Breaking Barriers

World Record Attempt
Shaun Gordon and Kevin McMenamin
73 hours and 34 minutes

72 hours and 2 minutes. That was the time to beat. A full three days of non-stop pool playing to win a world record. Personally, I think it is nuts. I like my sleep, rather a lot in fact, and am not much of a pool player. But for those who are avid players and are willing to try, it is a daunting task. Three days of no sleep, no rest, no leniency. And now it is even longer.

It started on a Thursday morning, though the idea behind it likely started long before then. The idea itself probably started when the topic of the annual 24 hour pool challenge was brought up. Shaun and Kevin had both done the 24 hour a couple of times before. It was no longer challenging to them. They needed something better, something that would draw more attention to the club. What was the record? 72 hours? Pfft. They could totally beat that! And so they advertised and they prepared and they hired a photographer (who happened to be practically family) to cover the event. Sadly, the photographer was not prepared to stay up for the 72 hours with them. Not that it would have helped - being practically family meant that she couldn't witness for them anyway. But she was there at the beginning. Or at least, she was there at what was supposed to be the beginning.

I had half an hour - no more, no less. It was, after all, the busiest day of the month for the company, the day when all of the invoices are sent out and we are inundated with calls from clients who believe that they have been overcharged, undercharged or should not have been charged at all. Suddenly cancellations for services pour into the offices and, as the Accounts Manager, I kinda have to be there. But I had also been hired as the photographer, had promised that I would be there. I couldn't exactly let them down. And so, there I was, running out of the office at 8:40 in the morning to get some shots of the duo starting out on their journey to fame and (perhaps) fortune. But alas, 9am came and went and the record attempt hadn't even started.
"No worries," Shaun announced. "We'll start at 9:30."
He announced it in a carefree tone. It was up to them when they started, after all.
"What's half an hour compared to 72?" Kevin asked jokingly, not for the first time. And he was right. In the space of 72 hours, half an hour can either flash by or drag on endlessly depending on how long you have been awake.
Unfortunately, to me, half an hour was all I had, and I made my way back to work, disappointed with how things had started. I had grabbed a couple of photos nonetheless, the pre-record photos, the ones that showed four of them (two teams who were going to make the attempt) happy and smiling, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready to face the world. They were even practicing their shots. Hell, it might be 72 hours of playing, but that was no reason not to try!

I returned after 5 that evening, once work had calmed down a bit, and found the club house fuller than I had left it. There were people stopping in to support those participating and there was a bar running to supply them with fluids. Red Bull had sponsored the event and brought through two cases of the stuff, one sugared one and one sugar-free. Grant stopped by as well, wanting to support his brother as far as he could, and we brought along our takeaway dinner of sushi. Which, compared to their dinner of sponsored Scooters pizza, was helluva healthy. Shaun and Kevin were still in high spirits, almost 250 games in and trying hard to best each other with their shots. The other two were looking a little rough, but considering that they'd been playing non-stop, it was hardly surprising. I stuck around for dinner and a little after and then made my way home. It had been a long day and it was definitely time to rest up.

After work on Friday, I stopped by again only to find out that two of the guys had dropped out and it was just Shaun and Kevin left to break the record. Which was good in some ways - only one team could make it into the record book, and it meant that if Shaun and Kevin finished, they were going to be in it for sure. But it  also seemed pretty demotivating to me, as a spectator. No matter, the guys didn't take it to heart and were still going strong 36 hours in. Chairs were placed beside the table and they would sit down in between shots to save their strength or stand and stretch their legs by taking a brief walk outside in the minute or so that they had while the other was playing. They were tired, there was no doubt. But they were still going strong, still chatting and laughing and joking around, and it was certainly encouraging to see.

Saturday saw Grant and I up bright and early and stopping by to see how the boys were doing. Still going, but slightly less strong than before. With only 24 hours to go, some of the strength that had left them in the early hours of the morning was returning and they were still even being a little competitive, trying to win the games. People came and went regularly, but there was always someone milling about, playing a game of pool, having a drink or just spectating. The boys were starting to slip up a little, forgetting whether they were stripes or solids or forgetting whether they had the ball in hand, but they were still going strong and there was no more doubt as to whether they would make it.

