Mary Ellen Mark-documentary photographer

I was first introduced to the work of Mary Ellen Mark about four years ago. My mother gave me her book "American Odyssey Aperture." I recall my mother saying, "I think you will really like her work, it kind of reminds me of yours." As expected, I instantly fell in love with the genuineness of her images.

One of my strongest abilities I have in photography is in the power of connecting and capturing my subjects' emotions. I enjoy telling stories with my work. When I first started to learn photography in high school I was extremely fortunate to have encouraging friends that were always willing to be the subjects of my visions.

Mary Ellen Mark has been recognized on a global level as one of the best documentary photographers. Her work is absolutely amazing. It is her ability to capture the raw emotions of her subjects and the underline story behind the images that sets her apart. Her work is inspiring. If there is anyone that I would model my career after, it would be her.

www.maryellenmark.com

Overcoming the challenges of indoor sports photography

Indoor sports action photography requires practice and skill. It is challenging but not impossible. As a photographer you have a number of difficult conditions you work under such as low light, fast action and distance shooting.

It has taken me a long time to change my ratio of "crap" shots to "killer” shots. I want to share some of the things I have learned along the way. The most important step is to familiarize yourself with your equipment and its functions. Taking the time to learn about your equipment can save costly preventable mistakes in the long run. Read the manual if needed. Spend as long as you need to feel comfortable operating the equipment. Fumbling around during an actual shoot will result in missing good shots and cause frustration.

Next, you need to experiment with the conditions of your shooting location. Adjust your speed and aperture settings according to each environment. Use a mono pod or tripod. Mono pods are easier to work with and take up less room. I suggest that you do some practice shot tests. By doing this, it will help eliminate the number of "crap" shots when the action starts and you need to shoot for real.

When shooting an indoor sporting event, make sure to scope out the area to find the best vantage spot to shoot from and also look for an alternative back up area free of ongoing people traffic and other obstacles if possible. Sometimes you will have to be bold and determined and get into people’s way in order to get the shot you want. Being too polite is not an advantage in this game. You can always apologize after you get your shot. I have found that being a person of short stature (5ft 4in.) has its benefits when having to weave my way through a crowd and squeeze into tight spots to get those amazing shots.

It also helps tremendously to have an understanding of the sport you are shooting. Know what the sport's objectives are such as: how do you know who/when/how someone has won and what are the key elements of a "win". Then you can know what type of shots you are looking for. I also advise rapid shooting. Why not? Having too many shots never hurts and it is better than not enough! Most of all become a part of the sporting event. The more you are into what you shooting, it shows. Remember: learn about your equipment, the sport you are covering and don't be shy-most people love to have their picture taken! They will thank you later!