Adrian Lam
1. After a few hours of driving around, I had almost given up on finding a standalone photo. I decided to go to Beacon Hill Park as a last resort and as I drove through, I saw two girls surrounded by a gaggle of ducks. As I walked over, I set up the camera for action, and at the last minute one of the little girls scooped up the duck in her arms and began to pet it as if it were a pet. This was the first time I had ever seen anyone able to hold and calm one of the wild birds. I told the mother she was a little duck whisperer. I took a selection of photos and then Anna decided to put the duck down and ran off to the pond.
Lens: EF 70-200 f/2.8L USM
ISO speed rating: 800
F-stop: f/4
Shutter speed: 1/1000 sec
2. I have really never shot ping pong, so I sat myself against the wall and watched the action for a little while. I knew I had to focus on the ball and the eyes, and watched the action to see how I could achieve this photo. It was in a dark gym, so I set the ISO accordingly to allow for a high enough shutter speed. After some time, I found one man who served and hit the ball from a position I wanted, and I focused my time on shooting his match.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF 300 f/2.8L USM
ISO speed rating: 12,800
F-stop: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 1/2000 sec
3. I had a position at the back of a room photographing Harper at Brentwood College. I began shooting with an EF 300 f/2.8L USM to achieve a tight and bright image of him addressing the crowd. As I watched the proceedings, I saw a young girl yawning to his left. I immediately changed lenses to an EF 70-200 f/2.8L USM, framed the photo and waited for her to yawn again. And without doubt she yawned a few more times. It always pays to pay attention to the whole scene instead of focusing too much on one thing.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF 70-200 f/2.8L USM
ISO speed rating: 8000
F-stop: f/4.5
Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
Darren Stone
1. Shooting at night is always tricky. A flash kills the atmosphere, so the camera has to be set with a high light sensitivity, slow shutter speed combined with a “fast” or bright lens. I was using the “live” view on the back of my camera at a low angle, and set up with the fire in the background. When this young girl walked through the frame, she seemed to be conjuring up the flames. It was a surprise to me and a little scary.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
ISO speed rating: 16,000
F-stop: f/2.8
Shutter speed: 1/100 sec.
2. Aircraft and history have always fascinated me. So when I got an opportunity to fly in a Second World War bomber, it was a legitimate “bucket list” experience. I borrowed a fisheye lens from Times Colonist photographer Adrian Lam, as I knew I would be shooting in cramped conditions. I was able to move around in the plane after takeoff, so I placed myself behind the pilots. The bomber was banking and diving during the flight, so I kept the shutter speed high to prevent any camera shake.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF15mm f/2.8 Fisheye
ISO speed rating: 100
F-stop: f/5.6
Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
3. The most difficult part of this assignment was keeping the equipment safe. The dye thrown on the runners (although colourful and photogenic) destroys electronic equipment. I was warned of this when I arrived. To get a shot, I used a telephoto lens at the finish line and then ran for cover every time the wind caused the dye to come in my direction.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM
ISO speed rating: 100
F-stop: f/7.1
Shutter speed: 1/640 sec
Bruce Stotesbury
1. This photo was a challenge to acquire, as there were more than 60 students at the cemetery at the same time. Patience was required to isolate one student and show the many headstones that all had a poppy placed. I moved around and got the image I was hoping for.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM set at 140mm
ISO speed rating: 320
F-stop: f/4
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec
2. I love shooting kids’ sports, as you never know what is going to happen. The colour and action speaks volumes. What a great moment.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM set at 200mm
ISO speed rating: 320
F-stop: f/4
Shutter speed: 1/1250 sec
3. Diving is always a tough sport to photograph as we only cover it once or twice a year. The combination of speed, athleticism and the acrobatic leap to start the dive makes you be on top of your game if you want to get a great image.
Camera: Canon EOS-1D X
Lens: EF300mm f/2.8L USM
ISO speed rating: 5000
F-stop: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/1250 sec
