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Posts Tagged ‘Indoor’

World’s Largest Indoor Farm is 100 Times More Productive

12 Jan

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

indoor farm japan interior

The statistics for this incredibly successful indoor farming endeavor in Japan are staggering: 25,000 square feet producing 10,000 heads of lettuce per day (100 times more per square foot than traditional methods) with 40% less power, 80% less food waste and 99% less water usage than outdoor fields.

indoor factory lettuce farm

indoor farm high yield

Customized LED lighting developed with GE helps plants grow up to two and half times faster, one of the many innovations employed in this enterprise by Shigeharu Shimamura, the man who helped turn a former semiconductor factory into the planet’s biggest interior factory farm.

worlds largest indoor farm

Shimamura has shortened the cycle of days and nights in this artificial environment, growing food faster, while optimizing temperature, lighting and humidity and maximizing vertical square footage in this vast interior space (about half the size of a football field).

indoor future led farming

With a long-standing passion for produce production, he “got the idea for his indoor farm as a teenager, when he visited a ‘vegetable factory’ at the Expo ’85 world’s fair in Tsukuba, Japan. He went on to study plant physiology at the Tokyo University of Agriculture, and in 2004 started an indoor farming company called Mirai, which in Japanese means ‘future.’”

indoor farm interview detail

The beauty of this development lies partly in its versatility – since it deals in climate-controlled spaces and replicable conditions, a solution of this sort can be deployed anywhere in the world to address food shortages of the present and future. Saving space, indoor vertical farms are also good candidates for local food production in crowded and high-cost urban areas around the globe. Aforementioned strides in waste and power reduction also make these techniques and approaches far more sustainable and cost-efficient.

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[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

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Tips For Great Indoor Portraits Using Natural Light

05 Oct

192

You don’t have to have an amazing dedicated photography studio to get great shots indoors. Most homes have at least one or two spots that work just fine. You don’t have to have a lot of additional equipment, in fact, these tips will help you take indoor photos with just your camera and natural window light (and even incandescent light in a pinch).180

Seek the best light

Take a tour of the home you are going to shoot in to scout out the best light. I’ve done newborn sessions in a kitchen multiple times because that’s where the light was best. Often times bedrooms are little havens of sunshine as well. It might not be the room with the prettiest furniture, but that’s okay. Light is most important to me, and the other things in the room are secondary.

Eliminate clutter or simplify

Once you’ve found some nice light, do all that you can to eliminate clutter in the area you are going to shoot. Move distracting objects if possible; it’s much easier to move them before you shoot than to try to take them out later in post-processing. If you can’t avoid clutter, try getting in close to your subject.

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Shooting in low light

Most of the time I shoot indoors with my 50mm f/1.4 lens on a full-frame body (try a 35mm lens on an APS-C or cropped sensor). It gives me enough space to get everything in the photo that I want, and gives me the ability to open the aperture wide enough to take photos in poorly lit rooms, if needed. Other lenses can work just as well, depending on what you are trying to achieve, but this is the lens that I have found has the most versatility for my indoor shooting.

You will often need to push the ISO higher if you don’t have a lot of natural light coming in. I prefer some noise, or grain, to the look of a flash, so this doesn’t bother me too much. Ideally you’ll want to shoot on days with plenty of sunlight, and a time of day when you have plenty of light indoors. This isn’t the situation to shoot in the golden hour, right before sunset. You might want to try late morning or early afternoon for more natural light.

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Direction of light is important to create mood

When you are shooting with natural window light, pay attention to the direction the light is coming in, just as you would when shooting outdoors with the sun. You can have a beautiful hazy backlit photo, or a dimensional dramatic side-lit photo, or a flattering crisp photo lit directly from the front. Decide what mood you’d like in your photo, and also pay attention to the space you have to maneuver, and any clutter that may be in the background. 451

Mixed lighting situations

Sometimes you have to just work with what you’ve got. If you’re forced to shoot with incandescent lighting, you can still get some meaningful photos. Try not to have incandescent lighting and natural window lighting fighting to light your subject at the same time. It usually creates a crazy white balance issue, and it’s hard to make right, unless you just convert the photo to black and white. I’ll usually turn overhead lighting off, unless there is absolutely not enough light without it, or I’m shooting in a situation where I don’t have control over where the action happens.

