"Rocking Concert Photography and Extreme Sports" with Guest Blogger Michelle Hedstrom ~ Ogre Photography

Rocking

Concert

Photography

& Extreme Sports

with Guest Blogger

(Ogre Photography's ~

Michelle Hedstrom)

INTRODUCTION:

One of the things I love most about my job is the cool people I get to meet and hang out with. Michelle Hedstrom from Colorado is one of the people I refer to when I say getting to hang out with the "Cool Kids".

Michelle and I met while we were in Vegas for classes back in September.

It took us no time at all to determine that we had a common interest in photographing Extreme Sports. Michelle wowed me with her sports action photography and concert images captured from the pit during live concerts.

When I returned, Michelle invited me to be a guest blogger on her website: http://ogrephotography.com

Today, Michelle has been kind enough to return the favor and share some of her Amazing images ~ Check out the link above to see more of her work, I know will be wowed. Enjoy! ~ Trish

Thanks to Trish for turning the tables on me and having me take over her blog for the day!

My name is Michelle Hedstrom, I run Ogre Photography,

I do sports and concert photography. I've learned a lot over time, and still have more to learn, but the two biggest things I've learned are that you have to take chances and just try new things, and don't be scared to ask for something.

Ever since computers came out in some form, I've been a computer geek. I loved spending time playing Atari 2600, messing around on the Apple II, and learning to program. Graduating college, I immediately started working as a programmer, and did that for 15 years before getting laid off from my current company. I had been laid off before, and always gotten another computer job, but this time felt different. I wasn't enjoying programming anymore. I started trying to figure out what else I could do.

We had a Canon 20D and a few lenses (my husband went on a photography kick one time but never learned too much about it), so I spent time learning how to use the camera. I was already a NAPP and Kelby Training member, but had never spent a lot of time on those sites, so here was a great opportunity to check them out!

Now the question became: what kind of photography did I want to try to specialize in? Initially I thought about wildlife and landscapes. I mean, I'm in Colorado, it's perfect for landscapes! Until I realized that I didn't have the patience for wildlife photography, and didn't want to be locked into sunrise/sunset for landscapes.

Then I got a random opportunity to shoot at the Denver Broncos Training Camp. I had no idea what I was doing since I hadn't shot any sports before, but darned if I didn't just have the best time. Once I thought about it, transitioning to sports made sense for me, since I've been an athletic tomboy since I was a kid.

Motocross is quickly becoming my favorite sport to shoot as well. There's so many different kids of shots and angles, and you have to be super careful to not get hit by a bike. :)

Concerts came later, and I'll blame Alan Hess for that. I met him at the Vegas Photoshop World in 2010, and after talking to him, and hearing about his concert precon, I honestly was just going to take it for fun in the spring.

However before attending that PSW, I decided I probably should go shoot a concert just to see what it was like.

Again, I had no idea what I was doing, but not only did I have fun, but I liked some of my shots. Taking the precon kind of sealed my addiction after that.

So that's where I am today. I never would've thought when I was listening to all those 80's hair bands that not only would some of them still be playing today (Warrant and Skid Row to name two), but I'd have a chance to be in the photo pit shooting some of them. And getting to shoot the National Motocross Championships? Loved it!

To finish this post,

here's a couple of other things I've learned

1) You never stop learning
2) There's always someone better than you, just as there's always someone worse than you.
3) Find other people you respect, learn from them, and listen to them.4) Motocross tracks get very very muddy when they're wet, so you might want to not shoot right next to the track.
5) Hand holding a speedlite while trying to shoot motocross is extremely difficult, unless you're Dave Black.
6) It really is all about the networking - don't be scared to meet new people. Swap business cards, say hi, and follow up on Facebook, email, or where ever.
7) Don't be scared to ask for something. If they say 'no', you're no worse off than you are now. If they say 'yes', you're a step ahead.
8) Have fun with what you're doing.

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FMI: Check out Michelle's website at:

Ogre Photography ~ http://ogrephotography.com