10:54 Dust Bunny with pizza leftovers from the night before
Now that I knew where the bus picked people up from the hotel I made my way to the main entrance to catch the 11:00. It would take me to the sports center in time to take some photos of some of the vendors and then see the lunch time bout (Mission City Brawlin Betties All Stars vs San Diego Derby Dolls Hard Corps).
Socks from the rock socks booth (go here to order online rocksocks.net)
This sock company seemed to be the big 'wow' with the ToRD and HCRG girls. I decided the rest of the vendors would have to wait. I needed to get down to the track to set up to shoot.
The ToRD girls watch the lunch time bout between
I'm not sure why but this year's lighting seemed to be darker than last year. I wondered if the sports center lights had multiple settings much like most hockey rinks. There's usually a dimmer setting that doesn't take up as much electricity as is used for maintenance. Higher settings would be used for broadcast type lighting. Photos were coming out dark and muddy compared to last year. The lighting was pretty crappy for action based photos.
Jammer Ref So
Still, I managed to take a few half decent shots. Not really anything outstanding though. Once the lunch time bout was over I went over to the food stand to get some food and then took some photos of the classes.
Mission City Brawlin Betties All Stars vs San Diego Derby Dolls Hard Corps
Suzy Hotrod, a skater from Gotham, was teaching a large group of girls today. They took up easily half of the sports center's main floor. I walked around trying not to get trapped by the moving skaters and eventually left for the vendor area.
Suzy Hotrod teaches skaters moving techniques
It's a large class.
Meanwhile PivotStar's LuluDemon talks to the Hot Flash
I really only had time to take a stalker like photo of Luludemon talking to the Hot Flash (gotta love that name). When I checked my watch I realized I needed to get back to the hotel to drop stuff off and pick stuff up and then head to Fremont for the 16:45 bouts.
The bus ride to Fremont
I was about to take a taxi when the bus pulled up. It turned out I was the only passenger as other buses were either already en route to the sports center or already gone to Fremont street. It seemed odd that there was no other person in the bus but used this time to talk to the bus driver.
She didn't seem to know what was going on schedule wise so I gave her my Rollercon schedule with the hopes that they (the bus drivers) would know when things were going to happen and perhaps make an effort to anticipate when and where the skaters were coming from and going to.
16:45 the Fremont bouts
Android vs iPhone
Gleep glop aka Thomas Refferson jumps through the iPhone pack
The best, most exciting bout of the day (that I saw) was the iPhone VS Android bout. Fast paced, close scoring game, with spills, jumps, and great lighting. What more can a photographer ask for really? I can usually tell a game is going to be great just by the speed the skaters pass by. Maybe it was just the wind generated from them that cooled me and made me feel giddy? There are games as a photographer I just get a hunch that some good photos are going to be got. Call it a spider sense for photography. I don't know. I just know.
Justice Feelgood Marshall calmly skates by a would be block
Team iPhone
I got some pretty good stuff, not just the android/iPhone bout but all the Fremont bouts today. The sun was just right, the action just so, the camera mojo was working.
Toronto vs Mitten Kittens
The Toronto Team before the bout
Mitten Kittens' Skater flies through the air after just missing ToRD's Memphis Kitty
Canadian Eskimos vs USA Bikinis
Dark Passion Play and Tiki Timebomb with their eskimo outfits.
Team Canadian Eskimos
It should be noted that Canadians, in general, don't really get excited about anything. If they do they don't really show it. Americans on the other hand will go nuts to say they're number one. It's one of the reasons I love photographing fans in the States. Canadians need nudging. To photograph the Canadian team I tried getting them to yell or do the arm pumping thing. I got a few smiles. There was going to have to be some of my energy put into this if I wanted a photo that said "We're Canadians, hells yeah!".
After a bit of coaxing it came down to a line I pulled out of my ass "Who likes free healthcare!". Huzzah!!!! click. nice. see photo below.
"Free Healthcare!!!"
Delilah Danger, fully clothed (and waiting for the bus)
Justice Feelgood Marshall waiting for the bus
The Riedell Meet and Greet
It's the Wicked Skatewear girls, Strychnine and B-Train
At the Tropicana, in a room I can't remember, was the Riedell meet and greet. It was an 80s themed party with quite a bit of energy. Energy that went nuts once Riedell started announcing winners of their skate draw.
Dump Truck is awesome!
The Devo Girls
Suzy Hotrod posing the pose
uh, there's no pool here but it's awesome that you guys are ready for any contingency.
SO's friend wins skates! I think SO was more excited.
The biggest derby bruise I think I've seen this week.
Girls in the elevator showing me their cards... what?
As I back away from the girls with the cards, getting off on my floor, I step on Amanda's foot. Sorry about that.
As the party started to wind down a bunch of us were of to another party at Rain. The Vagine Regimes Pants off dance off roller skate dance party at the Palms. I had to return to the Hotel to drop off stuff and wear the appropriate underwear.
The bus ride to RAIN and the roller derby dance floor.
The process of going back to the hotel, bumping into Justice Feelgood Marshall, missing one bus and getting the second bus, ride to the Palms, then getting into a line to fill out forms (the in case you get drunk and injure yourself you will not sue the establishment forms), then to sign those forms took about 2.5 hours.
I was about to be let in when one of the bouncers asked "Are you bringing in a professional camera?". When I said "Yes." the next response was that they couldn't let me in without a media pass. The rollercon media pass didn't count, it had to be a rain media pass. To the bouncers credit they did offer to let me lock up my camera and let me go in but for a photographer that would have been like seeing a pie and not being able to eat it.
I left the Palms in a taxi and ended up eating at Wendy's near the MGM Grand. I called it an early night and returned to my hotel room to backup the photos I shot.
00:20 Rain access denied. So I ended up at Wendy's.
