“The Ghosts of Roller Derby’s Past”:
[Impressions from Tucson Roller Derby’s 2007 Championship Night] (c) Stu Jenks 2007
Standing
on the scaffolding, taking ghost shots. Took a couple minutes to get
the exposure right (Four seconds too long, 1/8 of a second too short, ½
to one second just right). Looking later at a serendipitous flash shot
and very happy that Dirty Teri was highlighted. Like the Five Ghost
shot a lot too.
Happy that Cathy showed up when she did,
to back me up on the impromptu group shot of all of the folk involved
in TRD. Happy I had a tripod with me too.
Getting hit by
a helmet. Big Fun. Truly. An Iron Curtain player on her way to the
penalty box, near the end of the bout, threw her helmet. I was crouched
by the announcers’ table. She was throwing it at the penalty box. I was
in between. I softly batted it away and continue to take shots. Very
cool.
Miscommunication on my part and a misunderstanding
by someone else, outside of the rink, outside of the game. Really
sucked. Nuff said.
Shooting in RAW Digital Negative, knowing that working the images would be some much easier in the coming days.
Feeling comfortable inside of the rink, inside of the circle.
Getting more shots than not. Inside the circle is a great place to be,
for shooting these Human Nascars.
Shooting pick-ups shots
of non-players that I missed the week before. Got a nice shot of the
EMT’s stethoscope and an image of the strong smile on a Security man’s
face.
Knowing that when I was shooting the Derby Brats
buttons, that I looked funny, my camera sitting at table level for a long
time, me, not moving for about a minute, like a Irish Setter pointing at a bird. Wish someone had taken a shot of me taking that picture.
Finding a great new spot to shot from. Right in front of the
announcers’ table, just to the left of the penalty box. Got a number of
great shots of the tired/angry/passionate Derby Girls in trouble. Also
got hit by a helmet there too (See above)
A drag not to
be able to openly root for The Waitresses in the championship. It’s
great to shoot photos of the Derby but it’s work nonetheless. I really
miss not being able to yell “Flooooooooooooo” at the top of my lungs.
Next year.
Knowing that FTW was having a hell of a run
in the second period, but only from the screams of the crowd, the volume of
the announcers, and of seeing FTW jammers' Flo, Peaches and Betty in the
lead a lot. I was in the center of the rink, shooting, thinking, ‘I
haven’t seen Penny Tencherry as a lead jammer for a while.’ (Vice
skated hard in the third period but was never able to make up the
deficit. Final Score: Furious Truckstop Waitresses, 99; Vice Squad, 76.)
Getting a good shot of Annie cheering on the Waitresses. She’s
the woman with the multicolored hair and the long arms near Turn One,
screaming her head off.
Seeing a retiring Knuckles
Sandovich cry at the end of her career, and watching Iron Curtain’s
captain Bolshe Vixen hug a child after her bout. Barbicide kissing her son after her bout was a delightful sight as well. 
Seeing
Deadlock Doe collapse into her Eeka's and Ruby's arms after winning the
championship. Actually got a OK shot of FTW celebrating the victory too, using the old
technique of ‘Hold the camera over your head, focus as best you can,
and pray to God to get something’. (Doe, a Captain of the Furious Truckshop Waitresses
skated every minute of the bout. No breaks, except when she was in the
penalty box. A Herculean feat.)
And finally, seeing Sassy Sue’s huge smile as she received her Championship Trophy. Sweet.
[Addendum: For those of you who are in the TRD group photo, or if you are related to one of those good people by blood, marriage or relationship, feel free and contact me at [email protected] for a print(s) of your choice. They are free to the Roller Girls and Boys and to those close to them. They are nice prints, Fine Art Archival Inkjet prints that will last 100 years. If you are not intimately related to Tucson Roller Derby but would like a print of this bout or any other bout, those 8 x 10 prints are $10 plus shipping and handling. Finally, I'll be part of the Tucson Open Studio Tour this November. Large 13 x 19 inch Fine Art prints will be for sale at my studio for $90. Or just drop by and take a gander at them. I won't have my whole TRD portfolio printed up large, but I'll have some of my greatest hits there for sure. And needless to say, I'll print up any and all images, big and small, if you want to buy one. But bottom line is, if you are part of TRD, there is an 8 x 10 with your name on it.]
