Horsing about | Day 2: Advance retreat

The weekend past saw three days of profuse photographic activity spanning four locations, four cameras, five lenses, two eyes, and one photographer of questionable sanity.  Because of how extensive that weekend was, I have decided to divide my account of it into three segments.  I had published the first segment earlier today, “Day 1: Chuc mung nam moi!”  Now comes the continuation of “Horsing about.”

Day 2: Advance retreat

I took a break from the “citywide celebration” on Saturday morning with a trip up to Evanston to document the Northwestern Duals (though one would think it should be “Duels” as in dueling and fencing, unless the powers that be at Northwestern Univeristy meant some form of pairing).  Another snow storm bombarded the midwest that morning and throughout the day, which provided for quite a beautifully scenic train ride.

I do not believe I had ever seen the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion so densely packed before.  While the throngs of fencers, referees, coaches, and spectators milling about in such intimate distance made it a challenge to navigate and properly frame the bouts on the strips, it was beaucoup fun nonetheless.  There is something unhealthily exhilarating about being in so near to the action that one false step too close may mean bodily collateral damage by a stray saber blade.  “If your photographs aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”  Robert Capa.

The positive energy swirling around the gym was contagious and perpetual.  Somehow through the chaos of scoring boxes buzzing, coaches yelling louder than the referees, the fencers screaming in victory, and teammates cheering in support, my thoughts coalesced to form an idea for a special project for this shoot.  The photographic experience need not exclude our other non-visual sensations.  Expect something different coming soon!

By the afternoon, I assessed that I had recorded enough of the day and schlepped my gear back home, the weight of which was too perceptible to ignore.  It was a distinct disparity from using my featherweight street shooter with a petite 24mm Olympus OM lens attached to it the day before versus lugging around two heavier bodies with two heavy zooms and one prime.  I rarely say this, but it was a relief to not have to haul anything asides an empty stomach to a traditional Korean dinner with friends later that evening.  Quite predictably, however, like my bar outing the week before, I still could not placate my shutter finger and urge to compose.  I cannot help but to notice how I am incorporating my iPhone into my photographic work more and more.

Click here for Day 3: Dragon shot

All images © K. Dao Photography 2014, all rights reserved.