Lost in Space

(I'll give a condensed version of this post at the end, if you don't want to read the whole thing.)

It happens around this time every year.
I get antsy. Even excited. The anticipation builds as football season starts. First high school, then college, then the pros.
I've shot three games in three days — all of them high school.
Here's a recap of the Black Hole that is "Week Zero."

Game 1: Thursday night, Alamo Stadium, Artificial Turf

Ahh, Alamo Stadium, the "Rock Pile" as it's so affectionately called. I have a different name: the Big Flick. The lights flicker. It's not noticeable with the naked eye (why do they call the eye "naked," by the way?), but at 1/500th of a second, you notice it. Looking at the contact sheet of photos, it looks like someone kept changing the camera setting. One frame looks good, the next frame - a split second later - is too dark.
Lucky for me, the game started at 7p.m., so there was a little bit of daylight to shoot with. Screw the stadium lights!

•••

Game 2: Friday Night, Comalander Stadium, Artificial Turf

Comalander Stadium has one of the biggest and nicest "Press" boxes in the area. Unfortunately, even with three levels, it's one of the worst in the areas for access. As you enter the stadium, you are given either a field pass, or a press box pass. Ask for both and you'll get a vacant look.

"A field pass and a press box pass? That's unpossible!"

I've learned not to ask and just head up to the press box without the pass. Invariably, there's someone up there waiting by the elevator asking if I have a press box pass.

"Gee, sir, I've got my newspaper's press badge, my Spurs season credential, my county sheriff's dept. i.d. badge. I've even got the field pass, but I don't have the little yellow slip of paper that says 'press box pass'."

Anyway, back to the game...I made one moderately interesting photo. It was the photo that didn't run in the paper. I'm not necessarily saying it should have run. But it should have.

Maybe next time I'll get the shot with faces.

•••

Game 3: Saturday Afternoon, Alamodome, Artificial Turf
Hey, a game in daylight. Yay!
It's in the Alamodome. Boo!
The Alamodome used to be the worst place in San Antonio to shoot a game. There's nothing quite like attending a high school football game where a couple thousand (at best) fans pour into a 65,000 seat domed cavern. And the light was horrible. Absolutely atrocious. Worse than 2A school stadiums. Not only was it dim, but the light was coming from such a high angle, you rarely get detail under the facemask as it is hidden in shadow.
The ambiance still sucks, but, since the Big 12 Championship game last December, the light has much improved. It's not great, but it's good. And constant. No flickering. No clouds to change the light. I'll take it.

•••

You'll notice I've been listing the type of turf at each stadium. I'm not sure there are any area stadiums left where the kids play on grass. (insert joke here about marijuana usage)
There are no more mud games. No big clods of dirt stuck in facemasks. Just glorified carpet and turf-toe. That, in my humble opinion, stinks.
•••
Here's the recap:
Shooting high school football is nice in small doses.
My football shooting is mediocre.
I don't like poorly lit stadiums.
I don't like Comalander Stadium.
The Alamodome is a much better place than it used to be.
I dont like artificial turf.