The Team Poster: How it was Shot
Hello again, T-Birds Fans! I’m back to take you behind the scenes of the team poster photo shoot. Anyone who attended the game against Everett March 17 received a poster with a photo of the T-Birds in front of the ShoWare Center on it. I was at that photo shoot (although I did not take that particular picture) and let me take you through how the photo was taken!
The photo was taken by portrait photographer Bruce Hudson of Hudson’s Designer Portraits. Bruce is known nation-wide for his beautiful portrait photography and, as a personal aside, took my senior photos, as well as those of my sister and my parent’s wedding photos. When I found out he was taking the T-Birds’ team photo, I made it a point to be there and see how he goes about making a beautiful image.
What specific equipment does Bruce use? Well, for this particular shot, it would be everything in this photo…
It looks like Bruce is planning a simple two-light display (the two black box-like things on the ground), and wants to use the scissor lift to get a birds-eye view of the team…
Of course the lights need to be plugged in, and Josh Hudson captures that on video for the studio’s blog.
Bruce climbs onto the scissor lift before a test shot.
After the crew got set up and figured out basic light settings, the players came out for their photo. Since there were a few stragglers, those who came out a bit early were able to chat while waiting for everyone.
Defenseman Jared Hauf talks with Bruce while waiting for all the players to report in front of the Showare Center.
Bruce raises the lights in order to properly illuminate the players’ faces.
With everyone out and in front of the Showare Center, it was time to take the photo…
While Bruce is busy snapping away behind the camera, the Thunderbirds’ Director of Public and Media Relations Ian Henry gets the players into prime position for the photo.
Bruce shows off the photo to center Luke Lockhart (center) and defenseman Brad Deagle (right).
After taking a look at the photo, Bruce decided to wait for the sun to set before attempting another take. During the intermission, the guys kept themselves busy doing … umm … something.
Something interesting must be going on above as a number of Thunderbird players look up towards the sky while waiting for the team photo to be taken.
After the sky failed to hold the players’ interest anymore, Lockhart and fellow center Tyler Alos found a dog to play with. Unfortunately for them (and the dog), the dog was locked in a car, but at least he looks excited to see the two T-Birds!
Shortly after that, the sun finally went below the horizon and it was time for Bruce to continue shooting. Here he is directing everyone from high above in the scissor lift…
Now you know the story behind the team poster you received! Big thanks to Bruce and his staff for coming out to take the photo, and an even bigger thanks to the team for waiting around to get that great photo. Coming up on Bird Watching, I hope to get at least one more post up to close out the season.
Until next time, then, go T-Birds!
T-Birds Outlast Everett in Shootout
Hello again, T-Birds fans, and welcome back to Bird Watching. Again I have to apologize for the delay between this post and the last one, I was busy during the Christmas break and didn’t find the time to put together some photos for you. No matter now, though, as hockey’s back, I have a day off and photos to show off!
For this edition of Bird Watching, we’ll examine the T-Birds’ shootout win over Everett last week. Rather, we’ll check out the shootout victory over the Silvertips that took place in Kent on Dec. 27, seeing as the teams played to the same result at Everett the next day. On the 27th, the Thunderbirds kicked off the second half of the season with two points that could prove crucial in the playoff race later on in front of a sold out ShoWare Center crowd. Onto the photos!
I don’t get many photos of goalie Daniel Cotton since it’s normally Calvin Pickard between the pipes for the Thunderbirds, so when I learned Cotton recently got a new mask, I jumped at the chance to snap a few photos of it. Hopefully I’ll get to see it in action one of these games, but until then, here’s a shot of the back of it.
Goalie Daniel Cotton shows off his new mask—and assures anyone behind him of his identity— during warm-ups before the game Dec. 27.
