"Richmond-Burton freshman point guard Erin Thomas gave an oral commitment last week to play basketball at the University of Dayton. The 15-year-old made a name for herself by playing AAU basketball for six seasons, and she has starred in a Converse shoes commercial alongside Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade."
This girl has mad game.
I spent this afternoon in a small middle school gymnasium in Richmond with Erin and her parents shooting a portrait for sports writer Maureen Lynch's feature story. The Thomas' were an absolute pleasure to work with and let me take all the time I needed to really work this one. Since it was my only assignment of the day I took a little extra time to break out some more lights and really "blow this one up."
I haven't had the chance to shoot any sportraits since I was at The Gazette so I was really excited when I saw this one on my log yesterday. I have to admit that I was a little confused at first because I didn't think that a freshman could commit to a University but since it's only a verbal commitment and not a signed Letter of Intent, it's fine. I worked for the athletic department for four years at DU including some time spent in compliance and I didn't even know that. I guess you learn something new every day.
Dayton saw her play in an AAU game and were interested. When Erin and her parents found out they drove out to Dayton and took a tour which all but sealed up the deal for them. I couldn't imagine putting all your eggs in one basket so early in a career but after talking with Erin and her parents throughout the shoot I can understand why it is the right fit.
She even got to be in a Converse shoe commercial with Dwyane Wade that you can check out on YouTube here.
I had a great time working with Erin to get an exorbitant amount of different looking shots including action and safe posed portraits. We have a few 5D's laying around the office so I've been using them here and there for things, as I did today, and I'm impressed with the way it handles tonal gradation.
I'm really happy with the way the images turned out and glad that I got the chance to break out all my lights and spend some time to work my vision.
...UPDATE...
As per a request I'll give you a little info into the technical details of the photo.
-Canon 5D with an 85 f/1.8, 4400K WB, 50ISO, 1/200 at f/5.6 (this overpowered what little ambient there was in the gym).
-Main light is a Dyna Lite head at 250w/s with a full CTO in a medium Chimera soft box on a boom set about six feet from the subject at camera left. I used the boom to position the box downward to prevent spill into the gym and to avoid a lightstand in the frame.
-There is a 400w/s Dyna Lite head with a 30 degree grid on both sides behind the subject at 45 degrees at about 12 feet. The grids prevented the light from spilling into the gym walls and floor.
-The net is lit with a Canon 580 EX II at full power with a 1/3 CTB and snoot at about 15 feet directly left of the hoop. The 1/3 CTB helped to cool the light source below the two kickers without it becoming a gimmick.
-JCE
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