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Fitting it all in the shot

At times I have had to be very creative to get everything in the photo that I need to include. You can always use a wider angle lens, but that can distort things, and you might not want that look. I’ve stood on counter tops in the kitchen, on beds (watch out for ceiling fans-I’ve had a couple of close calls when I wasn’t paying attention), and wedged myself behind furniture. Anything for a good shot, right?

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Finally

One last tip: Sometimes you may not be sure exactly where the best spot is for the lighting you’re hoping for. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and move your subject around until you’re happy with the way everything looks. If I have a newborn on a blanket, it’s a simple thing to rotate the blanket around until I like the way the light rests on his face.

Don’t be afraid to get your camera out indoors! With some practice and experimentation, you’ll find lots of ways to make great photos without any extra equipment.

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Insane Yacht’s Floating Garage Doubles as an Indoor Pool

02 Oct

[ By Steph in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

Floating Garage Mega Yacht 1

File this one under ‘billionaire toys that will simultaneously make you envious and give you a rage headache:’ the J’ade by CRN is the world’s first mega-yacht featuring a floating garage, which doubles as an ‘indoor’ swimming pool when not in use.

Floating Garage Mega Yacht 2

The hydraulic-operated bay of this ‘flooded garage’ makes it easy to store and access smaller watercraft (in this case, an 8-meter Riva ISEO speedboat) without the need for a tender lift, drying out in just three minutes. The doors can also be closed with water in the bay to create a protected ocean pool, potentially making open-sea night swims feel a lot less scary.

FLoating Garage Mega Yacht 3

FLoating Garage Mega Yacht 4

The 60-meter J’ade has room for 13 crew members and 10 guests, with an appropriately luxurious marble and rosewood interior, four decks, an outdoor diving table for up to 14 people, an audio/video entertainment system and a marble bar in the main salon with an aquarium backdrop. There’s also a hot tub on the spacious upper deck.

FLoating Garage Mega Yacht 6

Floating Garage Mega Yacht 7

Floating Garage Mega Yacht 8

“Ready for delivery to the billionaire owner,” this insane super yacht doesn’t have a public price tag, but it’s safe to say that only the wealth hoarders of the world can even afford to get a close-up look.

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[ By Steph in Technology & Vehicles & Mods. ]

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Step by Step how to Brighten the Walls in Your Indoor Photos

06 Aug

“I swear, the walls were white!” you exclaim as you look through indoor photos taken from an earlier shoot, that now appear to have an annoying yellow tint over everything. Sound familiar? Don’t worry, you’re not crazy. This is a common frustration, photographers of all experience levels face due to what’s referred to as “color casting”. Color casting is simply the effect of light striking different surfaces and bouncing back other colors into your camera’s sensor. Though annoying, it’s also relatively unavoidable without careful calculation and additional equipment.

Before.After2_.jpg

Powerful photographs are created before, during, and after the click of your camera. Sometimes, especially when it comes to photographing wiggly, unpredictable children, you don’t exactly have time to calibrate with a gray card, adjust your camera settings, or take a test shot. If you’re not already bored by the thought of it, by the time you actually work through this process, the moment has passed, and you’re still fiddling with a camera instead of chasing after your little subject.

Since some of the best natural shots occur in the comfort of your home, it’s important to make sure the walls surrounding you aren’t obstructing the emotion you could be catching with awkward color casts. Even though grasping skills like proper exposure, white balance settings, and other in-camera techniques are key to creating good photos, they are only pieces of the greater puzzle. Sometimes, it’s the things like communicating effectively with your subject, learning to naturally direct posing, and mastering basic post-processing tricks that truly take that in-camera image and reveal the emotion behind it. Luckily, correcting dingy-wall syndrome is a quick and easy way to improve your indoor shots. With just a few quick steps in Photoshop, you can restore brightness to your walls and subjects and drastically improve your shot.

