Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Where Would You Sit?

When there's a pause in the action on the field I turn my camera on the fans.  I love Outlaws fans.  I often just print close-ups of fans.  Giving them a few moments of fame on this blog. 

Recently, being a philosopher at heart, I got to thinking as I viewed my fan photos.   I wondered if money were no object, if I could sit whereever I wished, where would I sit?  Ordinarily tickets to games include an assigned seat.  I attended a UT game a few years ago.  My assigned seat was way high up there.  At first I was disappointed.  Then I realized the perspective gave me a view of the entire field.  I saw a UT receiver catch a pass about ten yards beyond the line of scrimmage and I knew it would go for a touchdown because I could see the entire field and no defender was anywhere close to the receiver.

If I weren't assigned a seat, where would I sit?

When I go to Outlaws games to shoot pictures, I stay on the sidelines. The goal is to get close up shots of the action.  But that perspective isn't very good for viewing the game.  To paraphrase an old saying, I can't see the game for the players. 

If I were attending the game just as a spectator, where would I sit? 

Someplace in the middle of the bleachers?  I'm big and I love having space.  The fan in the photo below isn't big but she has lots of space.  I'd like that.

Would I sit in the middle someplace?  I'd like having all that space.


Would I sit at the top?  Remembering my remarkable view at the UT game, the view from the top is cool.  Now I'm unlikely to select this because to view from the top you have to climb a lot of stairs.  Hauling my large self up a lot of stairs might be good exercise but I wouldn't be so large if I liked exercise.  It would be different if I were attending a University of Michigan game.  There you enter their stadium at the top and walk down to the closer seats.  I don't mind walking down but everything that goes down must come up and that would be exercise and I don't much like exercise.

How about the very top row?  The problem is you have to climb
all those stairs to get there.

Or would I get as close to the field as possible, sitting right on the front edge of the bleachers?

I should know the name of Shadana's daughter.  I've known
her since she was very little.  But my memory for names
just doesn't work very well.

Would I sit with just a couple close friends?  One of these fans has a little dog. 

Three friends enjoying the game together. 

Or would I sit with a bunch of friends?

A group of friends. 

I've admitted before I'm kind of shy and kind of a loner.  It is very likely I'd be someplace all by myself.  If I need company I can phone home on my IPhone.

This could be me.  I'm a loner.  I like space and privacy.  He's got both.


One thing I'd consider is whether to sit on the sunny side or the shady side.  The sunny side has a nice sound to it, like the old song "Keep Your Sunny Side Up."  But in Texas the sunny side has other implications.  Hot.  Sunburn.  I hope the fans in the photo below wore sunscreen.  I wonder if their sunscreen had that coconut smell?  My wife likes visiting the coast and lazing on the beach.  We haven't had much time to do that in the past few years so sometimes she'll smear on a little sunscreen so the special delicious smell will remind her of days relaxing on South Padre Island.  At sporting events you tend to sit on the side of the field where your team is, without thinking sunny or shady.  The Outlaws graciously allow the visiting team the sunny side so I'm naturally on the Outlaws side which is the shady side.  But if the Outlaws were on the sunny side, which would I select?  Sit with my favorite team?  Or sit with the enemy in the shade? 

As a wannabe photographer, I always want the sun at my back because that provides the best lighting for my subjects.

Professional courtesy.  The Outlaws always allow the visitors to enjoy the sunny side of
the stadium. 
Okay, your turn.  Where would you sit?







No comments: