Teaming Up with the Cyclones
Last evening I went to the Saskatoon Field House to meet with the Cyclones wheelchair road and track racing team. What a nice bunch of people. I had already met a few of them in the past and one of them I know quite well. Angie has met a number of them through her work. It was really nice to have a chat, watch them practice and try to get them excited about some of the ideas I have for photographs for their team.
I am glad that I took the initiative to offer some photographic services to them. Whether it is making new friends, just providing a service for some people that would benefit from my photography or the motivation to get out somewhere new that might actually encourage exercise beyond weight lifting in front of this monitor, it was definitely a positive outing. There was nothing holding me back from shooting last evening but I did not bring any of my lighting gear and, to be perfectly honest, I could definitely use more practice shooting action. I can make all kinds of excuses about being disabled and having paralyzed hands but I don’t think they would be very good excuses so I will simply practice.
As much as I love flash photography I know that it does prevent me from practicing maneuvers such as panning and other techniques that require some physical skill. It is not that learning the lighting techniques that I have learned are not a skill but it is where I have chosen to focus my efforts and I do not regret that choice.
Since these people meet so frequently I am going to try to stop in as early as this coming Thursday evening, set up a small on location studio and get them to pop over for a couple of shots. As much as I can verbally describe to them what I have in mind, a good photograph will speak far more than a thousand words.
It appears to be exactly the opportunity that I was looking for and it is not that I was trying to be shy or lazy but I was not sure where to offer my efforts where they would be needed and appreciated. If you have or know of any not-for-profit or low-budget organizations that could benefit from some photographic services let me know or send them my way. As I have pictures worth posting I will definitely share them with you.
Tags: cyclones, field house, saskatoon, wheelchair racing