Before

Above is the image I started with. The walls were white and the couch was tan, but the color cast over the image makes everything appear dingy. This is what we’re working towards:

After

How to fix this – steps:

Step one

Operating on a new layer, navigate to the ‘Replace Color’ tool by clicking on Image > Adjustments > Replace Color

ReplaceColorSS

Step two

A dialog box will pop up. Make sure the ‘Localized Colors’ box is checked and the ‘Eyedropper’ tool is selected. Sample a section of the wall from the original image you want to adjust. With the ‘selection’ option active, your preview shows what color will be affected by with adjustment in white. Play with the fuzziness slider until your preview shows the best selection. It’s okay if it picks up some colors from other parts of the image you don’t want to adjust; we’ll go back and fix that later.

Option: You can also select just the portion of the image you want to change by using the Quick Select tool.

Step three

Slide the saturation bar to the left to decrease the color tones, but not too far that it creates noise (grain) from the contrast. Slide the ‘lightness’ bar to the right to adjust the brightness of your white, but again, not so much that it creates unusual contrast. Use your judgment based your particular photo to determine the levels that achieve the best result. Click ‘Ok”.

ReplaceColorSS2

Step four

If your fuzziness picked up any samples from areas that you did not wish to change, like faces for example, simply select the ‘Eraser’ tool and paint over those areas to restore the original color. You can adjust the opacity of your eraser to control the amount of color you wish to restore as well. (You can also use a layer mask to do this)

That’s it! Now you can make any other changes or adjustments to the image. This one simple fix makes a huge difference in the impact of your images and takes less than a minute to complete once you get the hang of it. Normally, “I’ll fix it in post-processing” is not a great motto to adopt as a photographer and of course, you should aim to do as much in camera as possible. But hey, life is spontaneous! This quick little trick is an easy way for you to truly enhance the natural beauty of your indoor images and you’ll never have to worry about missing the shot again because of your in-camera white balance.

Before After

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A Guide to Lighting Indoor Sports

25 Feb

Newspapers may be circling the technological drain at this point, but for 150 years they were king of the hill. And the 20 years I spent there proved to be a great ride as well as a non-stop idea lab.

Today we'll take a look back at how we developed our multi-budget solutions for lighting winter indoor sports—specifically in high school gymnasiums. Lighting indoor sports opens up a whole new world as compared to trying to shoot available light. You can both freeze action and define the quality of the light in a much better way than the spotty existing overheads.

And for the sake of argument, let's assume only one rule: no on-camera direct flash. Because that looks horrible. Other than that, any lighting scheme is fair game for exploitation. Also, I don't have access to all of my sports archives at the papers so we'll be sticking to cookbook-type lighting diagrams to visualize placement and coverage.

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Tips for Indoor Sports Photography – Part 2

21 Jan

As the title of the article says, this is Part 2. I strongly encourage you to read Part 1 first, where I covered some of the indoor sports photography basics like gear, auto focus, camera settings, and looking for creative angles. While Part 1 centered primarily on basketball, here in Part 2 we’ll take a quick look at some of the other indoor sports you might find yourself shooting.

Fencing

Whereas flash might be allowed for basketball, it will NEVER be okay for fencing. You’ve got two combatants trying to stab each other with swords. Anything you do that can possibly affect the vision of either fencer–even if just for a moment–can also affect the outcome of the match, and possibly result in injury. Open up your aperture, dial down your shutter speed a bit, crank up your ISO. Rapid-fire mode may not be such a bad idea here, because a certain number of blurry photos are to be expected.

Fencing and volleyball-- two very fast, unpredictable sports.

Fencing and volleyball– two very fast, unpredictable sports. FENCING: 100mm, 1/160, f/2.8, ISO 1600.  VOLLEYBALL: 80mm, 1/200, f/4, ISO 1250, TTL Flash.

