second isn't enough. Sometimes great light isn't enough, and sometimes great action, even paired added to all the other things listed here isn't enough. The luck of the puck is what's needed in hockey. For many hockey pictures I want the puck in the picture. It informs the viewer what going on with the players. It shows how a play is moving, or gives excitement to the moment. The problem comes when you consider the size and color of that little black piece of vulcanized rubber. It can get lost easily in a photo. If it's in the right place but there's a black pad or glove behind it, then it doesn't catch your eye. Every now and then, all the factors mentioned earlier, and the luck of the puck align for a fraction of a moment, and the shutter happens to fall at the precise moment and magic happens...

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 11: Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk (40) makes the save against Philadelphia Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds (17) during the NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and the Philadelphia Flyers on November 11, 2017 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia PA. (Photo by Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire)

Nikon D4 Sigma 35mm f/1.4 @ 1/1600 sec f/4 ISO 1000

Rubbing elbows with the Philadelphia Flyers

I was warned, let me state that up front… I was warned repeatedly before the game to pay attention to my surroundings at all times when photographing professional hockey. During the first period I was assigned a location at ice level. What this means, is that I would be photographing the first section of the game on my knees at the end of the stairs that terminate at the boards that separate the athletes from the spectators. There is a small hole, about 3x4 inch, cut through the plexiglass barrier which credentialed photographers can use to take pictures. The advantage of this is not having countless reflections in your photograph, along with many autofocus problems. The rather exciting “keep you on your toes” drawback, is that your camera can become part of the action. After a few body checks rattled my cramped position, I spent a few precious seconds visually comparing the size of a puck, to the size of the hole directly in front of my face. The conclusion I reached wasn’t in my favor, but I soldiered on.
My position was roughly mid way between the visitor’s goal and the “Blue Line” and I was using predominantly a lens that zoomed from 70mm to 200mm. At 200mm my field of view was just a bit larger than the width of the goal. I was snapping away while Thomas Greiss, the goalie for the Phoenix Coyotes, was protecting his net with admirable speed and agility. I never saw it coming. One of the Flyers players, being chased by a Coyote, bumped my perch, elbowing my lens on the way by. Needless to say, I quickly withdrew a few inches, checked my nose for blood, made sure my eye was still functioning, and resumed my assignment, albeit with a bit more paranoia. It was a fun filled evening and I look forward to returning soon