19 July, 2012

FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Minsk 2012 - Part two -






Literally at the official hotel, there were lots of famous gymnasts and teams as well. We had breakfast  at the same restaurant so I could see them quite naturally. As a fun, I wanted be much more childish and have some picture taken or so on. Yet on the other hand, as a photographer, it was difficult to carry on them as obviously it is not cool.

Day 2, in a sense the most significant day for me because it was individual all-round competition day. But before that, let's have a look at the images above. The pictures show peripheral area of the venue and the hotel I stayed. As you can see, buildings are equally square and large. And there are a few people walking on the street. And advertisements on the buildings are somehow patriotic. Actually, I was able to see such ads at many places. This might accelerate notorious rumours of Belarus. However in reality, the city is quite calm and clean. As dustman whose dustpan is pointless cleaning up the street, its environment is so tidy.

OK, during the competition, I could take picture at the press seat. When I have arrived at the venue, there were already many photographers in the zone. Unfortunately, there were no chairs that I could sit on therefore I was obliged to stand and take photos. TV Asahi, KBS, SBS, some of broadcasting stations from Asian countries were there and covering the match. When we recognise each other as Asians, it's always awkward as we don't know where the opponent from.






To be honest, I didn't feel like take numbers of images of gymnasts. I had some reasons.

a. No chairs. Even when I photograph as a spectator from the spectator's seats, I used to do it sitting on a seat. Since it is stable and not easy to be tired. But in this time as I said, there were no vacancy to sit on. Completely occupied.

b. Lens. When I take sporting images, I use my own super convenient zoom lens however, I dropped off this lens at Pesaro by mistake. And zoom ring doesn't move smoothly, which might mean optically inaccurate. It still works but I guess this is not the best performance. In addition, my lens is not suitable for indoor sports as its f number is big.

c. Cheering. I could reach to press zone but, still a big RG fan and wanted to watch the competition. I have never ever watched this from that distance even as a spectator. Hence I was so much confused that which element I should have priority as a photographer or a spectator.


After the half time, I decided to concentrate on my shooting with the super zoom lens I hate. Otherwise I should have missed this precious chance.



















I have already noticed that other photographers have so expensive equipments with mono-pods which are very much appropriate for indoor sports. And their shutter sounded quite fast and synchronised, which means they all take exactly the same moments.
Their style and mine is different. I don't pursue photographic quantity but quality. You can press the shutter button and capture the moments consecutively as many as you want to and the expensive equipments enable it. This might be a recording. Therefore composition is quite significant for me to make differences.  The images above are not a hundred percent with my ideal. I need think more and practice more.

On this day, I came across a newspaper writer in Minsk who runs Lubov Charkashyna's blog as a deputy.


  

He is so kind to me as before I got there I had commented that I will go to Minsk. So for him, virtual world became the real. According to Liubov, he was thinking that I was a girl from my name, which is a funny story. But, this is a very interesting as well. Because a writer met a supporter who commented on the blog written in English alone surrounded by Russian and finally he got acquainted with the supporter, which is me!

After the day 1, He and I talked for a long time about many things. I can't remember properly, I suppose about Minsk and RG and some other sports. He is not good at speaking English but he tried to understand what I was talking to him. I do appreciate his attitude.

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