Volleyball

I love the game of volleyball, but I absolutely hate shooting it. The unpredictability of bump, set, and spike can be maddening. Anticipating where the ball is going is perhaps more difficult in volleyball than any other sport. Again, flash may or may not be your friend when photographing this sport. Make sure to talk with the referee before the match begins. In volleyball, there is one referee at the net. Most will allow you to use flash, as long as you are not shooting towards them. That means shooting from the same side as the ref. You’ll most likely have spectators behind you, so try to stay low and be respectful.

Gymnastics & Competitive Cheerleading

Just like fencing, flash will never be allowed when photographing gymnastics or competitive cheerleading. Both are a photographic challenge, requiring you to capture very fast action in very low light. Most professionals like to shoot these events at 1/1000 with very high ISO. Being able to anticipate the action is possibly more important in gymnastics than almost any other sport.  Gymnastics moves so fast that if you see it in the viewfinder, chances are you’ve already missed the shot. Watch them warm up. Getting familiar with a routine during practice will help you know what to look for when it’s real.

No flash allowed when balance is the difference between winning and losing.

No flash allowed when safety and balance can be the difference between winning and losing, or injury.
1/250, f/4, 80mm, ISO 3200.

Swimming

For swimming, flash is generally allowed, but never on the start. When officials need to signal a false start, swimmers see a flashing light at the end of the pool. Hitting them with flash before they even hit the water can confuse them into thinking a false start has been signaled when it hasn’t. There is no do-over if they mistakenly think it’s a false-start and stop swimming. They are out of the race and it’s your fault.  Also, get there early. At least one hour. This is absolutely crucial for swimming events. Your camera is going to have to adapt to the humid conditions. Getting there in enough time for your gear to acclimate will keep your lenses from fogging up.

Other than no flash until they're in the water, swimming doesn't place too many restrictions on photography.

Other than no flash until they’re in the water, swimming doesn’t place too many restrictions on photography.  1/180, f/3.2, 200mm, ISO 800.

Wrestling

I love shooting wrestling. Love it. For starters, I’m off my feet, getting my best shots either sitting or lying down on the mat. Many wrestling meets involve a dozen or more teams, with several matches going on simultaneously. If you’re lucky, you can find a spot on the mats with four matches going on around you at the same time. When one bout slows down or ends, simply rotate around to another. The key here is speed and efficiency. Bouts can go for several minutes, or they can be over in the blink of an eye. Flash is generally allowed at the high school level, but a newer model camera with high ISO, combined with some fast lenses, can mean great captures without the use of flash. Experiment and see what works best for you.

Don't blink. You might miss it.

Don’t blink. You might miss it.  1/250, f/3.2, 85mm, ISO 640.

Boxing

Similar concerns to fencing, but this time it’s much more up close and personal. Flash is definitely not allowed, but the good news is that the lighting at these events is usually really good. Pay attention to where the light falls on the ring and play to those angles for dramatic results. You are going to be fairly restricted in terms of where you can stand, because fighters take up two corners and judges are situated on all four sides of the ring. You’re shooting up, between ropes, at in-your-face action. Stick to a standard zoom like the 24-70mm or a wide-angle 16-35mm.  This is one of those rare sporting events where the 70-200mm is not your friend.

Ring-side. 1/500, f/4.5, ISO 6400, 48mm. Leave the 70-200mm at home, but bring a towel.

Ring-side. 1/500, f/4.5, ISO 6400, 48mm. Leave the 70-200mm at home, but bring a towel.

Shooting indoor sports is tough. If it was up to me, all sports would be played outside under optimal, natural lighting conditions. Hey, a guy can dream, right? Don’t let the challenges or stumbling blocks get you down. With practice, preparation, and the right gear, you’ll see the quality of of your images improve dramatically.

Do you have a good tip for shooting indoor sports? Share it with us in the comments.