And so, Sunday morning arrived. I set my alarm for 9am and was up and about, ready to go half an hour later. We made our way to the Purple Horse and found the boys there, still going, but only just. There was no more sitting down, not after Shaun had dozed off in between shots. The slip ups that had started the day before were only getting worse. Instead of hitting the white ball at the stripes or solids, they would sometimes get confused and hit the solids and stripes at the white ball. With every shot, they needed to be reminded of which ball they were aiming for, had to be reminded how many shots they had, how many they had taken and whether they could move the white. It was no surprise. It had been 72 hours. Most people struggle to stay awake that long, never mind staying awake and playing a game of pool! But, nonetheless, they had done it. At 10:02, they passed the record and celebrated with a quick hug in between shots. Breaking it was one thing, setting the new record another. A day before there had been talk of playing to sunset, perhaps even after dark. Now, they were considering giving up after a couple of hours. In the end, they pushed the mark by an extra hour and 34 minutes, and that was enough for them. Kevin could hardly stand, Shaun was almost as bad. And yet, it wasn't over! There was still the interview to do for the camera, the packing up and, finally, the trip to the sanatorium to make sure that their three days of non-sleep, Red Bull and Scooters hadn't affected them too badly. Kevin, after all, was seeing things and that was never a good sign.

After a quick check up, the boys were cleared and the record was set in stone. They had done it! 73 hours, 34 minutes of solid pool playing to be put into the record books. That's all it takes. Who's up for the challenge?

Bright and Bubbly

Mirabelle and Garth
Wedding day
Yellow Piano, Manley Flatts

I woke up on Saturday with a sense of anticipation. Also a sense of panicky nausea, but mostly anticipation. You see, it had come time for me to attend my second wedding as a photographer. For those of you who do not remember, the first was a minor disaster with my camera dying halfway through the reception and me feeling completely terrible about it for weeks thereafter. And yet, I had been given another chance. And this time, I was being paid for it. There could be no mistakes now!

It was the perfect day for a day wedding - blue skies graced us without a hint of cloud and the sun was shining brightly. The middle of the day is, of course, not ideal for photography, but I was prepared to make it work. I had visited the venue a week earlier to scope it out and find some ideal spots for pictures - the trees that provided a perfect frame for family photos, the hidden swing, the pool around back and the bougainvilleas all providing possibly perfect backdrops while the animals provided interest. I had also, once again, discovered that I would need to bring a flash for the indoor shots and managed to find one with time to spare. Everything was set.

As we arrived at the wedding venue, in convoy behind the bride and groom, the nerves started showing again. I hurried everyone out of my car and rushed to the back to grab my camera and equipment so that I could get the couple arriving, but I was late and found that a lot of the guests had cameras of their own, cameras that seemed to be of the same quality as my own and cameras that made me very nervous. Was I really the hired photographer? Was it a courtesy that the couple had shown me while hiring a real photographer on the side to actually take the wedding photos. But I tried not to let it get to me. Even if I was only a courtesy photographer, I was damn well going to take the best shots that I could! And soon the crowds started dispersing, the cameras with them, and I found myself feeling more confident and I looked down at my viewfinder to review the shots that were being taken and found that they were coming out just the way that I wanted them to. 

Before long, it was time for the ceremony and my scope out came in handy once again. I immediately made my way to the back of the room, away from the bride and groom, up a rickety staircase and onto a small balcony that overlooked the room. It was a risky move, deciding not to take the photos of the bride and groom up close, but it also meant that I was able to get shots of the whole room, was able to get further back than I would have managed otherwise, and with my telephoto lens I was still able to get great shots of the bride and groom swapping rings and saying their vows. It was a risk that paid off in some ways, allowing me to get photographs that I was really happy with, but it was also one that failed in others, the lighting of the room leading to grainier photos than I would have liked.

Once the ceremony was over, it was time for the family and guest shots. Like the first wedding that I photographed, the couple seemed to feel that the wedding was less about themselves and more about celebrating with their friends. This meant that they insisted on having photographs with all of the guests in attendance, an idea that I was particularly fond of. Even though the photographs were taken in the same position and area, every single one has a personal feel that shows the relationship between the couple and the guests. I found that these were some of my favourite photos taken on the day and few of them ended up being "rejected".

The official photos having been taken, it was time for the meal, and a big one at that. The first course arrived and it was assumed that this was the meal that was being provided. Everyone dug in happily to various salads, chicken, honeycomb and more, only to find out that these were only the starters and there was more on the way. With stomachs aching, it was time for a second course of mousakka, lentils, butternut, pumpkin, lamb and stew. Finally, the formalities ended with the cutting of the two different cakes and dessert being served.