Canon 7D, 2000 ISO, 155mm, f/2.8, 1/1600
As mentioned before, the T-Birds and ‘Tips played in front of a sold out crowd of 6,150 that night, the best crowd of the year. I wanted to get a nice shot showing the entire bowl, but unfortunately I don’t have a wide enough lens to get that shot. WPS photographer Brian Liesse did, however, and he was nice enough to let me use the HDR image he took of the entire bowl in this post. Thanks Brian!
Photo by Brian Liesse, Washington Prep Sports
Nikon D5000, 500 ISO, 11mm, f/2.8, 1/60
Right winger Burke Gallimore tries to sail a rebounded puck past Everett goalie Kent Simpson halfway through the first period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 155mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
The Thunderbirds had a goal waived off in the first period. I didn’t catch the reason why it was waived off, so unfortunately I can’t give you all an explanation, but I can give you a photo of the play that didn’t happen…
Gallimore (top) and center Sean Aschim crash the net and send the puck past Everett’s Simpson. Unfortunately for the T-Birds the goal was disallowed and the score remained 0-0.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 140mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
The game would remain at 0-0 for the rest of the period. Now onto the second!
The newest Thunderbird, right winger Connor Honey, brings the puck up along the boards during the second period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 35mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
For part of the second period, I tried out a new position right in front of section 107. As well as giving me a different angle than I’m used to for the second, the move gave me less-damaged glass to shoot through (the glass to either side of goals will always be clearer than the glass right behind it as pucks don’t hit the side glass nearly as often) and allow me to use my 70-200mm lens, which provides a better quality of photo. Moving, for this game at least, gave me a good amount of shots, much more than I normally get in the second…
Right wing Branden Troock is knocked over in front of the Everett goal by Everett defender Evan Morden. (Note: this could be the play that earned Morden an interference minor, but I’m not sure)
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Left winger Marcel Noebels watches as Simpson deflects a shot wide of the goal late in the second period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
With just seconds left in the period, Marcel Noebels found himself on something of a breakaway—there was only one defender between him and the goal, but that defender was on the other side of the ice. He fired a shot at Simpson, who couldn’t freeze the puck before Burke Gallimore arrived to threaten the goal…
Everett goalie Kent Simpson tries to freeze the puck before it can rebound to an awaiting Burke Gallimore…
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Simpson did manage to freeze the puck and stop play, but not before Burke was able to try and knock the puck away from the Everett goalie.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
That’s it from the second period. During the period, Gallimore one-timed a pass from defender Evan Wardley into the back of the net for a Seattle goal. It was Gallimore’s 15th goal of the year, and Wardley earned his first WHL assist for the pass. Noebels was given an assist as well. Now onto the third period, where I took my normal spot between the benches…
Noebels maneuvers around the outstretched-reach of Everett defenseman Dominik Bittner for a shot on frame.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 115mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Defenseman Brad Deagle brings the puck into the neutral zone during the third period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 115mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Left winger Chance Lund clears the puck out of the Everett zone in the third period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 98mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Honey carries the puck over the center line.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 78mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
By now you’re probably thinking, “Wow, Kyle got a lot of photos of people carrying the puck that night.” You’d be correct: I did get a number of clean shots of the T-Birds possessing the puck tonight. Why? I don’t know, but I always like getting stock photos of those I don’t normally catch in images, so I’m not complaining too loudly. Here’s one more, this time of defenseman Shea Theodore.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 35mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
And in case you were worried about the lack of goalie Calvin Pickard in this post so far, don’t worry. Here he is doing his best impression of a brick wall.
Goalie Calvin Pickard makes a stick save on an Everett shot during the third period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 135mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
The shot I didn’t get, however, is a photo of the goal Everett scored to even the score at one in the third period. Since no one likes to go home with a tie, how about we go to overtime?