For additional reading, one of the best books ever written on the subject of sports photography is “Peter Read Miller On Sports Photography.”  Miller has been photographing the NFL, the Olympics, and portraits for “Sports Illustrated” for almost 40 years. He has over 100 S.I. covers to his credit, as well as 35 Super Bowls, 9 Olympic Games, and countless other sporting events around the world. You can check out my review of the book, as well as my conversation with Peter, by clicking here. The book is available on Amazon.com.

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Tips for Indoor Sports Photography – Part 1

17 Jan
Shooting indoor sports isn't always easy, but you can get professional-quality results by following these tried and true tips/

Shooting indoor sports isn’t always easy, but you can get professional quality results by following a few tried and true tips.  1/180, f/4, 80mm, ISO 1250, flash.

A few weeks ago, we asked our dPS Facebook followers what topics they’d like to see covered here on the blog, and a few of you were in search of tips for indoor sports photography. For purposes of this article, I’m going to concentrate heavily on high school basketball, because it brings all of the challenges of shooting indoor sports together; bad lighting, fast action, ornery coaches, inconsistent referees, and–of course–the unpredictability of sports.

The Right Gear for the Job

I’m not going to spend a lot of time here discussing camera bodies. As long as you are photographing with a reliable DSLR, your bigger concern should be the glass. Fast glass. That doesn’t mean I advocate running out and spending all of your money on the most expensive lenses that you either can ,or can’t afford, but a long zoom with a large aperture is going to be a must.

Unfortunately, while many gyms may be well-lit for sports, most are poorly lit for photography.  Adding to the challenge, many high school sports have a prohibition against using flash. You have to do your homework. In my experience, I’ve never had a problem using flash for basketball. As long as you are shooting from an off-center angle, you should be fine. You have to be careful, though, because you don’t want to blast a player in the face with flash full, and possibly change the outcome of the game. That’s the best way to make sure they never let you in with your camera again. Flashing action on the floor? Shouldn’t be a problem. Flashing a player on the free throw line before the ball leaves his hands? Not so much.  As with any type of shoot, make sure you have all of the necessary backups: batteries, memory cards, etc., as well as a backup body if possible.

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to travel light while shooting sports.

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to travel light while shooting sports. Shown: Nikon D90, 24-70mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, SB800 speedlight, plus spare batteries, memory cards, etc., that all pack into modular components shown for the Think Tank Pro Speed Belt.

Get There Early

Trust me when I tell you that you are going to want to get there early.  Pre-game  warm-ups offer some of best opportunities for quality shots of individual players.  For starters, players tend to move a little more slowly in warm-ups than in the actual game.  You’ll have an easier time capturing motion, and more of an opportunity to isolate individual players in the frame.  You can get a little closer to the action during warm-ups, but PLEASE BE CAREFUL!  Each half of the court is going to be filled with players, coaches, managers, officials, and other personnel. The players are big, fast, and not paying attention to you.  Their job is to play basketball–not give you the best photo op.

Know the Sport

The most compelling shots will have offense, defense, and the ball. You can get good shots without the ball, but they will be better with it.

The most compelling shots will have offense, defense, and the ball. You can get good shots without the ball, but they will be better with it.  LEFT: 1/250, f/5, 80mm, ISO 2000, flash.  RIGHT: 1/320, f/2.8, 80mm, ISO 1250, flash.

The biggest key to getting quality photos of any sport is to have a solid understanding of the game and how it is played.  Every sport has a rhythm all its own. Are they playing a zone defense or man-to-man? Is it a run-and-gun, or are they burning the clock? Can #33 sink the three with impunity, or is he dishing it off to the open center for a lay-up? Do you need to be on the sidelines or under the bucket? Which side is best: the home side of the stands or the visitors’?

Remember that there is a big difference between shooting as a media photographer and shooting as a parent.  As a reporter or school photographer, you are there for “the big picture.”  As a parent, you are mostly concerned with getting photos of your son or daughter, and they’ll be easy to track with the number on their back.  In either case, the more you understand the subtleties of the game the better prepared you will be.