 

With everyone filled to the brim, it was time for the relaxation to commence, and people made their way outside, where it was slightly cooler in the mid-afternoon sun than it was in the stone-walled building. The animals started to make an appearance, which everyone enjoyed, and everyone found spots to relax and take in the wonderful afternoon, whether it was under the shade of the trees or in the green house around the back. The bride and groom made their way around from group to group, chatting and just generally having a good time until I snuck them away for the last few couple photographs.

The swing, it turned out, was a perfect idea, showing off the couple having fun and not requiring too much posing. It was also perfect in that it was out of the harsh sunlight and hidden in amongst the trees, letting in perfectly dappled light. The pool was also a great place for the couple to cool off and just enjoy a few moments of peace and serenity before going back to the crowds and saying a final farewell as they left for their honeymoon.

 

When going through the photos later that evening, I found that I was really proud of each and every one of them, even the ones that didn't end up being edited due to small mistakes, errors and movement. It was the first time that I looked at over 700 photos and didn't feel like it was going to be a nightmare to go through the editing phase. The editing phase ended up being far more enjoyable than usual simply because the photographs came out so well and I was so pleased with them.

The photos above are just some of the ones taken on the day. If you would like to see more, please visit my website or click here.

Another Flash Tutorial

I do not own a flash. It is one of the items on my wishlist for this year and I do intend to get one sooner or later. For the moment though, when I need to use one, I need to borrow it. Thankfully, my boss is also a fan of photography, and has one on hand that she has lent to me before (for the last wedding that I had to shoot). With another wedding around the corner, I needed to borrow it again and needed to get used to using it again.

The flash in question is a very very nice one, but the exact specifications are not actually all that important for this blog. What is important to know is that the flash fits into the hotshoe of the camera and has the ability to tilt upwards by 90 degrees and 45 degrees to either side. It is something that I absolutely love about the flash and something that I am definitely going to try to find in whichever flash I end up buying.

Why is this so important then? First of all, having a flash that fits into your hotshoe is very useful when doing photo shoots outside of a studio. When you are in a studio, you can arrange the lighting in any way that you like through the use of umbrellas, reflectors and more powerful lights than a flash can provide. When you are out and shooting, however, you do not always have these available to you. The on-camera flash is too harsh for most situations and, since you cannot adjust where it points, it often ends up only illuminating what is in front of you and not providing sufficient ambient light. This can, of course, be made up for by adjusting the shutter speed and exposure, but when the images are being taken with a hand-held camera rather than a tripod, it can be difficult to perfect. This is why having a flash that fits onto your hotshoe can be useful. Of course, being able to use it off-camera (which this one can do) would also be useful, I imagine, but I have yet to experiment with that, and for the moment will only be talking about using it on a hotshoe. Having a stronger flash on your hotshoe, which can be adjusted in terms of brightness, can have diffusers attached to it and can tilt gives you a lot more flexibility in the images that you can take and make.

The tilt is the other big advantage to having a hotshoe flash. This flexibility is less important when using a flash off-camera, since you can point the flash in any direction that you choose. But, when the flash is attached to your camera, you cannot point the flash in a different direction to the one that the camera is facing unless it has a tilt function. And the tilt function makes a huge difference. By tilting the flash, you can bounce the light that the flash provides to illuminate your subject in the best possible way. I have taken some images to illustrate the point.

In the above image, the first two shots were taken with the flash, a shutter speed of 1/50, an aperture of f/8 and had an ISO of 400. The final image was taken without flash. It was taken with a shutter speed of 1/25, a fairly low one and good for handheld photography, the lowest aperture that my lens would allow for (f/4.5) and an ISO of 3200. All shots are directly from the camera and have not been edited except to put them together in this "collage".

The first image was taken with the flash pointing directly at the guitar. You will notice that the shadows in the centre are dark, the light in the centre is very stark compared to the shadows, the light reflecting off the string and the left side of the guitar is very bright, and you can see the shadows underneath the strings because of the angle that the photo was taken at. If you look to the upper right corner, you will also notice that it is completely in shadow.

In the second image, I had tilted the flash 45 degrees to the left. You will notice that the shadows in the centre are a lot more muted. There are still shadows, but they are less obtrusive and the light in the centre is less bright and less stark because of it. The strings are brighter, but not as reflective and there are no longer any shadows underneath them. The light itself is better distributed throughout the image and if you look at the upper right hand corner of this image, you will notice that it is white (as it should be).

In the third image, you will notice that the photo is not well lit in general, even at a fairly low aperture and shutter speed. However, there are noticable details. The colouring is a lot yellower in the image and the shadows are also distinct, especially when compared to the second image. There are no stark contrasts, however, and everything is fairly muted. 