Center Luke Lockhart dives for a puck in the opening stages of the overtime period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 98mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Pickard stops a shot from Everett left winger Joshua Linquist.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 150mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Neither team scored in overtime, so the game was sent to a shootout. The Thunderbirds’ coaching staff, (from left to right) assistant coach Darren Rumble, head coach Steve Konowalchuk, and assistant coach Steve McTaggart, got together and decided who would take the shootout attempts for the T-Birds.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/800
They decided to send center Colin Jacobs out first, and he vindicated that choice by sending the puck past Everett goalie Kent Simpson. Josh Birkholz and Joshua Winquist for Everett didn’t see the same success, however, and it was up to Cody Fowlie to get one past Pickard in order to extend the shootout. That didn’t happen.
Pickard sends Fowlie’s shootout attempt sailing wide of the net, clinching the victory and two points for Seattle.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 145mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
With the game won, Pickard threw his arms up in celebration as the rest of the team rushed out to greet him.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 195mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
And again, Colin Jacobs and center Tyler Alos found and congratulated each other on the win.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
That’s it for this post! T-Birds win! Sorry again for the delay in getting something new up on the blog, hopefully it won’t be two weeks before the next post again. If you want to complain about the lack of posts or comment on any of the photos, feel free to do so in the comments section below.
‘Til next time, though, go T-Birds!
T-Birds Take out Royals in Shootout
Well this feels familiar! Hello again, T-Birds fans, team photographer Kyle Scholzen back here with you after an unfortunately long absence. Classes have ended for the quarter, though, and that means I actually have time to update this blog again! I don’t know any better way to celebrate that fact than with photos from a T-Birds victory, this one coming in shootout form over the Royals…
Saturday’s game against Victoria was a roller-coaster ride of emotion. The first two periods were great as the T-Birds took a 3-0 lead and we saw newcomer Connor Honey’s first WHL point and both Tyler Alos’ and Colin Jacobs’ first goals of the season. The third, though, brought about an ill-advised fighting major and game misconduct from Justin Hickman that gave Victoria a three-minute power play during which the Royals erased their three-goal deficit and evened the game up. A back-and-forth overtime ended with the game still tied, bringing about a shootout that saw just one successful penalty shot, converted by none other than Colin Jacobs. It was a fun game to cover, so let’s dive into the photos!
Defenseman Braeden Laroque tries to knock Victoria center Steven Hodges off the puck.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 80mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Goalie Calvin Pickard deflects a shot to defendseman Cason Machacek.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 100mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Center Sean Aschim controls the puck in the T-Birds’ defensive zone.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 80mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Aschim opened the scoring in the game with a well-placed blast from about 15 feet out. That goal was his eighth of the season and drew a well-deserved celebration from Aschim…
Aschim celebrates his opening goal late in the first period.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
And to close out the period, let’s check out a shot on goal by right wing Tyler Alos, who would later get his first goal of the year in the second.
Right wing Tyler Alos tries to force a shot through Victoria goalie Keith Hamilton in the closing moments of the first period.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 32mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Aschim’s goal would be the difference between the two teams in the first period, and we now move onto the second, which brought on much the same style of play we saw in the first. Also, the T-Birds capitalized on the many opportunities they had to score, as they converted on two of the four power-play opportunities they had in the period. For the first goal, Tyler Alos scored his first of the year, and Colin Jacobs also netted his season-opener eight minutes later. Unfortunately my photos of those two plays didn’t turn out very clear, but I did get a decent shot of Luke Lockhart firing a centering pass towards goal during a power play…
Center Luke Lockhart centers the puck during the second period.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Left wing Chance Lund tries to redirect a centering pass past Victoria goalie Keith Hamilton.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 70mm, f/3.5, 1/1000
Right wing Burke Gallimore tries to collect a loose puck in front of the Victoria goal in the second period.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 75mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
And that’s it for the second period, unfortunately. Now onto the third!
Defenseman Brad Deagle chases after a loose puck with Victoria center Kevin Sunder close in tow.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 85mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
When I’m in the box between the benches, sometimes I feel like part of the game due to how close I am to the action. I feel the rush of air whenever someone skates past right in front of me, I hear every word chirped at opposing players between the benches (which is the reason why I can’t take video from down there: this is a family blog of course), and I’ve even been sprayed with snow a time or two down there. Sometimes I feel like such a part of the game it feels like players actually pass me the puck, which is what looks like is going on in this next photo…
Defenseman Cason Machacek passes the puck back into the neutral zone during the third period.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 93mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Not even two minutes into the third, right wing Justin Hickman found himself with a five-minute major fighting penalty and a game misconduct for fighting Victoria left wing Zane Jones after Jones tripped a T-Bird. While it was nice to see Hickman sticking up for his teammate, it was unfortunate that he earned a five-minute major as the Royals used the resulting three minute power play (after Jones’ tripping minor ended) to even the game back up. Here is the second goal from Victoria on the night, a far shot that Chance Lund tried his best to block…
Lund tries, but can’t block a blast from Victoria defenseman Kade Pilton during a Victoria power play in the third period.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 85mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Right wing Connor Honey joined the T-Birds on Thursday, Dec. 8, and this last weekend of games was his first action as a T-Bird (although he attended Seattle’s preseason training camp). Those two nights, I was tasked with getting photos of him and Jacobs (more from him later, obviously), and luckily they were seemingly right in front of my lens the entire night. Here is Honey poke-checking the puck away from Victoria defenseman Jesse Pauls.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 125mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
After Hickman’s penalty and the resulting power play, the T-Birds tried to score the game-winner, but were rebuked by Hamilton and the Victoria defense. They’d have to settle for overtime, where they got three shots on target, including this one by Chance Lund.
Left wing Chance Lund fires a shot on goal.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 80mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
None of those three found the net, however, bringing about a shootout to determine what team got that second point. Before the shootout, however, the teams rested on the bench while the zamboni smoothed the center of the ice and the two goal creases…
While waiting for the zamboni, Alos (left), Jacobs (middle), and Gallimore (right) sat together on the forwards’ side of the bench, chatting with Luke Lockhart (not pictured).
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 80mm, f/2.8, 1/500
Once the ice was clear, it was time for the shootout! Right wing Branden Troock took for the first shot, but missed. After a Victoria miss, Gallimore took the second T-Birds penalty shot and also failed to convert. Luckily, though, Calvin Pickard blocked Victoria’s second shot as well, taken by Kevin Sundher.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 108mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Up third for the T-Birds was none other than Colin Jacobs, making just his second start of the year after recovering from injury. Having scored his first goal of the year earlier in the game, he was feeling fairly confident; at least confident enough to fire the puck past Victoria’s Keith Hamilton for a successful conversion.
Jacobs’ successful shootout goal was all that was needed, as Pickard also blocked Victoria’s last shot, taken by left wing Jamie Crooks.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 100mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
T-Birds win! That means a pig-pile around Pickard!
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 135mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 170mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
This win clearly excited the T-Birds, as you can tell from Alos’ and Jacobs’ reactions post-game. Jacobs was named the game’s third star, and Alos earned first star honors for a goal and assist in the game. Here they are celebrating the win and two points with each other.
Canon 7D, 1250 ISO, 90mm, f/2.8, 1/1000
What a game! What a two points! That certainly was a fun way to come back to Bird Watching, now wasn’t it? I should be able to post with more regularity, at least for the next three or so weeks, so keep checking back for new updates. And as always, have a comment or question for me? Let me know in the comments section below!
‘Til next time, Go T-Birds!
T-Birds Dice Up Saskatoon
It has taken me entirely too long to get this post up, and for that I apologize. Just a warning, you can probably expect just one post a week from me going onward, and not until the middle of the week either. I’ve got class Monday and Tuesday nights, and they take up a lot of my energy (then again, grad schools are like that…). But luckily tonight’s Wednesday so let’s photoblog! These are photos from Saturday night’s game against Saskatoon. Although I was not at the Brandon game last night, Brian Liesse was and he’ll be writing about that a bit later on this week. We’re tag-teaming photos and the photoblog this year, FYI, so don’t be surprised if you read a post with a different flow.
