USA vs Spain – 24 June 2009

The USA win Spain 2-0 in the 2009 Confederations Cup Semi Final in Bloemfontein on 24 June. This was a big surprise for everyone and specially for the Spain players. The defenders of the USA did really well to cut of Xavi from his strikers, Torres and David Villa and couldn’t find any gaps through the middle where they like to play. The result was that they had to come in from the side which didn’t worked for them.  The coach of the USA, Bob Bradley, did  well to sort out this tactic and it payed of in the end.

The next image is of Spain walking onto the field. Nikon SA had a service stall in the media building and lend me a Nikon D3 fitted with a 14-24 mm f2.8 lens to test it. I got some nice shots and is impress with the sharpness right through the focal lenght. The handling of the lens is fantastic. My favorite focal lenght is on the 14mm setting. Well for those of you who know me that won’t come as a surprise. “Go in tight and shoot wide” as Joe McNally would say. Hendri and Lourens from Nikon SA and Paul Lewis from Nikon Europe did a great job with the service they gave us.

Jozy Altidore got the first goal for the USA with a brilliant header. Photo taken with a Nikon D3 and Nikon 400mm F2.8 lens.

To view more of these images go to www.supermedia.co.za

Gerhard

Rocklands Township – 23 June 2009

It is 22 June and a day before the Semi Final of the 2009 Confederations Cup Soccer in South Africa between Spain and USA in Bloemfontein. All the media guys(there are hundreds of them) try to kill some time by doing something positive in Blommies. Anesh(photographer from Durban) , Chris (Journalist from Durban) and me head out to Rocklands,Township just outside Bloemfontein to go and take some kids in the streets playing street soccer.

I was very sceptical to go because it was near freezing point in Bloemfontein with a cold front passing through. Driving into Rocklands it was very  quiet with not much going on as expected. After we spot a few kids we stop and ask them if we can take a few photos.

The word spread quickly and in a few minutes there were enough kids to keep us busy for ten days.

What amazes me the most was how happy these kids are. They got absolutely nothing and haven’t got hang ups about a 14-24 mm Nikon lens that they want to buy or the new 13″ Mac Book Pro that’s out. They just enjoy them self by playing soccer with a ball that got a hole in it as big as a tennis ball.

The kids were more than willing to pose for us and i really got some nice images with my D3, 10.5 mm lens and a SB 900 flash using it with a cord off camera.

After a while this old lady walks by and i ask her if  we can take a few photos. These people really like photos taken of them.

Then this old man walks by. He was very friendly but give me just one photo and of he went. Enough of this #$% and mad people with these funny stuff in their hands.

In a Cookka shop near by these two guys, sitting close to there Konka to keep warm, are selling anything from Pap en Sous to Oranges. This is how they make a living and keep them self busy. Can you imagine some days i’m complaining that i have to take to many photos or work to hard.

Afterwards we head of to Carramellos for a Coffee and a Scone with Jam and Cheese. It was a great experience and maybe something that will keep me humble for a while. I still can’t understand how people can be so happy with so little.

Gerhard

www.supermedia.co.za

Bafana Bafana vs Spain – 20 June 2009

Spain won the game 2-0 but didn’t humiliate South Africa at all. Bafana really played well and in the first half Matthew Booth keep Torres at bay very well.   Suddenly SA is starting to play very good soccer and i think a lot of credit must go to Joel Santana the Coach. I don’t know what it is but his doing something right.

The Bloemfontein crowd again was at there utmost best and Bafana can’t complain that they haven’t efficient support. I even heard a overseas lady said on the TV that she haven’t seen such passion even as a Liverpool fan going to all their games. Just one negative thing. I think they must ban the Vuvuzelas as quickly as possible because all the noise is killing the positive atmosphere that wants to come through by the singing and clapping hands of the crowd.

On the field Spain showed why they are the European Champs. They got such a lot of options that it is very difficult for another team to counter them. This image of Torres trying to beat Tsepo Masilela, one of Bafana’s defenders.

Go to www.supermedia.co.za to view more photos of the game.

Gerhard

Spain vs Iraq – 17 June 2009

The fifth match of the 2009 Confederations Cup was played in Bloemfontein South Africa on 17 June.  I must say the organizing of the match tickets and accreditation was a pleasure compared to Sundays match between Brazil and Egypt. I think the organizers got everything under control by now and everything went very smoothly.

The media centre is something out of this world with working space galore and Wi Fi at 54MBS. I eventually sort out my wireless after targeted Jeremia the IT consultant on duty.  Wired networking if you want is available and lots of power points and plus minus 40 plasma screens working overtime. Oh yes and a restaurant with burgers, cool drinks and lots of other snacks.

The following image is of the media centre where +- 2000 images, according to stats by the IT department, get send after each match. In front sit Anesh my big photographer friend from Durban and my working space is just right of him.

Every photographer(there must be around 70 of them per game), get a number before the game and must sit on a chair with the same number on the field. Every seat got a wired network available and a power point for you laptop. To give you an idea at some rugby matches they even rejected our request for one power point on the field.

The following image of Etienne photographer for The Star sorting his Laptop out before the game. Yes he is an old scholar of Grey College in Bloem.

