Sports photography is prohibitively expensive and getting into major events can be hit or miss without the right contacts. However, there is a huge amount of grass-roots sports out there, some more mainstream than others, with millions participating, finding a social outlet and a way to keep fit at the same time. I fell into the niche sport of Roller Derby by accident and have seen it grow from its introduction to the UK, through to where it is now, an established, but still a niche sport. Roller Derby isn’t a new game, its roots can be traced back to the 19th century, an endurance race on roller skates, which emerged from the craze of endurance races that swept the world at the time. A promoter just had the idea of putting wheels on the competitors' feet.. Over the years the game has gone through many iterations, dictated by technology, to where it is today.
Photographically it is challenging. Often the only venues available to teams are sports halls that have seen better days. Tungsten or fluorescent lighting add an extra challenge, as well as trying to make a venue look reasonable. However, if you can nail a shot involving fast-paced, random action, in an inadequately lit sports hall, no environment you may encounter will faze you.I have been fortunate to cover four World Cups, major events across Europe and smaller teams within the UK, and have met some great people along the way.
