Gustav Hoiland

By: gustavHoiland

Jul 21 2010

Category: bike polo

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Aperture:	f/5.6
Focal Length:	18mm
ISO:	200
Shutter:	1/30 sec
Camera:	NIKON D80

With fading daylight and a growing boredom with plain’ol polo action shots, I ventured into the realm of lower shutter speeds that enable captures like this one. I used to shoot in this style all the time, especially in Boston during weekday pickup games where the sun dies out quick and the replacement overhead halogen isn’t bright enough for realism.

More than anything else, this image to me is all about the feeling of playing during tournament bike polo. As a spectator you can get vested in a game and that can carry its own excitement, but it’s nothing close to the rush felt in a close game as a player. When you’re on the court, there is no choice but to hustle and play some hard (and hopefully smart) polo. When you see a potential breakaway, you bolt out of your saddle and chase it as hard as you can.

I think this image communicates that message so powerfully, at least to me, because of a few key elements here. The motion blur on everything creates a hectic energy reminiscent of the delirious state I find myself in after sprinting for eight minutes in the hammering sunlight. Next I notice the forearm, all clenched up and furious, which makes me think of the great pressure in my hands so tightly fisted around my bars when jumping into a sprint.

Finally, notice the strangeness of the background. A skinny yellow horizon stripe that splits into two as it continues rightward. The olivey greens all cut up by lines of white.

I can almost hear the stifled “URHHGGHH” followed quickly by a strong exhale.