The crowd were amazing and at one stage over thirty thousand fans were clapping hands and singing Siwelele (official song for Celtic FC).  Even the Spain and Iraq fans were singing with the rest. I don’t think they had a clue what they were singing but they enjoyed it anyway.

On the field Spain won the game 1-0 with a header goal by David Villa. It was a great experience to see players like Torres and Sergio Ramos in action.

To see more photos of the game go to www.supermedia.co.za

Gerhard

Brazil vs Egypt – 15 June 2009

Amazing game with 7 goals in it. In the end Brazil won 4-3 with a penalty goal in the last minute. It was the third match of the  2009  Confederations cup that took place in Bloemfontein, South Africa.  The whole experience was wonder full and i enjoy every moment of it. It is really a experience to take photos of some of  the world’s best footballers like Kaka of Brazil and Zidan Mohammed of Egypt.
Brazil supporters enjoying the vibe before the match. Taken with Nikon D3 and Nikon 10.5 mm lens.

Kaka of Brazil after scoring the first goal for Brazil.  Photo taken with Nikon D3 and Nikon 400 mm F2.8 lens.

Gerhard

www.supermedia.co.za

Tungsten White Balance

On Wednesday 10 June i went down to Durban to cover the Sharks vs Lions game(see previous post).  I did not pick up my accreditation the day before so i had to get it on match day at the main gate from some volunteers who will be there the whole day giving out these passes.

Out of experience  i know this is a photographer’s worst nightmare come true. To sort it out calmly i went to the stadium at 14h30(the kick off was only at 19hoo). Well as expected nobody in sight with passes. After 45 min. i sorted it out after luckily spotted Ryaan Adriaanse , one of SARU’s media officers. Anyway i still were on the field at around 15h30.

So after i sorted myself out in the media room with some water and cooldrink, started up my laptop, sort out my WiFi(which eventually didn’t work) i took my D3, 10,5 mm fisheye lens with a  SB 900 flash attached with a cable to the camera head out to the field to see if something is happening(the security gaurd and me were the only people in the media room). Well at three and a half hours before kick off not much were going on except a few camera crew sorting out their cameras but in the one corner i saw this guy sitting reading and recognise him as the guy on the TV(Supersport presenter Tony N’Doro)

He was busy preparing for the match and after asking him if i can take a few images(he didn’t mind at all) i got away with this shot.

Setting on D3;

Program mode 

Exposure: – 1 stop

White Balance: Tungsten

Picture control: Vivid -1

Flash: SB 900 on TTL + 1 stop exposure attached with cable to camera. On the front i put a orange filter to compensate for the tungsten WB. I held the flash to the left of his face with my left hand and shoot the camera with my right hand(Cowboy Steenkamp Deluxe). 

Gerhard

www.supermedia.co.za

British Irish Lions vs Sharks – 10 June 2009

The Shark Tank  saw on Wednesday night 10 June what we can expect from the Lions Further on.  As i said in the previous post the Lions are going to develop in a very good side in the next two weeks. The only problem i can see is that they not going to play their full Test side before the first test on 20 June in Durban.  I think if the Boks wants to hit them they must do it in this test. 

Here a image of Lee Byrne on the run. As you can see it was a night game. Setting on my D3 was as follow;

Shutter;  1/800 sec.

Aperture: F4

ISO: 5000

White Balance: Auto

Picture Control: Vivid -1(The -1 is for the British guys who really got red skin tones if using on full vivid)

Further it is always a big decision when to switch from your long lens(400mm) to the shorter zoom(70-200mm). With this image i pushed it to the limit to get those facial expressions. If you want to get nice try shots this was to late because if i only changed at this moment i would have missed it anyway. One must at least switch on the 25 m line resulting in losing these nice closeup shots near the try line. Anyway i think it varies from one photographer to another and also for whom you are shooting for. Normally the papers like the try photos where in magazines i would get more coverage out of this image of Lee Byrne.

Gerhard

www.supermedia.co.za

British Lions vs Cheetahs

On 6 June the Cheetahs took on the Britis Irish Lions at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein.  The Lions won the match 26-24 but if the Cheetahs last drop goal attempt could have gone over it would have been another story.  However i still think the Lions got a very strong side and the speed that they do all their moves at are just amazing. I think the tests against the Springboks are going to be very close and can’t see that it is going to be a whitewash fom either side.

Below a image of Donncha O’Callaghan, Lock Forward of the Lions putting in some flying time. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and Nikon 400mm F2.8 lens. The sky was overcast resulting in nice soft light.

Gerhard

www.supermedia.co.za

Confederations Cup Soccer 2009

In a few days time the 2009 Confederations Cup Soccer starts in South Africa. I’ve got the privilege to cover the four games in Bloemfontein that consists of the following;

15 June:  Brazil vs Egypt

17 June: Spain vs Iraq

20 June: Spain vs South Africa

24 June: One of the Semi Finals

All these games going to take place at Vodacompark in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Check this blog and website www.supermedia.co.za for coverage of these games.

Here is a photo of Siphiwe Tsabalala, Striker of Bafana Bafana during a soccer match between South Africa and Libya at Vodacompark in 2008. I used a Nikon D3 and a Nikon 400mm F2.8 lens to take the photo.

Gerhard

www.supermedia.co.za