The Kids are at it again

[CliffB]

...at marching band camp, that is. My daughters have been involved in high school marching band for the last several years.

For those of you from places where high school marching band does not exist, the schools here take it very seriously. During the 2 weeks of camp, they practice from 8:00 a.m. until well after dark. It is rare that there is a day without at least one ambulance visit to the practice field. If a player goes down, the rest of the band just marches around them.

Last year, they were state champions and won every competition they entered. So, the kids have a tough act to follow.

Nikon D300, Nikon 70-200VR, ISO 800 to 1600.


Conducting the moon

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Yawn

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[Blue_gsx]

Nice series.

 

[shtarka1]

Super shooting Cliff!

 

[CliffB]

Thank you, Blue_gsx and Steve.

 

[BrendaC]

Nice shots, love the first one. It's a shame about the high school bands around where I live. You are lucky to have 20 kids in the band. There's usually no band front either.

 

[photographymom]

I love the first picture with the moon. It shows how late they are working!

 

[CharlesVincentPhotography]

Oh i remember the days of marching band, junior this year, stopped after my freshman year. Now when i go to the football games to shoot i can shoot this too :biggrin: great shots too!

 

[Guest-004]

Great shots! I miss those days conducting the moon too! Indiana was quite big on competition marching band as well, unfortunate for those who are not. Good luck to the defending champs!

 

[CliffB]

Nice shots, love the first one. It's a shame about the high school bands around where I live. You are lucky to have 20 kids in the band. There's usually no band front either.

Thank you, Brenda. I know what you mean. Where I went to school, marching band is just about nonexistent. For my kids, marching band is almost like a religion. On the night that I took these shots, band alumni from as long as 6 years ago came just to watch practice.

I love the first picture with the moon. It shows how late they are working!

I told the girl in that shot that she now has proof that the band director makes the kids practice late into the night.

Oh i remember the days of marching band, junior this year, stopped after my freshman year. Now when i go to the football games to shoot i can shoot this too :biggrin: great shots too!

Playing in the band or shooting photos...you have a couple of good choices there.

Great shots! I miss those days conducting the moon too! Indiana was quite big on competition marching band as well, unfortunate for those who are not. Good luck to the defending champs!

Thanks. Until my kids got involved in marching band, I had no idea what a wonderful experience it would be for them.

 

[davidC]

that first shot is very cool!

 

[CliffB]

that first shot is very cool!

Thank you, David.

 

[cajun angel]

Gotta love that conducting the moon! I know about band - I'm learning as I go - Jimmy is marching from 5pm to 9pm, then when school starts it will be in the mornings. Now I have to learn how to shoot in various lighting situations - they've dubbed me as "official photographer #2.

 

[CliffB]

Gotta love that conducting the moon! I know about band - I'm learning as I go - Jimmy is marching from 5pm to 9pm, then when school starts it will be in the mornings. Now I have to learn how to shoot in various lighting situations - they've dubbed me as "official photographer #2.

New to marching band? If you are lucky you might get away with just being "official photographer #2." Wait until they start looking at you to serve on committees. Then it becomes committee chairperson. Then you can get grabbed as a chaperone. There is chaperone for band camp overnights. Better yet is chaperone for overnight competitions. Even more so, chaperone for out-of-state trips. Heck, even better is chaperone for out of the country trips. Keeping track of 200 kids on airplanes.

Then there is being chair of the hospitality committee. That is a nice euphamism for feeding 200 kids. Buying food for band camp is always fun. You get great looks at BJ's or Costco when you buy $5,000.00 in food supplies.

Oh yeah, then there is driving. Can you drive a bus? Better yet, how about driving the tractor-trailer with the band equipment.

Worse yet, you might get hit on to become chairperson of the band boosters. That way you end up in charge of almost everything. My wife has that joy this year.

I almost forgot the never ending fundraisers. The fish fries and barbeque dinners that take months to plan.

Then the kids decide that your house is the best Friday night hang-out in town.

Oh, what the heck, being a band parent or grand-parent is great. There are former band members, who graduated school 5 and 6 years ago, who still come by our house to visit, and call my wife and I "Mom" and "Dad." Marching band has been the highlight of high school for both of my daughters.

That's right...you are the photographer. One tip on shooting at night under the wonderful lighting of high school stadiums: first, have a good, stiff drink. Then, have a second one. Then put the camera away and just enjoy watching the band perform.

I don't know whether or not this will give you any useful photo ideas, but here is a link to some of the shots that I took of last year's band season: http://www.pbase.com/cliffb/2008

 

[waltuba]

Really enjoy your shots! As a retired director it is fun to see. I also get to have a lot of fun as I am the "official" photog for our state competitions. I also get to shoot several university bands. It is indeed a pleasure to be around the quality directors, students, parents, etc. who are involved with bands. Our hometown band also won state last year & marched the inaugural - indeed a tough act to follow!

 

[waltuba]

PS - Just read your post while I was typing . . . you're my kind of "band parents"!!!

 

[gnagel]

Great series! That first one is a special image. I love the perspective and the lighting on that one.

Glenn

 

[cajun angel]

LOL, just read your long post to me about being a band parent - I CAN HARDLY WAIT! Yesterday, I helped with uniform fittings, today was the pro photos - yeah, they used D200's! I'm going to try to be the best band booster I can possibly be! I'll be checking out your photos from last year and don't be surprised if I have tons of questions! Be a band parent? YES!

my biggest issue is gonna be which lens to use!

 

[Schlitz]

New to marching band? If you are lucky you might get away with just being "official photographer #2." Wait until they start looking at you to serve on committees. Then it becomes committee chairperson. Then you can get grabbed as a chaperone. There is chaperone for band camp overnights. Better yet is chaperone for overnight competitions. Even more so, chaperone for out-of-state trips. Heck, even better is chaperone for out of the country trips. Keeping track of 200 kids on airplanes.

Then there is being chair of the hospitality committee. That is a nice euphamism for feeding 200 kids. Buying food for band camp is always fun. You get great looks at BJ's or Costco when you buy $5,000.00 in food supplies.

Oh yeah, then there is driving. Can you drive a bus? Better yet, how about driving the tractor-trailer with the band equipment.

Worse yet, you might get hit on to become chairperson of the band boosters. That way you end up in charge of almost everything. My wife has that joy this year.

I almost forgot the never ending fundraisers. The fish fries and barbeque dinners that take months to plan.

Then the kids decide that your house is the best Friday night hang-out in town.

Oh, what the heck, being a band parent or grand-parent is great. There are former band members, who graduated school 5 and 6 years ago, who still come by our house to visit, and call my wife and I "Mom" and "Dad." Marching band has been the highlight of high school for both of my daughters.

That's right...you are the photographer. One tip on shooting at night under the wonderful lighting of high school stadiums: first, have a good, stiff drink. Then, have a second one. Then put the camera away and just enjoy watching the band perform.

I don't know whether or not this will give you any useful photo ideas, but here is a link to some of the shots that I took of last year's band season: http://www.pbase.com/cliffb/2008

Great pics, and great post, Cliff! Been there, done that, and boy do we have the band parent shirts to prove it! I wouldn't trade those time for anything. Seven years after our youngest has graduated, we still have the kids and the other band parents stopping by.

Enjoy your time as a band parent, Dianne! You will love it, and with your skills, you'll soon be photog #1!