January

AprilRamone · Mar 25, 2006

So, I am part of a Roller Derby League and I have volunteered to do the photography for our league calendar. We are planning to sell these toward the end of the year to make money for the league so I really am wanting the pictures to look professional. Today I did my first shoot. The two ladies featured in this month are Dita Destroyer and Bombshelle. (My derby name is Winona Fighter btw).
I showed my bf today, but he thought that it didn't look very derby. I told him that I am hoping to have some more risque/exciting tableaus in the upcoming months, but this one was in the snow and I didn't want them to freeze! Please let me know what you think!
Thanks,
April
PS The first one is how it MIGHT look in the calendar and the pictures underneath are just bigger versions so you can see them...

woodsac · Mar 25, 2006

These are nice

The only one I don't really care for is #4. It just looks a little 'overposed'.

craig · Mar 25, 2006

The shots look good. I would have taken the opposite approach. In the studio with their game faces on.

DestinDave · Mar 25, 2006

I think they are very good shots. I agree with Craig (and your bf) sort of. They don't convey a "Derby" feeling. However if you are planning to shoot each month with a couple different members and have a theme related to that month, then the whole 12-month series would probably work well. You know, a "we're a team year-round in and out of the rink" kind of thing. Good luck with it.

Dave

mannella · Mar 26, 2006

It would have been neat to have the girls (in the first shot anyway) to have their roller skates on. Just a thought. Nice shots by the way--Lenny

AprilRamone · Mar 26, 2006

mannella said:
It would have been neat to have the girls (in the first shot anyway) to have their roller skates on. Just a thought. Nice shots by the way--Lenny

Haha...I was actually planning on having everyone wear their rollerskates in all of the pictures, but we decided against it at the last minute for fear that we would have accidentally gotten the bearings wet. We'll definitely have rollerskates on in the other months.

Everyone else, thank you for the comments!

Rob · Mar 27, 2006

I don't know what a derby is, but the final product looks really good to me. Although the snowball fight looks a little forced, and there's a lot of negative space round the main portrait of the two of them, it all hangs together really well the way you've arranged it. I say good job!

Rob

AprilRamone · Mar 27, 2006

Rob said:
I don't know what a derby is

And, now a quick derby lesson for those who are interested:lmao:

Roller Derby is only one of two sports that was invented in the U.S. (Basketball being the other) It was invented in the 1920's by Leo Seltzer and by the 1960's was one of America's favorite pasttimes. It died out in the 1970's and only had a couple of resurgences that didn't go over very well until now. The teams used to be Co-ed and now there are girls all over the country starting up all female owned flat and banked track derby leagues. We only wear traditional quad rollerskates (wearing inlines is a definite faux pas and not allowed!) It's getting to be more and more popular and I think that this time it's here to stay for awhile.
Basically there are two teams with 5 players on each team on the track. 4 of them are blockers and 1 of them is a jammer. The object is for the jammer to race up to the pack and try to get through it as quickly as she can so she can lap it and get through it again. They do this for 2 minute periods. The Blockers have to try to help their jammer get through the pack while attempting to stop the opposing team's jammer from getting through. The jammers score points for every girl on the opposing team they legally pass (in bounds, without fouling them) It really is a very exciting game and I urge you guys to check out any Derby leagues in your area. If there isn't one, I can assure you there probably will be shortly as they are sprouting up everywhere practically every day.
My league can be found at www.rockymountainrollergirls.com
That is all from Winona Fighter for today! I'll go back to Posting as AprilRamone now!