Rio Tinto Fisheye Stadium

Monday I was planning on going downtown to shoot more pics of SLC. But I had to run some errands first (I won't bore you with the details). But while I was doing so I received a giant headache, as well as a back and hip ache. Not wanting to be ungrateful for this wonderful gift, I decided not to go downtown, but to go directly home and celebrate with some Tylenol and a nap.

My errands took me to a location close to 9400 S., and 700 E. My normal way home would have been to go down to 9000 S. then directly west to West Jordan. (Could never figure out what happened to North and East Jordan - since there is only a West and South Jordan). Because they are doing construction on 9000 S. (90th South to locals), I decided to go west on 9400 S.

As I was driving along, I saw this strange looking structure off to the right. I turned to look closer and realized it was the new soccer field for the Real Salt Lake soccer team. So I did a U-turn (legally of course), and pulled into a small parking lot to see if I could get a good view, from an unusual location. But no such luck. So I drove around until I found the road that goes directly behind the stadium. I took that road, and then found a parking lot. The east end of the lot was elevated, and I was hoping to get a better view to take a picture from.

Then I saw the perfect spot to take a photo. But it was inside the stadium, on the top row of bleachers, which was the same height as the parking lot I was in. So I decided to see if I could get closer. I got all my gear out, locked up the car, and proceeded to look for the best location to shoot from. As I got closer to the stadium I could see one of the gates was open. Not just a normal entry gate, but a roll-away gate that you could, and they do, drive a truck through. It was wide open. I looked around and didn't see anyone, so I hurriedly went over to the spot I had seen earlier, set up my tripod, got my camera out, and proceeded to take pictures before anyone noticed me and kicked me out. But nobody came. So I just kept shooting. I shot some pics with my Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens, then with my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. I then proceeded around the stadium, taking pictures as I went.

They had the sprinklers on, watering the field in preparation for a game the next night. The sun was bright, but there were some interesting cloud formations floating around. Other than that it was just perfect for shooting. So I did - shoot. For about an hour and a half. By that time the sun had gone behind some clouds, so there were no shadows on the field, and the sprinklers were off, so it was perfect conditions for shooting. The only way it could have been better was if I had been able to wait a couple of more hours for the sun to start to go down, to get that great golden glow. But as it turned out the sun went down behind a huge bank of clouds, so no wonderful glow.

It turned out that I got there at the perfect time. As I mentioned earlier, I hadn't planned to be there at all. I was lucky to find the gate open. I was lucky that nobody threw me out - well at least not yet... And I was lucky that the weather was perfect, the sun went behind the clouds, yet left enough light to get some great images.

As I was headed out, a security guard pulled up on his Segway. He was very polite, but in the end he said that I wasn't supposed to be there, and that I needed to leave. I asked if I could just snap a couple of photos on my way out, and he said OK. I ended up taking some of the best shots after he kicked me out.

Here are a couple of the shots I took...

This shot was taken just after I got thrown out. I took it with my Canon 15mm fisheye lens. I thought it gave the stadium a great look. I also noticed that the two artistic 'roofs' are not identical, and are not symmetrical, and are not even directly opposite from each other.







This next picture is actually 5 images combined in Photoshop CS4 Photomerge program.

Brigham Young Parts the Pillars

I was taking photographs of the interior of the Utah State Capitol building a couple of weeks ago, and was positioning myself to take a shot of the rotunda. I had to keep backing up, so that I could get a picture of the entire rotunda. There was another photographer , Steve Mackley (http://mackleyphoto.blogspot.com/), taking wedding photographs on the west stairs of the rotunda. As I was backing up, getting closer and closer to his shoot, I told him that if I got too close to his shoot to let him know, and I would move. He said, not to worry, and to let him know if I wanted him to move, (professional photographers are always considerate and courteous to each other).

He then asked me if I had ever shot with a fisheye lens. I told him that I hadn't, and he pulled out a Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye lens and asked me if I wanted to try it. Of course I said yes. But I didn't stop at one or two photos - no. I shot as many shots of the rotunda as I could, balancing the desire to shoot with it all day, and the need to be respectful of his time.

When I got home I told my wife of this experience. I then downloaded the photos, and showed them to her. The first words out of her mouth were, "You ARE in trouble". She loved the photos.

I now have my own fisheye lens.

Here are some of the shots that I took using the fisheye lens. Here Brigham Young's energy and aura is so powerful, even the pillars bend to move out of his way.








Below is a shot of the rotunda showing the east staircase, the 65ft ceiling in the rotunda, and the sculptures in the four corners of the round rotunda.







Next is a shot of the ceiling showing the murals and the arches.







Click on images to see a larger view.