The day started out carpooling with three other photographers from the paper to the game as we were given one parking pass. We all had a different assigned job at the Super Bowl. Two of the photographers I was with are field photographers, meaning they stay on the field and shoot the game with 400mm lenses and they wear red vests. Their was a third person that assists the field photographers and helps with the editing of the pictures and what ever else they might need. He is called the messenger. Then their is me. I had pretty much full access to the stadium and was allowed to shoot on the field and the suites and did all my editing if needed and uploading of images. I was there mainly to photograph celebrities but shoot the game too if I liked.
We got to the stadium at 12pm, nice and early but you could never be too early because of security checks and learning the policies and procedures. We then all went to the photo media room where we set down our laptops. It is the area where their is WIFI and we transmit. It is an interesting room the way it is laid out. Right when you walk in is the Sports Illustrated Spot "Well Excuse Me", across from them is The New York Times section, and the spots go down the line from their. Yes, the South Florida papers were a little away from the main door.."Something wrong with this picture".
After setup I was very excited to go check out the field. It was already busy with camera men and commentators setting up. I had some time to kill so I had to get my first hotdog of the day and buy a couple of souvenirs. Wearing two cameras around my neck all day and a backpack is not that easy but it is part of the job. Then the fun really started to begin!
I got on the field and started shooting at about 1pm. Being interviewed were several past Heisman trophee winners on one side of the field and Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, Rob Schneider and David Spade on the other side. At first I didn't know the celebs were on the other side of the field but after speaking with the makeup lady who was powdering up Deon Sanders shine on his forehead, I struck up a conversation with her and she told me about the break down of people being interviewed for that day.
A big part of getting the shots is not only finding out who who is attending the Super Bowl but possibly where they might be. Well it didn't take me long to figure out that most of the big movie stars were on the 3rd level but even knowing this, with the very tight security it was tough. I knew some people I wanted to photograph will need to go to the bathroom and take cigarette breaks. I decided to constantly move up and down the halls on the suite levels and go thru the seats in the stadium..I was on a mission to find every celebrity at the game. I found most of them meaning dozens and they were quite pleasant. I am a photographer that prefers asking nicely for a picture and let the person know who I am shooting it for. After all, how many of us have untagged pictures of ourselves on Facebook because we didn't like the way we looked. Celebrities deserve that too and thousands to millions of people might see the picture you took of them. At least this goes for close up shots.
One of the craziest things I did at the game was spotting Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore walking on the side of the field. I spotted them from half way on the other side of the field. During play I ran along the side of the field bending all the way down, knowing I needed to get a picture of them..Several video cameras followed behind me at that moment..It was too funny. I got the shot and even then I asked Ashton first for a picture.
Their are a couple of tunnels thru the stadium and during one time around I spotted Laurence Fishburne in the tunnel and asked for his picture. I got several tips as well during the game. Like Miss America being in a certain suite and Condoleeza Rice . I think it was time to see who might be on a cigarette break and that is where I spotted John Mellencamp. Cool guy, I actually cooked for him a number of times at a restaurant when I was a Chef in NYC.
I can't say it is easy to find my way around the stadium and knowing exactly where the elevators and stairs are at all times so during the Who performance, I got stuck up at the suite levels. But I think that is when I ran into John Travolta, very nice guy and very personable. He told me he flew his jet to the game but then again you probably new that.
I think it was after half time when I decided to go back on the field and then dump my 3rd round of pictures up to cyberspace to get posted live on the Palm Beach Post website. No time to edit them, because I could have missed opportunities. During the time on the field I was right near the end zone and the players were pretty close. I then realized I better bend down low and get ready to get the shot because Saints were about to score a touch down. I couldn't believe I shot the touch down with the player diving right into the end zone in front of me. Freaking awesome experience!
Photographing Brad, Angelina and there son Maddox was not fun. I thought one of the security was my friend and I had a hunch they might be going one way but I was tipped they would be going the other direction. I should have went by my gut feeling. They made a dash for the elevator and I made a dash for the stairs and got the shot of the three of them.
I caught the end of the game, the award ceremony, lots of shots of Kim Kardashian, her mom, Reggie Bush and a lot of emotional moments with the Saints and ther families. Those moments will always stay with me. It was a great day, a great sport and I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to be apart of it.
My 4th batch of images I uploaded to the paper, grabbed another hotdog from the media tent on the way out and carpooled home.
My pictures from the Super Bowl posted in the Palm Beach Post hit an unprecedented record for the paper. 280,000 hits in two days.
Great job & great post, Michele!! Sounds like you had a blast :)
ReplyDelete- Justin
Thanks Justin..I felt it was important to write about..
ReplyDeleteCongrats M
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