The Belmont Stakes and Another Unsuccessful Triple Crown

Just like my post on the Kentucky Derby, this one will be a bit lengthy. Scroll down if you just want to look at the pictures.


This one is going to start on a sad note. The weekend before I was to leave for Belmont, my uncle was admitted to the ICU and things did not look good. I drove to New York with my friends, Ting Shen and Rena Naltsas, with the constant worry that I would have to fly back home in case things turned for the worse and then fly back to New York in time for the race. There was no way my uncle or my family would ever want me to miss a potential Triple Crown and the best part was that several people in my family, including myself, came to that conclusion on their own. Thankfully, for my own sanity and comfort, my uncle didn't pass until the week after the race, but I did fly home the day right after the race to be with my family as soon as I could.

Throughout the week leading up to the race while thinking about my uncle, I realized how proud he has been of me. Since the Kentucky Derby, he has been sharing nearly all of my Instagram photos and links to my blog posts on Facebook. It was a tough loss for the entire family and a roller coaster for me. Just about 48 hours after the Belmont Stakes, he passed away, and that was a huge change in my mindset.



On to the photography!

So California Chrome didn't win and that sucks. I was really excited to be one of the rare few that got to witness a Triple Crown on their first time following all three races, but that didn't happen and now I'm just like everyone else who hasn't seen one. One thing I learned during this experience was that it really takes a lot of energy (mental and physical) out of you.

A few of the highlights during raceday was walking over 5 miles with an 800mm lens with me 90% of the time (it was not fun), being able to look through Canon's monster 1200mm lens, meeting some Getty staffers and shooting with an 800mm as my primary and 200-400 as my secondary (how many times can you say a 200-400 isn't your primary?!). I guess this would be a good time to promote CPS (Canon Professional Service) since I wouldn't have been able to use an 800mm without them.

I shot two morning workouts with the 800mm so I could get used to it for the actual race. I even shot one of California Chrome's baths with it while laying down and shooting through a chain-link fence that was 20 feet in front of me. I didn't get any interesting shots from that, everything was typical.

The Belmont Racetrack is a bit different than Pimlico (Preakness) and Churchill Downs. The start and the finish are at the same place, and if you want to shoot from a head-on position, you have to be just under 1/4 mile away from it. I have a few photos to attempt to show the scale of that distance. Oh and by the way, the 1200mm was a perfect lens to be shooting from that far away, you wouldn't have to even crop much. I was shooting next to Sports Illustrated's Jeff Kavanaugh and Getty's Streeter Lecka, Jeff with the 1200 and Streeter also with an 800mm.

I usually post only 10 photos but this time will be a few more. The first few shots are not of California Chrome, but all that follow are and in chronological order. Before the photos of the race, I included a picture from the finish-line looking towards my shooting position. After that are two photos with a cropped version and the original, for even more scale.

A panorama while standing about 10-15 feet away from the inside rail, looking at the stands at the finish-line

June 6, 2014: Scenes from morning workouts at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 5, 2014: Scenes from morning workouts at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 5, 2014: Scenes from morning workouts at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 6, 2014: Scenes from morning workouts at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 6, 2014: Scenes from morning workouts at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 5, 2014: Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome prepares for the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. California Chrome and racing fans are awaiting his attempt to be the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 6, 2014: Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome prepares for the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. California Chrome and racing fans are awaiting his attempt to be the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 6, 2014: Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome prepares for the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. California Chrome and racing fans are awaiting his attempt to be the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 6, 2014: Exercise Rider Willie Delgado smiles laughs while Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner California Chrome is bathed after a workout for the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. California Chrome and racing fans are awaiting his attempt to be the first Triple Crown winner in 36 years. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

The Belmont Stakes logo in the infield on raceday about 90 minutes before post.

  

Standing at the finish line looking towards my shooting position just under 1/4 mile away.

Note: the file dimensions after cropping are 1113x661

June 7, 2014: California Chrome, ridden by Victor Espinoza and Matterhorn, ridden by Joe Bravo, run out of the gate in the Belmont Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day in Elmont, NY. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 7, 2014: California Chrome, ridden by Victor Espinoza and Matterhorn, ridden by Joe Bravo, run out of the gate in the Belmont Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day in Elmont, NY. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 7, 2014: California Chrome, ridden by Victor Espinoza (right) and Commissioner, ridden by Javier Castellano (center) enter the first turn in the Belmont Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day in Elmont, NY. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 7, 2014: Victor Espinoza, aboard California Chrome, reacts after not winning the Belmont Stakes on Belmont Stakes Day in Elmont, NY. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

June 7, 2014: Victor Espinoza, aboard California Chrome, reacts after not winning the Belmont Stakes while Joel Rosario aboard Tonalist (right) is interviewed after winning on Belmont Stakes Day in Elmont, NY. Jon Durr/ESW/CSM

(6-1-14) IHSA Boys Track & Field State Finals

I spent this weekend in Charleston, Ill. shooting the IHSA Boys Track & Field State Finals for the Chicago Sun-Times. I always try to go to as many state finals events as I can, so being hired to do it is just a plus. I had bad luck that half of my favorite shots were of athletes not in the coverage area, but it gives me something to hold on to hopefully for my portfolio. I also got my third Game Face photo (the back cover of the Chicago Sun-Times) so that was pretty cool.