Focus

When I say “focus” I’m not just talking about your photography.  I tell this story a lot because I think it’s important. You have to be aware of your surroundings. I once saw a photographer stand his ground on the sidelines at a football game, despite the fact that a player was being pushed out of bounds right at him.  I watched as his camera, lens, and monopod all went flying in three different directions–as he flew in a fourth.  He was wheeled off the field with cuts to his face, and a leg that had been broken in two places. He was out of commission for six months. No photograph is worth that. Be safe. Focus on where you are and what is going on around you.

Now let’s talk about the other kind of focus.  Obviously, it’s an action sport and you want action photos.  Some of the best sports photos are those that capture the eyes. Things move fast, though, and your subjects are not always going to be standing still long enough for you to focus on their eyes. Your camera’s auto focus works by looking for contrast. Uniforms usually have a lot of contrast between the color of the jersey and the color of the numbers.  If you can get the eyes, great.  If not, your best bet is to try locking on either those numbers or the ball once players start moving.

Most professional sports photographers use back-button focus. Check your manual if you aren't sure where to find this feature in your camera's menus.

Most professional sports photographers use back-button focus.
Check your manual if you aren’t sure where to find this feature in your camera’s menus.

Try Back Button Focus

Another focus option you might wish to try is back button focus. Most DSLRs have an option that allows you to assign auto focus functions to a button on the back of the camera. When AF is linked to the shutter button, the camera continuously maintains focus as long as the shutter button is pressed halfway.

When a player passes between you and the player you’d been focusing on, your focus will be shifted to the new player in the frame. Pressing the shutter button halfway down to regain focus on your original target starts the process over again and probably means missing the intended shot. With back-button focus, however, all you have to do is remove your finger from the button when another player enters the frame. Pressing the back button again when the distracting player leaves the frame resumes your original focus.

Continuous Focus Mode

Part of the secret to shooting sports is using AI Servo (AF-C on Nikon) auto focus mode. With “one shot” AF (AF-S on Nikon) focus locks on a point and cannot move until you release and reengage the auto focus. In AI Servo (AF-C), however, the camera continuously focuses whenever you are pushing the AF button (or shutter button halfway if you haven’t reassigned it). It not only helps you lock focus, but also keep it when trying to photograph bodies in motion.

Camera Settings

As with any type of photography, there is not necessarily a “right” or “wrong” exposure.  But this is a sport, after all, and if you come home with 300 blurry photos you aren’t going to be happy–nor will your editor, or your daughter, the MVP.  Remember that since shutter speed controls ambient exposure, the faster your shutter speed is the better your chances will be of freezing the action.  I generally like to start with a shutter speed of 1/500 and adjust my settings accordingly until I get the look I want.  Since this is an indoor sport, your lighting will probably be consistent over the course of the game, unless the gym has windows. Don’t forget, though, that “consistent” can also be “consistently bad.”

If you are using flash, it’s going to be important for you to determine the maximum shutter speed your flash will allow (usually 1/250, check your manual for “flash sync speed”). Start with that and adjust your aperture and ISO accordingly. This is going to take some practice, so  be prepared for some trial and error. The good news is that cameras are getting better at capturing action in low light.

Look for interesting backgrounds, like the game clock or opposing fans.

Look for interesting or dramatic backgrounds, like the game clock or crowded bleachers.  LEFT: 1/180, f/3.5, 135mm, ISO 800, flash.  RIGHT: 1/200, f/8, 80mm, ISO 1600, flash.

Vantage Points and Camera Angles

Obviously, the closer you are to the action the better your photos .  Unlike some sports, you’re going to be a bit more confined to certain areas. You really only have access to one sideline in basketball because the player benches and scorer’s table take up one complete side of the court. The end zones are often the domain of the cheerleaders, so your time there might be sporadic at best. As noted earlier, a solid understanding of the game will definitely help you decide where to be and when.  This is one reason why veteran sports photographers are hardly ever in one place for very long.

