Of all the places in an arena to cover a hockey game, my FIRST choice in shooting position would be from in BETWEEN THE BENCHES.
Lenses / Focal Lengths: 100-400mm, 70-200mm, 24-105mm, 11-24mm, Fisheye
PROs: 1) Access to both ends of the rink. 2) Capture goal celly "bench fly-bys" from either team. 3) Good action in front of the net. 4) Premium isolated player shots in neutral zone transition. 5) Capture some incredible bench closeups of players and coaching staff. 6) Hear communication between players and the bench.
CONs: 1) Players and Officials frequently obstruct the view of the net. 2) It's dangerous... be prepared for pucks, sticks, and bodies to be colliding with you. You will get hit... it is inevitable.
In my opinion, if you stay alert at all times, the PROs far outweigh the CONs in virtually every shooting category. Whether you are knocking off players isos of both teams, or simply need to capture the action for game story coverage, the area between the benches offers ever...
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