Below are my favorites (something weird is going on with the color in a few when I put them in here, probably Google's fault). I used three lenses that day, 200-400, 85 1.8 and 16-35.

Carlinville's Jack Denby reacts after setting a new state record in the Class 1A pole vault during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Cahokia celebrate their Class 2A first place victory during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Grant's Jonathan Wells competes in the Class 3A high jump during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Plainfield Central's Luke Winder attempts to clear 7' 7" after setting a new state record of 7' 3" in the Class 3A pole vault during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Cahokia's Joseph Branch competes in the Class 2A 4x100-meter relay during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Grant's Jonathan Wells competes in the Class 3A long jump during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

An athlete from Warren warms up before the 4x200-meter relay during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

York celebrate their Class 3A first place victory during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Cahokia's Tyran Lyons runs in the Class 2A 300-meter intermediate hurdles during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Batavia's Tyler Mansfield reacts after a successful attempt in the Class 3A pole vault during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Highland Park's Benjamin Rogin runs in the Class 3A 110-meter high hurdles while his shoe begins to slip off during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Excited to see that I made it on the back cover of the Chicago Sun-Times

Having Fun With Track

The two weekends before the Belmont Stakes, I will be at IHSA State Track & Field Finals. This past weekend I wasn't shooting for anyone and I went down just for fun. Next week I will be shooting the boys meet for the Chicago Sun-Times along with another photographer.

Since I had no distractions of making sure I got certain athletes, I decided that I would just have fun with it. I tried a bunch of different things and now I know what I will do for next week's meet for when I'm actually working.

I used only three lenses for the shots below, 200-400, 15mm fisheye and the 35 f/2. Some of them aren't as successful photos as the others but I was really experimenting with trying new things today. The one shot I'm the most frustrated about is the first one. That was the only race where I was standing at the finish instead of sitting or laying prone, that that would have made it better. There is also a 1-2 sequence of a remote and a handheld of the 2nd runner-3rd runner baton exchange of the 4x100.

(5-18-14) The Preakness

Right now we (Ting Shen, Brett Moist, and I) are on our way home from Baltimore. We all drove together from Chicago to shoot the Preakness for Eclipse Sportswire. I gave up on trying to sleep and now I'm going a bit loopy.

For The Preakness I got to be the head-on position which was really cool and pretty intimidating. It hasn't really sunk in that I might be witnessing one of the most amazing and rarest feats in sports. California Chrome would be the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown if he wins the Belmont Stakes on June 7th and I will be there if he wins or not.

Throughout the Preakness Day, I was all over the place, which was a much different experience than I had at the Derby. I visited the infield, helped my friend Brett Moist set up his remote at the turn for home (where I finally met Jeff Snyder of Adorama in person), shoot turf races head on while kneeling in the grass and finally shooting the Preakness from head-on.

Just like the Derby, there was some crazy exposure differences and I used the same method of setting my custom modes to different exposures but without a pan shot. Seconds before the race started clouds came in and then went away which made for a little bit of panic trying to switch the settings up.

Unlike the Derby, I had a much faster pace of responsibilities for after the race. Less than 5 seconds after all the horses passed me, I walked through the gate of the track and started running along the outer rail to the finish line. On my way to meet Scott Serio to hand over my card, I noticed someone at the edge of the rail trying to reach a pair of sunglasses that fall on to the track and was just barely out of reach, so I stopped for just a second to grab them for him and met Scott right as he was crossing the track. I had to tear down all 4 of the remotes we had used for the finish. I somehow managed to carry 4 remotes and my 2 cameras with me back to the media room through the heavy crowds. I don't think I've ever had that much gear on me before (for the tech nerds, the cameras were various bodies, but the lenses I had to carry was Canon [200-400 & 85] and Nikon [300 2.8, 70-200 2.8, and a fisheye]). There were also a few floor plates and magic arms on them.

Throughout my time working with Scott Serio at Eclipse Sportswire, I have become more comfortable with going feature hunting. This is something I have always struggled with and I'm glad to be seeing an improvement. He's been really pushing me and helping in challenging myself. I know that for the Belmont I am going to push myself harder than I ever have because I might never have another chance to shoot a Triple Crown winner, if he wins of course.

I'm glad I didn't have to do the editing on my own for deadline, below are my favorite frames in chronological order.

General features from early in the day

This photo was featured on NBC's photo gallery about the fashion at the Preakness.

General features from early in the day

One of the races before the Preakness taken next to Jeff Synder and next to Brett Moist's remote

My friend Ting Shen texted Brett Moist and I that there would be a fly over and we both scrambled to find a picture. When I took this shot I accidentally had my lips on the back of a chair so I could get the steep angle.

California Chrome ridden by Victor Espinoza on the first turn.

California Chrome ridden by Victor Espinoza crossing the finish line to win the 139th Preakness Stakes

California Chrome ridden by Victor Espinoza after crossing the finish line to win the 139th Preakness Stakes

California Chrome ridden by Victor Espinoza crossing the finish line to win the 139th Preakness Stakes

California Chrome's assistant trainer Alan Sherman reacts after winning the Preakness