Rediscovered Image: More Reflections of Carolina

Lens: 55mm, 1/1250s, f/2.8, ISO: 800

These are the last two images I've found and dredged up to show you of Carolina performing her patterns in front of Mark Banicevich and Matthew Breen who are coaching and critiquing prior to the 2007 World Champs.

Lens: 38mm, 1/1000s, f/2.8, ISO: 800

Rediscovered Image: Fear Factor

Lens: 28mm, 1/1000s, f/4.0, ISO: 800

I recently found this image taken in May 2007. It is such a cool shot I've no idea why I overlooked it in the past.

Chris Broughton can see what's coming from Carl van Roon and is taking evasive action but looks like he's decided he's going to get hit.

I don't know what happened next - whether Chris got hit but to make him feel better here's a shot of him getting a nice kick in on Carl.

Lens: 18mm, 1/250s, f/4.0, ISO: 800

Pick of the Pix Series, 2008 Oceanias Sparring

Here are a few sparring highlights from the 2008 Oceanias....

Pick of the Pix Series, 2008 Oceanias Patterns

Looking through more photos tonight and came across the 2008 Oceanias images so selected a few of the best to share with you....



Tomorrow I'll post some cool Oceanias sparring images.

Pick of the Pix Series, Odd Shotz #3

Pocket digital camera, 1/10s, 23.1mm, f/4.9

Less said the better? The location is the hotel foyer in Houston in 2006. I think we were waiting for a bus to come and take us to Nasa for the morning and the waiting around created some interesting antics.

And here are a few more from other occasions...



Should I be leaving town?

World Champs Training Portraits - Mt Wellington

These are a handful of portrait like images from yesterday's training at Mt Wellington.

World Champs Training - Mt Wellington

Lens: 17mm, 1/60s, f/5.0, ISO: 800

I dropped in on the Saturday afternoon training session at Mt Wellington for a little while today and took a few photos. Nothing very sharp I'm afraid as I selected a slow shutter speed to show a sense of movement and a low ISO of 800 for higher quality images didn't help either.

Here's a few more images:

Pick of the Pix: Wellington World Champs Team Training Sparring Action #2

Lens: 135mm, 1/160s, f/2.0, ISO: 800

Another nice shot taken by Ross Becker captures Carl demonstrating a reverse hooking kick on Jeremy. I think this may be one of the best images from the training.


Lens: 17mm, 1/80s, f/4.5, ISO: 1600

A nice long side kick from Richard Lavin towards Hamish Duncan.


Lens: 28mm, 1/250s, f/3.5, ISO: 1600, flash

Jeremy Hanna executes a reverse hooking kick on Michael Davis.


Lens: 55mm, 1/200s, f/4.0, ISO: 1600, flash

Mark Trotter in action.


Lens: 135mm, 1/160s, f/2.2, ISO: 1000

Another nice shot by Ross of Shane Black in sparring action. His expression looks like he's saying, "c'mon give it to me!".

Pick of the Pix: Wellington World Champs Team Training Sparring Action #1

Lens: 23mm, 1/160s, f/2.8, ISO: 1250

This image was taken by my friend Ross Becker. It's a nicely graphic symmetrical image focusing on who I think is Sandi Galpin sparring with Richard Lavin under the far basket ball hoop.


Lens: 17mm, 1/160s, f/3.5, ISO: 1600

Clint takes a fast punch from Carl van Roon.


Lens: 23mm, 1/160s, f/3.2, ISO: 1600

I enjoy getting in close with a wide angle lens like this - trying to give you a feel for what it is like to be right in the action. Here Amanda Cleland is sparring with Stuart Maden.


Lens: 18mm, 1/60s, f/3.2, ISO: 1600

Michael Davis spars with coach Dave Ballard. The slow shutter speed and panning to follow Michael conveys motion.


Lens: 17mm, 1/50s, f/4.5, ISO: 1600

Holding my camera over my head I took this shot with a slow shutter speed and the camera looking downwards over the sparring action of Nikki Galpin and Phillipa Henry.

Auckland North Regional Team Training - Portraits

After spending hours on Saturday working on my latest project which involves a collection of portrait images my head was in "portrait" mode. So, when I went along to the Auckland North training I spent much of the time trying to capture some nice portraits. You be the judge...



