SHOOTING THE OUTBACK BOWL The Tennessee vols vs. the northwestern wildcats
I've been very fortunate to be able shoot these past few years with one of the true class organizations in college football, the Tennessee Vols, and their top-notch team of photographers, led by one of the most talented, smart, and just out-and-out fun photographers out there, "Big Daddy" Don Page (the big daddy part is a nickname I gave him, as a wink and a nod to drag racing legend Big Daddy Don Garlits).
SPOILER ALERT: THE VOLS CRUSHED THE WILDCATS
It was the Vols day all the way around (you probably figured that since the shot above is a Vol in the end zone). Of course, since I was shooting for the Vols, it sure makes it nice when they're just crushing it, and they totally were — all day long — on both sides of the ball, and they were playing a very tough 10-2 team in the Northwestern Wildcats.
THE “OTHER GUYS”
While my focus was on getting shots of The Vols, I was covering both sides of the ball (the Vols on Offense and Defense) so I did make a few shots of the Wildcats along the way. Here's a few of those.
OK, THIS IDEA DIDN'T WORK AT ALL
I wanted to use a remote camera for a shot of the player's taking the field, and I found a decent place for it — on top of a utility box where they players probably (hopefully) wouldn't hit it on the run out. I wanted to position it so you'd see "OutbackBowl.com" at the top of the frame. Then Don suggested I try using a slow shutter speed to blur the players as they came running by. I loved the idea, but I didn't pull it off.
Back to stuff that actually did work.
CAMERA GEAR:
It's the same stuff I normally use for football: Two Canon EOS 1DXs. A 400mm f/2.8 lens on my main body, and a 70-200mm f/2.8 on my 2nd body. I used a 1.4 teleconverter on the 400mm the entire game, so I was shooting at 560mm on my main body (This was supported with a Gitzo monopod).
CAMERA SETTINGS:
I shot "wide open" the entire time, so f/4 on the 400mm with the tele (you lose one stop of light with a tele-extender), and f/2.8 on the 70-200mm. My ISO was set to Auto ISO, with a minimum shutter speed of 1/1000 of a second.
A BIG VOLS WIN!!!!
Whether your team wins or loses, there are more shots to be made. It's just a whole lot more when your team wins (and it's a whole lot more fun).
#GOVOLS!
Any time I get to shoot with the Vols, it's always a treat — one of the most fun shoots of the year for sure, and the fact that for the past two years I've been able to shoot their Bowl Games has really been special for me. Spending time with Don and his crew is always awesome (even though Donald was shooting a ridiculously long lens, for which I am very jealous. Just sayin').
Thanks for stopping by and letting me share some of my favorites from the Outback Bowl.
FOOTNOTE: Location — Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida