View 315: Lookout Studio

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Scott Thomas Photography

The Lookout Studio was established as a photography studio in 1914.  Fitting the studio was the first location I visited on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon last fall.  Today, it is a gift shop full of Grand Canyon National Park souvenirs of all kinds including photos.

The entrance to the Lookout Studio Gift Shop along the South Rim within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.

The entrance to the Lookout Studio Gift Shop along the South Rim within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, f/16, ISO 200, EV -0.3, 32mm focal length, HDR Image.

The Lookout Studio is literally built on the side of the Grand Canyon.  It was designed by architect Mary Colter and employs her signature rustic style of using jagged native rocks to imitate indigenous structures of the region and to blend in with the environment. It is constructed of three levels with a main level housing a shop you see above and an enclosed viewing area, a lower viewing platform and a small enclosed observation tower.

The view from the Lower Terrace of the Lookout Studio in Grand Canyon National Park

The view from the Lower Terrace of the Lookout Studio in Grand Canyon National Park.
Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/125s, f/16, ISO 200, EV -0.3, 32mm focal length.

The view is still breathtaking 100 year later.

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View 314: He Scores!

Posted on January 20, 2014 by Scott Thomas Photography

Whenever a player in a hockey game nets a goal, if the game is being announced over radio or television, the sports announcer will say, “He Scores!“.  As a sports photographer, if I can not get the score, I get the celebration.

Ice Hockey Goal Celebrations.

See Text below for Photo Captions

This past week, I photographed several ice hockey goal celebrations.  Ignoring the red team in the top middle for now, the other ones are from the two Syracuse Crunch games I photographed.

Top left, Brett Connolly (28) raises his stick in celebration of his second goal against the Binghamton Senators.

Bottom left, Brett Connolly (28) celebrates his first goal against the Binghamton Senators with teammates Tanner Richard (71) and Dana Tyrell (42).

Bottom middle, Jon DiSalvatore (41) celebrates his goal against the Hershey Bears with teammate Tanner Richard (71).

Bottom right, Brett Connolly (28) raises his stick in celebration after scoring his third goal against the Binghamton Senators.  Scoring three goals in one game is called a Hat Trick.  After this goal, fans littered the ice with hats. A hockey tradition.

Top right, Mike Angelidis (10) yells in celebration of his goal against the Hershey Bears.

Retuning back to the top middle photo. This was the most exciting one.  The Baldwinsville Bees and Syracuse Cougars had skated to a 0-0 tie after regulation. In high school hockey, they play a five minute overtime period.  If no one scores in overtime, the game ends in a tie.  With only nine seconds left on the clock, the Bees Garrett Gray (18) scored.  His team jumped over the bench to join him in the celebration.  The goalie Nick Harper (31), you see joining them a little late, had kept the Bees in the game with 49 saves.

It’s fun to celebrate life’s accomplishments.  What do you raise your arms in celebration for?

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View 313: Ice Bird

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Scott Thomas Photography

On a very un-winter like day, I visited the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York and received free admission with my Zoo Photo Contest coupon. With temperatures reaching the mid-fifties, there was little to no snow to use for backgrounds.  The duck pond still had lots of ice.  It is where I found this fella trying not to slip as he made his way to the open water.

A male Smew (Mergellus albellus) slipping on the ice at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.

A male Smew (Mergellus albellus) slipping on the ice at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.
Nikon D700/80-400VR, 1/400s, f/5.6, ISO 280, EV 0.6, 400mm focal length, cropped.

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View 312: Sin Bin

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Scott Thomas Photography

A little ice hockey terminology this week.  The penalty box is where players who are called for penalties serve the time and is often referred to as the Sin Bin.  They are located directly across the ice from each team’s player bench. Teams are short handed during the penalty as they must play a man short.  The other team gets a power play as they have the man advantage.

Syracuse Crunch Evan Rankin (11) serving a penalty in a game against the Binghamton Senators in American Hockey League (AHL) action at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, January 4, 2014.

Syracuse Crunch Evan Rankin (11) serving a penalty in a game against the Binghamton Senators in American Hockey League (AHL) action at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, January 4, 2014.
Nikon D700/Sigma 15mm, 1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 500, EV +0.3.

Last weekend I was given the opportunity to photograph from the sin bin during the third period of an American Hockey League (AHL) game in the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena as the Binghamton Senators hosted the Syracuse Crunch in an important Eastern Division game.  I got a very different view of the game from there as I could cover the action between the Blue Lines at ice level.

Views from the penalty box in the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, New York.

Views from the penalty box in the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton, New York. From top left: Binghamton Senators David Dziurzynski (22), Syracuse Crunch Brett Connolly (28), Syracuse Crunch Vladislav Namestnikov (90) and the Syracuse Crunch players react to a goal by their teammate tying the game late in the third period.

In between the two penalty boxes is the location of the off ice game officials.  They track game statistics, goal scoring information, control the game clock, access the video cameras located above each net for goal reviews and keep penalty time.

Binghamton Senators and AHL game officials keeping game statistics, time and video access to the overhead net cameras during a game with the Syracuse Crunch in American Hockey League (AHL) action at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, January 4, 2014.

Binghamton Senators and AHL game officials keeping game statistics, time and video access to the overhead net cameras during a game with the Syracuse Crunch in American Hockey League (AHL) action at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, January 4, 2014.
Nikon D700/Sigma 15mm, 1/125s, f/2.8, ISO 800, EV +0.3.

Unfortunately for the Syracuse Crunch, the time their players spent in the penalty box allowed the Binghamton Senators to score five of their six goals including the overtime game winner.

I would like to thank my host, JustSports Photography, in Binghamton for getting me access to shoot from the penalty box.

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View 311: Fishing in the Carrier Dome

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Scott Thomas Photography

The Carrier Dome on the Syracuse University campus is one of the most famous college sports venue in the United States.  It hosts the traditional outdoor sports American football, soccer (European football), track and field and lacrosse. In the winter, the Carrier Dome is converted to a basketball court for the top ranked SU Orange Men’s and Women’s programs.

I attended last weekend’s SU Men’s basketball game as the nationally ranked number 2 Orange hosted the number 8 Villanova Wildcats with my family.  Our seats were very high up and I thought I could get some good photos using the Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Fisheye Lens.

Halftime of the Syracuse University Orange and Villanova Wildcats NCAA Men's Basketball game at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, December 28, 2013.

Halftime of the Syracuse University Orange and Villanova Wildcats NCAA Men’s Basketball game at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, December 28, 2013. Nikon D700/Sigma 15mm, 1/125s, f/8, ISO 1600, EV 0.

The Carrier Dome for basketball only uses about half of the arena.  It still manages to hold large crowds in access of 34,000.  The attendance for the Villanova game was a little over 28,000 people.

SU got off to a slow start and was down by 18 points after the first 10 minutes of the game. They then went on a 20-0 run to take the lead and never gave it up ending up winning by the score of 78-62 to remain undefeated for the season.

Fans stand and cheer as time runs down at the end of the Syracuse University Orange Men's basketball team defeated the Villanova Wildcats, 78-62, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, December 28, 2013.

Fans stand and cheer as time runs down at the end of the Syracuse University Orange Men’s basketball team defeated the Villanova Wildcats, 78-62, at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York on Saturday, December 28, 2013.
Nikon D700/Sigma 15mm, 1/125s, f/5.6, ISO 1400, EV 0.

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