Most of the time the light was flat but occasionally a thin strip of bright light would stream through the narrow windows along the west side of the gym. At these times I tried hard to capture people with their faces in the light. A tall ask when the strip of bright light was only 18" wide! With spot metering turned on I managed to get about three really graphic images in this light with this being the most "creative".


Lens: 300mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO: 1250

I took a lot of shots of John Matsuoka and some others but the low light level (and required slow shutter speed) meant that a lot of them were blurred. I was using my 70-300 telephone lens which is image stabalised and gives some stunning, results but is slow (f4.5-5.6). A lot of the images were soft due to the subject's movement. I was amused at how much some people move when they're instructing - others instructing often ended up just being a smeared image as they spoke, moved their head and arms during the exposure. I had better luck with my 85mm f/1.8 prime lens but had to get in much closer and these guys aren't that used to me yet so they get all self conscious.

I was really pleased with this photo of John. I took tons, like several hundred, to end up with this one:

Lens: 85mm, 1/320s, f/2.2, ISO: 800

While the lighting was a challenge I quite like the Auckland Grammar gym due to the simple raw grey concrete background on many of the walls which makes the activities stand out and reduces clutter in the images.

Pick of the Pix Series, Star #2, Exciting Male Sparring Action

Lens: 54mm, 1/160s, f/5.0, ISO: 1600

Robert Meleisea executes a nice side kick to the head of his opponent at the Star Series tournament in Wellington.

More picks of the pix of male sparring:

Auckland North Regional Team Training - Action

I dropped in on the Auckland North Sunday training session today at Auckland Grammar. The day was overcast with occasional sunny spells and this made the light coming into the gym pretty flat and uninteresting much of the time with the occasional bright patch.



I took quite a few portrait style images while there and I'll post them tomorrow...

PS: Tuesday: oops, will post the portraits tomorrow (Wednesday)!

Pick of the Pix Series, Star #2, More Exciting Female Sparring Action

Lens: 85mm, 1/125s, f/3.2, ISO: 1250

Estee Speirs dominates in the match against Alicia Yates. Alicia's hair protruding from her helmet adds interest and a sense of movement in the pictures.







While not an action shot, I like this one due to it being sharp and the intense eye contact. Carl van Roon gives Erica Germain coaching advice as her second.

Next, male sparring action...

Pick of the Pix Series, Star #2, Exciting Female Sparring Action

Lens: 85mm, 1/160s, f/2.5, ISO: 1250

Amy Reeder and Courtney Meleisea exhibit some great techniques in an exciting sparring match.

The NZ world champs team female members sparring at the Star Series #2 tournament was spectacular. I often find photographing female sparring is not as interesting due to a lack of intensity but there was no shortage at this tournament. It was awesome to watch.






And I finally catch a good image of Courtney on the offensive.
PS: [21/7] Estee pointed out she thinks this is Aramai vs Hamish - whoops. Sorry guys :-/



Courtney getting advice from her second, Luke Thompson.

See more images of this sparring match...

More female sparring action coming up next....

Pick of the Pix Series, Star #2, Patterns Aerial Action

Lens: 28mm, 1/160s, f/4.0, ISO: 1600

Chris Broughton shows a nice flying side piercing kick in Ge-Baek.



Erica Germain chambering for a flying side piercing kick.



Jeremy Hanna executes a pick shape kick in Juche.



Mid-air knife hand strike in Juche.



Flying two-direction kick followed by a twin palm rising block in Juche.

Here's the sequence. It is a nice photographich sequence but Jeremy isn't happy with the kick and would prefer that I don't show it... too late.




(Thanks to Mark Hanna for the technical descriptions.)

Tomorrow, the pick of sparring action...

Pick of the Pix Series, Star #2, Nice Patterns Techniques

Lens: 38mm, 1/160s, f/5.0, ISO: 1600, flash


Lens: 54mm, 1/160s, f/4.0, ISO: 1600, flash

Ryan Mcnie. This young red belt is definitely one to watch out for in future.


Lens: 37mm, 1/160s, f/4.5, ISO: 1600

Jeremy Hanna in the final against Richard Lavin. Richard won by a whisker.


