So, after getting called for the Aurora Shooting earlier in the week, I had some fun work to do. I was shooting the Colorado Rockies friendly against Swansea City from the English Premier League for Zuma Press on Tuesday night.

I had never been to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, the Rapid’s home field, but my GPS (I have named Yoda because TomTom’s allow you to download voices, and it was between Homer Simpson and Yoda) took me right to where I needed to be.  I found out a noon yesterday that my credentials were granted, and so I headed to the park a little before 5pm for a 7pm start, just incase I got lost.

But I didn’t, and I located the media entrance right away and picked up my credentials.  I headed off to park in the media lot, and grabbed my gear for the night.  That consisted of my Canon 7D, 1D Mark II and my back up 1D just in case.  Lenses I brought were my Sigma 120-300 2.8, which was on my 7D, giving me about a 192mm to 480mm with the field of view crop of the smaller sensor in the 7D, and my 70-200 2.8 on my 1D Mark II.  I also had my 17-40 for some wide angle stadium shots, which I never did, and my 24-70 2.8 which I used for team introductions.  I also had a camelbak full of ice cubes and water.  So, I entered the stadium.  It does not seat as much as the Seattle Sounders at Quest Stadium, but it is a really nice facility.

The last soccer game I shot was the Eagle River High School girls hosting the Chugiak Mustangs in the first round of the Cook Inlet Conference playoffs in Alaska about a month ago.  I had a lot of time before the game started, so I started chatting up the ushers and security.  I always find that getting on the good side of ushers and security can be a good thing if you need to move in a hurry.  A little before the game a Icon SMI shooter showed up.  I have shot for Icon in the past, in fact, they were the first wire I shot for.  I went over and introduced myself just to find out about the stool he brought with him.  It was a little folding thing, that swiveled.  Picked one up today at WalMart.

Anyway, on to the game…Swansea City is in their second year in the English Premier League. I honestly thought they were a African team with the name Swansea, but they are from Wales in Great Britain.

The game started, and no offense to the high schoolers I have shot for so long, wow, it was good soccer.  I came away with a lot of images.  The Rapids went into halftime with a 2-0 lead in front of about 6000 fans.

I kind of wish I had set up a remote, but for my first soccer game in a new stadium, I was just happy to be there.  I thought it was interesting, right before the game started, and at halftime they turn the field sprinklers on for a few minutes.

The second half it got real dark real quick, but for the most part, the stadium lights were real good (much better than Anchorage Football Stadium!).  The Camelbak saved me big time, and I came away with some pretty good images.  I may shoot this Saturday’s game against the Sounders, but that is only if my MLB credentials do not come through.

I thought I had gotten use to the altitude and the heat in the three weeks I have been here in Denver, but lugging around my camera gear, I see, I still have a little way to go on that…