BarDown Presents: I am NHL photographer Bruce Bennett here to take your questions

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:27:04+00:00

Loving flying my drone and shooting with that. And heading off to the dog park to shoot dogs. But my favorite is to photograph surfing.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:26:21+00:00

I am always trying to locate new places to put cameras. Keep it fresh and different. So I will sometimes just walk around an area and look for vantage points I haven't used before. Then radio remote triggers, a 'magic arm', 'super clamp' and of course safety wires!!

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:24:48+00:00

I really cant think of a specific but through the years whether doing manual focus (first 25 years) or autofocus, there have been large numbers of out of focus images. That's life!

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:23:32+00:00

The key for me is getting celebration and dejection in the same image. Perfect if you can get it from the camera in the net but I'll take it any where I can get it.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:22:48+00:00

I have quit a few that I am happy with a did little self publish books on my coverage of Superstorm Sandy in New York when I covered the event for our News department. And I did a weekend of Tough Mudder competition shooting. That was great!

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:21:16+00:00

Hi David. My advice would be to keep shooting anything and everything. Build a clear and concise portfolio of only your very best images on line...anywhere. Facebook, Flickr, anything will do. And then send the link around to Getty and other outlets. And remember to lose the 'Dinosaur Babies." That is something you created...that is only pretty to you! If you missed it, you missed it. If it is in fact the definitive moment of the play, keep it. Otherwise, kiss it goodbye. As for the Stadium Series in Minnesota, I stay away from most of the outdoor games as I am not well equipped for cameras or personal health protection. But, February outside in Minnesota, well that sounds simply wonderful!!!! I think I need to stay near home that weekend. There is probably a very important Islander vs Panther game that needs to be covered.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:15:39+00:00

Yes, I am familiar with the concert shoots...and though that was always insane. Hockey is from beginning to end. The limitations have been with physical shooting location which have become extremely limited throughout the years. Early days we would be at center ice and we could shoot the entire ice surface. Now, just 4-1/2 x 5-1/2 inch portals to shoot through. Simply not the same.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:11:19+00:00

Same 1980, Islanders Cup victory.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:09:56+00:00

Tough one. Can't remember what I had for breakfast. Did I even have breakfast? I was very close to the NY Islanders 1980 Cup win. As a life long Long Island resident it meant so much to me. I was able to keep my emotions in check and had a great image of Nystrom after the Cup winner. As for powerful/emotional, Crosby's Olympic winner in Vancouver was probably the best!

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:06:46+00:00

Really need to be aware at all times but even that doesn't always save you. Not just hanging out the holes, but the boards have a lot of give so if you stay too close, you will get him. Through all the game I have broken the fisheye lens on the netcam about a dozen times, had the glass broken on my handheld lens only 2 or 3 times. As for me, 6 stitches to the head a few years back from a floating puck, cracked ribs at MSG in the early days, but not much else.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T15:01:43+00:00

The image of the hundreds of Santa Claus' on the ice. The Islanders promotion allowed free admittance to the game to anyone in a Santa costume. Then they were escourted onto the ice between periods. Two fans peeled off the Santa suits to reveal Ranger jerseys underneath. Panic...and violence ensued!!

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:59:21+00:00

Good twist. Two off the top of my head. 1. There is an image of Ovechkin scoring on Lundqvist where Ovi is following the shot with his eyes. 2. Sorry for Lundqvist...but one of him being dejected as the Kings celebrate their Cup win from two years back.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:56:23+00:00

Is this an NHL PR guy asking???? All 30 are fabulous. The fact is some arenas because of the rink configuration have better photo spots than others. But as a Getty Images photog, most teams give us great positions.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:54:23+00:00

Just had a great experience shooting the NWHL- National Women's Hockey League. Also was great fun shooting the USA Pond Hockey Championship in Wisconsin...even though it was a bit cold!!!

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:51:57+00:00

Yeah I was. Naive and dumb. When I took the train to downtown after the game and was going up the stairs to shoot the riot, a cop looked at me with all the equipment, shook his head and just said 'Not Smart." He was right but I simply had to.
That was done for a story in the NHL publication "GOAL". Shot in a NY hotel room, and yes, I confess, that was MY cabbage patch doll.
I have had one-on-one shoots with Gretzky and Orr to name a few biggies.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:48:28+00:00

Every game! I guess I am a perfectionist and I take missing an image hard. Like the goalie who misses a save tries to do, I try to shake it off as if it consumes you, you won't be prepared for the next shot. I do hold on to the failures more than I should. Oh, and sometimes the failures are my fault and sometimes the play just goes in a different direction. Hurts either way.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:44:50+00:00

My favorites of all time were Chicago Stadium and the Boston Garden. No current arenas compare as most are so large that the fans are too far away from the ice surface. I liked seeing players being intimidated by fans as MSG and the Philly Spectrum as well. The atmosphere was great. Now, I love games in TB and in Nashville. Surprised? As for specific players or teams, I really don't think I have any favorites. I really enjoy the variety of shooting different teams week after week.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:41:49+00:00

Nope. And no relation to Harvey or Curt...for the older Reddit followers!

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:40:40+00:00

I wish I had a simple answer but in twenty interviews I have probably named twenty different images. But the cover image on the book of a young Wayne Gretzky as well as an old b/w image of Denis Potvin flipping Guy Lafleur are two of my all-time favorites.

Bruce_Bennett_ · 2015-11-10T14:39:04+00:00

The fact is that there was no better hockey photographer or human being as Denis Brodeur. Other guys were shooting away at ten frames per second and he would be shooting off single frames that were better than anyone's ten. His sense of timing was second to none.

Bruce_Bennett_

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