Taking the Team Photo: August 20, 2011

The football team took an "official" team photo after their loss to Pac-5 on August 13, 2011. Not exactly the best of circumstances to take a team photo - players pissed after a loss, a key Senior missing from the photo after suffering a serious arm injury during the game, and an unforgiving sun in the background at around 4:30pm - creating a harsh backlight for even the best of photographers.

The official photographer, from Oahu I believe, seemed a little irritated that Denton and I were hanging around like vultures, waiting to poach the team photo that he thought was exclusive only to him. Understandable, as he is a professional and needs to make a living. He allowed us to take photos so long as we promised not to release any of the photos, put them on-line or otherwise circulate the pictures. Out of common courtesy and respect for a fellow photographer, I/we agreed. At that point, it seemed like a pointless exercise to take photos, but we did . . . maybe we could "publish" it after the season.

Thanks to Walter Chihara of the Lahaina News, and a long-time Lahainaluna supporter, we amateurs had a chance to take our own team photo on Saturday, prior to their game against Kea'au High School and while the sun was up above, and not behind, the players.

So here it is, my "unofficial" team photograph for the 2011-12 Lahainaluna varsity football team.

Denton and Walter were taking the unofficial official photos for the Lahaina News - so I was just taking shots for my own consumption. I was using my Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 super wide angle lens. I was able to get in front of the team within a few feet to snap this shot as I was kneeling. In hind sight, I should have stood - several of the faces and jersey numbers of the players in the back two rows are obscured. Sorry Tytus and Kiko!

Here's another picture in which Tytus Lucas and Kiko Fonohema can actually be seen:

Personally, I don't like taking group photos or official photos. Too much pressure for this novice shutterbug! I much rather do action shots from the sideline or candid photos. I hate posed shots. I invariably rush through my photos, not really making sure that I got my shot right the first time. Best case scenario would've been to get on a step ladder and take a shot from a higher angle, thus ensuring that everyone's faces and numbers would be in the picture AND perhaps getting some of Lahaina Town and Lanai in the background. Bottomline is to take your time, make sure people are aligned correctly and that no heads are obscure, then fire away. Oh well - mental notes for next season.