Basketball is a very vertical sport, but don't forget to get some horizontal shots as well.

Basketball is a very vertical sport, but don’t forget to get some horizontal shots as well.  50mm, 1/250, f/8, ISO 1600, flash.

The entire length of the court opposite the player benches offers some great angles. It gives you great vantage points not only for the action on the court, but also for coach and player reaction shots on the bench. Be sure to also take advantage of higher angles from the bleachers (timeout huddles) and the track above the court (players jostling under the net), as well as getting down low for those dramatic larger-than-life shots.

Be Creative: the Action’s Not Just Between the Lines

It’s sports. They go one direction. Then they go the other direction. Four quarters of back and forth. That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t be creative with your angles and composition. Look for interesting or dramatic backgrounds. In the set below, including the game clock over the coach’s shoulder as it ran down provided interesting contrast to his calm demeanor.

Keep your head on a swivel. Don't miss the fans, coaches, and player reactions.

Keep your head on a swivel. Don’t miss the fans, coaches, and player reactions.

Don’t fall into the trap, though, of assuming that everything worth photographing is right there on the court in front of you. Spend some time in the stands. Shoot the crowd reactions.  Photograph the band and the cheerleaders. Capture the traditions. There is so much more going on in that gym than just a basketball game. Turn your back on the action once in a while and take a look around. There are stories everywhere. Use your camera to tell them.

Get Your Motor Running?

Welcome to photography, where five photographers will give you five different answers for everything, and tell you why the other four are wrong. When I first started shooting high school sports I had a slow camera with an even slower buffer that couldn’t handle me just leaning on the motor drive and hoping for the best. I hated it at the time, but it was probably a good thing. I learned to compose my shots and choose my moments more carefully. I developed a pretty fast shutter finger, and, I think, a better eye for the action. Even now, with better equipment, I still tend to leave my camera set for single clicks. That may put me in the minority, but it’s what works for me.

Etiquette

If you are covering a particular school or team over the course of a season, introduce yourself to the coaches. Your job will be easier if they know who you are and why you are there game-after-game. These kids may be big and strong, but they are still kids and it’s a coach’s job to look out for them. If a coach or official tells you something, listen to them. If they ask you to move, you move. You’re in their house and you have to play by their rules.

If one of those rules is no flash, then it’s no flash. It may sound silly to you, but you have no idea what the consequences might be. There may be college scouts in the stands, and you momentarily blinding the point guard with your flash might have an impact on whether that kid gets a scholarship, or if he’s even recruited at all.

If play stops for an injury, show some respect and PUT YOUR CAMERA DOWN.  While it might make for compelling photography, it is entirely possible that you just witnessed the end of a kid’s dream or their only chance of going to college.  You don’t want them or their parents seeing you clicking away while everyone else in the gym is holding their breath. This is high school, not the NBA. Be sensitive and keep it in perspective.

Any seasoned photographer will tell you that photographing sports is not easy– particularly indoors. We can debate endlessly on which sport is the hardest to shoot, but with practice, preparation, and the right gear, you’ll see your images start to improve quickly and steadily.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we take a closer look at some of the other indoor sports you may find yourself shooting.

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Indoor Camping: Vintage RVs Reclaimed as Hostel Rooms

11 Oct

[ By Steph in Boutique & Art Hotels & Global. ]

Indoor RV Campground Hostel 1

At Bonn’s Basecamp Young Hostel, travelers enjoy the quirky accommodations of cheerfully decorated vintage RVs, with views of the sea and an unchanging blue sky just beyond their windows. That sky will never go cloudy, nor will it rain, because this particular campground is actually located in a 600-square-meter industrial warehouse.

Indoor RV Campground Hostel 2

Each of the 15 RVs has been lovingly restored and transformed into its own individual getaway with a specific theme. For example, there’s a hunting cabin laden with antlers and furs, a seaside camper with a captain’s wheel and oars, and a British parlor ready for afternoon tea.