Anyway, back to the Birds/Blades game. What a fun game, right? The first period was entertaining as possession was fairly even—the Blades, who probably held the puck a little bit longer than the T-Birds did—managed 14 shots, but the T-Birds were right behind them with 10; Calvin made some great saves (and I actually got a photo of him for the first time this year); and there was a bunch of jostling and hitting going on for those of you who love that brand of hockey. On with the pictures…
Here’s that Pickard photo. Hard to believe I went three games without getting a good one of him, but this one’s well worth the wait.
Goalie Calvin Pickard collects the puck before Saskatoon center Brent Benson can threaten the net.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Center Tyler Alos blocks the goal-mouth with his body during a pileup in front of the Seattle net (note: the puck is right under Alos’ leg in the photo).
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Defenseman Shea Theodore jockeys for position with Saskatoon defenseman Darren Dietz during the first period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 85mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Defenseman Kyle Verdino shoves Saskatoon right wing Michael Burns backwards during the first period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 98mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Right winger Burke Gallimore put a lovely sniper shot into the net for the T-Birds’ first goal of the night and his first goal in 2011-2012. Now onto the second period with the score tied one-all…
Left winger Chance Lund fires a shot onto the Saskatoon goal despite Saskatoon’s Dietz’s attempt to prevent the shot.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
The tie was broken with three minutes left in the second period when center Marcel Noebels got the puck at center ice and beat Saskatoon goalie Andrey Makarov one-on-one for his third goal of the year. That, of course, prompted the T-Birds on the ice to gather around Noebels in celebration…
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 42mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
That wasn’t the only scoring chance the T-Birds had in the second period, however…
Center Luke Lockhart attempts to slide the puck past Saskatoon goalie Andrey Makarov late in the second period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 28mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Defenseman Dave Sutter tries to take a shot through Saskatoon’s Dietz’s attempt at stopping him.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1600
The second period ended with the T-Birds up 2-1 on the Blades. Onto the third!
I finally got a good picture of new Thunderbirds defenseman Cason Machacek in the early stages of the third…
Defenseman Cason Machecek brings the puck up-ice in the opening part of the third period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Just two and a half minutes into the third, left winger Mitch Elliot and Saskatoon defenseman Duncan Seimens threw down their gloves and started circling each other, preparing for fisticuffs. That’s when I got this beauty of a photograph of Elliot and Seimens staring each other down…
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
The fight started, and Mitch Elliot came out on top, pulling Seimens’ jersey over his head…
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 120mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
They both took five minutes in the penalty box and the game continued on…
Center Jusin Hickman (right) tries to bat the puck out of the air before Saksatoon defenseman Zach Hodder can.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 175mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Hickman brings the puck up the ice in the third period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 170mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
With the T-Birds up one in the closing stages of the game, Saskatoon started pressing more, even pulling their goalie with roughly two and a half minutes left. This forced the T-Birds to fall back on defense, with which everyone helped out.
Alos tries to block a centering pass from Saskatoon right winger Josh Nicholls.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 175mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Lund sacrifices his body to try and deflect the puck away from the Seattle net.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Defenseman Brad Deagle prepares to upend Saskatoon right wing Matej Stransky in the third period.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 105mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
Alos hits the ice to take away a passing lane from Saskatoon’s Dietz.
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 105mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
With Saskatoon pulling their goalie, their net was wide open and a delicious target for Marcel Noebels. He found himself with the puck in space, fired, and…
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
put the final nail in Saskatoon’s coffin. That deserves another celebration, right?
Canon 7D, 1600 ISO, 130mm, f/2.8, 1/1250
And with that win, the Thunderbirds pulled back to .500 on the season at 3-3.
As I said earlier, we’ll be getting a new contributor to the blog later this week. Brian Liesse of Washington Prep Sports will be by to post photos of Daniel Cotton’s first start in the WHL.
As always, feel free to leave a comment or ask me something in the comments section below. I’d be happy to answer anything you’ve got.
‘Til next time, go T-Birds!
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