Lens: 44mm, 1/160s, f/5.0, ISO: 1600

These tiny tots (white and yellow belt) performed an amazing pre-arranged sparring sequence and received a huge applause from the crowd. See some of their performance here (click on right arrow to see the sequence)

Coming next, some patterns action shots...

Pick of the Pix Series, Star #2, Male Patterns & Pre-arranged

Lens: 49mm, 1/160s, f/3.5, ISO: 1600

Simon and Michael Davis frozen in action during their pre-arranged sparring performance.


Lens: 24mm, 1/160s, f/5.0, ISO: 1600, flash

Chris Broughton up against Shane Black. I have a couple of images of Chris in this pose - both with his eyes closed :-)


Lens: 54mm, 1/160s, f/5.0, ISO: 1600, flash

Chris Broughton vs Andy Wong.

I find patterns hard to photograph and capture an interesting image. I worked hard to get a few images with both contestants in frame in a dynamic position with respect to each other. Below are a couple of successful examples:



Next post, nice stances and patterns action...

Pick of the Pix Series, Star #2, Female Patterns

Lens: 135mm, 1/200s, f/2.8, ISO: 1600

Erica Germain prepares to perform her pattern. Normally I'd make sure that I caught here eyes in the gap but this version is quite interesting.


Lens: 28mm, 1/160s, f/5.0, ISO: 1600, flash

Alex Couling caught at the apex of her pattern while competing with Kristie Leong.


More pictures of Alex Couling


Lens: 28mm, 1/125s, f/5.6, ISO: 1600, flash

More mid-air action from Courtney Meleisea.

Tomorrow... patterns action from the boys/men.

Star Series #2 - Sparring

Here you go, feast on these 425 images of the sparring action. The improved light in the afternoon means that the images just work ok in colour.



We've pulled out 23 of the best which we'll post over the next few days.

Star Series #2 - People

Images of some of the people who were at the tournament

Star Series #2 - Pre-arranged Sparring

It was great to see so many pre-arranged sparring teams competing.... and the tiny kids were very impressive too!

Star Series #2 - Patterns

The gym at Onslow College is nice and modern but the light was quite weak for photography. We had to use flash to get enough light to capture patterns but fortunately after lunch, with the sun a little higher in the sky, there was just enough light to get away without flash. But I had to crank my camera up to ISO 1600 which creates noisy grainy images similar to that experienced at the world Cup last year. So, the images aren't up to the usual high standard in my opinion.

Here are my patterns images. I've kept 14 of the best which I'll feature over the coming days so that I can get you to come back for more TKD action with my daily website posts ;-)

Star Series #2 - Patterns photos by Ross Becker

My photographer friend from Wellington, Ross Becker, came along to the Star Series tournament yesterday and joined me in capturing the action.

Pick of his Pix:



Patterns:

Star Series Tournament 2 - Wellington

I've just got home and have a million photos to download. Will have the photos sorted and posted as soon as I can... at least by mid-day Monday.

Cheers
Doug

First World Champs Full Team Training

This afternoon was the first time the whole World Champs Team have assembled as one for training since the team selection trials at the end of May. The Star Series tournament in Wellington is tomorrow and the team have arrived the day before for this two hour training session before participating in the tournament tomorrow.

Jermey, Mark and I are staying with friends in Wellington. Ross Becker is a very keen photographer and I twisted his arm to come along with his amazing kit (I'm just a wee bit jealous) and try out Taekwon-Do photography. Our first reaction to the gym at Wellington College where the training was held was "oh the light is so poor". It was pretty dark, the lighting was old and weak, and it would therefore be very challenging.

Anyway, we went mad for 2 hours with me taking just over 1,000 images and Ross just over 2,000. His Canon 1D Mark III camera can take bursts of 10/second which make wonderful sequences of jumps and patterns and the like. My 40D will take just over 5/second but only for 10-15 images before it changes to "go-slow" due to my memory cards being a bit old and slow.

One of Ross's images:


It took a fair while to sort through those 3,000 images and here are a few of the better ones. I've held back a few of the excellent images and will work on them and publish them with my daily posts over the coming weeks. That way hopefully I'll get you to come back and check this site again!

Doug and Ross swapped cameras for a while towards the end of the session so we can't tell who the photographer was in all cases. These ones are mainly mine....


And these ones are mainly Ross's...


Ross started taking them in colour and then changed his camera to its black and white mode like I was using.