Indoor RV Campground Hostel 4

Indoor RV Campground Hostel 5

The campers have names like ‘Drag Queen,’ ‘Rockabilly,’ ‘Space Shuttle’ and ‘Zen.’ Guests at the hostel can choose which eccentric theme best fits their tastes. The interiors may not be luxurious, but they’re certainly fun.

Indoor RV Campground Hostel 6

The reclaimed RVs range from teardrop trailers with faux wood panels and authentic Airstreams to VW buses. Also on site are two railway cars from Deutsche Bahn trains, which offer space for small student groups. Rates start at just 54 euros per night.

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Indoor Skydiving Inside Concrete Silos & Cargo Containers

03 Sep

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

converted concrete skydiving center

Take your pick between a pair of once-abandoned silos: one lets you explore nearly 100 vertical feet of underwater space with hidden caverns, while the other suspends you in virtual free fall, riding air currents in a cylindrical wind tunnel.

converted cargo shipping containers

While those two primary volumes form the core experience of this conversion project, a series of shipping containers (stacked ten stories high) surrounding these structures will provide support and circulation spaces. Warsaw studio Moko Architects aims to start construction in just over one year on this ambitious project, set in the city’s industrial district.

converted concerete silo section

The modified cargo containers additions are designed to contain offices, shops, a cafe and hostel as well training rooms or sports outfitters for visitors. These stacked  attachments will be form a dynamic array and be connected via staircases spanning between the central cylinders. As they slip past one another in space, outdoors decks are formed organically as well on various roof levels within the vertical design configuration.

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Swinging Times: 13 Stylish & Fun Indoor Swings

24 Apr

[ By Steph in Design & Furniture & Decor. ]

Indoor Swings Main

Growing up shouldn’t mean having to let go of fun and free-spirited activities like swinging from the trees – or your living room rafters. Indoor swings can be as simple as a piece of wood strung from rope, or as complex as a hip set of eight modern swings around a dining room table. Here are 13 examples of interior swings that will inspire you to turn your home into a playground for all ages.

Manu Nest Hanging Chair Made of Volcanic Basalt Fiber

Indoor Swings Manu Nest

The shape may be fairly classic by now, but one thing this particular hanging chair has that others simply don’t is its highly unusual material: volcanic basalt fiber. Extremely lightweight and suitable for indoor or outdoor use, the Manu Nest chair by Maffam can withstand 220kg (485 pounds) of weight while itself weighing just 15kg (33 pounds.)

The Swing Necklace

Indoor Swings Necklace

Designed to look just like an oversized beaded necklace, the Swing Necklace by German interior designer Johanna Richter is definitely a conversation piece as well as a fun and functional piece of furniture. 10 feet long, it can be adjusted to the desired height.

Swing Table by Christopher Duffy

Indoor Swings Table

Indoor Swings Table 2

Business meetings would be a lot less boring if they were all held at designer Christopher Duffy’s Swing Table. Sleek and modern, the table suspends eight seats from bars built into a simple frame that also supports an overhead light.

Bentwood Book-Shaped Swing

INdoor Swings Bentwood Book

Simple and ergonomic, the ‘Fugle Swing‘ by Pratt Institute industrial design graduate Christine Fesmire is inspired by Scandinavian bentwood design. “I was intrigued with the impacts emerging from Scandinavia in the twentieth century and I wanted to bring this fascination closer to my image what a swing for adults could be. The practical issue of comfort and my aesthetic determined the overall shape.”

Simple Living Room Swing

Indoor Swings Simple Living Room

As captured in this image by photographer Nicolas Matheus, an indoor swing can be just as simple as one you’d find hanging from a tree in the backyard.

Parade Swing by Julie Couch

Indoor Swings Parade Julie Couch

This design from Julie Couch Interior Design is reminiscent of cozy Southern porch swings, but it’s upholstered for extra comfort.

ME&U Upholstered Swing

Indoor Swings ME U

This U-shaped upholstered swing hangs from the ceiling with a wire, and comes in a range of colors and interchangeable fabric covers.

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