The third image clearly needs more or better lighting, which the flash provided in both of the photos to the left of it. The second image might be a little too well lit. Shadows do provide interest to images, and there are hardly any in this image. Adding a little contrast would take it a long way. The first image is better in terms of the interest that the shadows provide, but may be a bit too stark and is far from ideal for most situations. I would likely end up brightening it to some extent in post-editing.

The same can be seen in the next images.

None of these are perfect photos, none of them were meant to be perfect. But they do show the usefulness of tilting your flash and bouncing light on a subject. It can have great results if you know how to use it, and it is something that I am still learning how to use. But I can already see a big difference in the photographs that have been taken while I used it. It is something that I look forward to learning more about!

What area of photography do you want to learn more about?

How To Act

I was reading a post yesterday from one of the blogs that I follow, and it was talking about people who don't want to have their photos taken. Now, I can understand that to a point. I really can. I am sometimes really not in the mood to have my photo taken at all. But there are times and places where it should be acceptable, and there are ways to handle it without offending the photographer or making them angry.

I commented on Kimberly Gauthier's post yesterday with one of the experiences that I'd had with a person who did not want to have their photo taken who I thought had reacted very very badly. But I experienced worse today, and I thought that I would share the experience.

I tend to take photos of anything I see. I understand that people don't particularly like to have their photographs taken, and I tend not to take too many of other people unless they are at events or doing something exceptional. I am not a big street photographer, because I understand that people don't like to have their photos taken, and I am shy and tend to avoid confrontation.

Tonight I was at a game of bowls. I was playing this week, so I did not have much time to find a subject for a photo. Not wanting to take of the people playing, I saw a drink lying in the grass. So I lay down in the grass and took a photo of it. Next thing I know, the owner of the drink has approached me and starts shouting at me for taking a photo of his drink. Now, I would understand perfectly if this was a photo of  him that he was concerned about. That would make perfect sense to me. I can equally understand if I was in the way of his game or was somehow distracting him. I ensured that I was not on the pitch, not in the way and, aside from taking a quick snap, was not being a nuisance. And yet he was so rude about it, that I almost burst into tears. I was horrified. I hate confrontation, but particularly so when I feel it is undeserved.

Now, had the guy approached me and spoken to me nicely, told me that I was distracting or that I was in the way somehow, I would have understood slightly better. Not much, because I don't think taking a photograph of a bottle in the grass when  you are 100m away on the other side of the green is cause for panic. It was not like I touched the drink or anything. I just saw it, saw that the light was good and decided to go for it. But I still would not have walked away feeling angry and hurt.

There are ways to react to not wanting a photograph taken and there are ways not to. Being rude is not going to get you anywhere. Shouting is only going to cause anger and resentment. Understanding and explaining, those help a lot. If you are kind about it and ask nicely, you are more likely to get a positive response from the photographer rather than a defensive one.

Childhood

Alexia Geldenhuys van Zyl
3
Grahamstown

I do not have any children, and at this stage of my life that is a very good thing. I am not even 24 years old and the closest thing that I have to a child is my cat, Puddims. But I do have a goddaughter, and there is little that I love more in the world than spoiling her rotten.

Yesterday was Alexia's third birthday, so Grant and I headed over to the Geldenhuys/Van Zyl house with our hands filled with the presents that we had found (and made) for her. The look on her face when we walked in was priceless as she saw the giant frog that could not be wrapped surrounded by Hello Kitty covered gifts. Not being old enough to open them herself, I had to help her by making the first tear and then watching her pull it and exclaim "BABY!" as she unwrapped each individually wrapped fluffy toy, followed by her other gifts which she was less excited about naming, but more excited about playing with. Grant and I always get Alexia fluffy toys, possibly because I want to get them but cannot possibly justify keeping them for myself, so end up giving them to someone who I know will appreciate them as much as I do. But this birthday, we decided that she was getting old enough to start learning as well. So we got building blocks with the alphabet and numbers and pictures on them so that she can start getting some learning in while she plays. We also got her bath gel that we know will cause her hours of joy and her parents hours of cleaning up - a toy that no parent would get their own child, but that others feel no guilt in buying.

Watching Alexia play with her toys always makes me feel young. She plays with such abandon, with such vigour as though this is the best thing in the whole wide world. I miss being that age, when every new toy is the best thing in the world and disappointments are short lived. It's certainly a good mindset to have, but one that we, as adults, have some trouble getting to grips with. But for now, I am more than happy to watch from the sidelines as Alexia grows and hope that I will be there for her when the frivolities of life start to fade and seriousness starts taking over.