Like many football fans I watch a lot of games, mostly via the TV. I always follow players that I think would look cool on one of canvases!  Because of the PVR I can watch, stop plays and make some quick sketches. So when I get the opportunity to go to a live game and photo shoot playersfor a project, I have an idea of what I m looking for in a players pose or stance. I work by using images to references a players face and the way the sun or stadium lights falls on his body but mostly for the face details. After all, the player needs to recognize himself in the painting before he agrees to take the painting home.

 

One of my many photo shoots came in the 2013 of the CFL season where the Calgary Stampeders hosted the Hamilton Ticats. 

 

Days before I arrive at the game, I have my mind set at taking photo shots of a few players and going from there. This way if I don't get my shots of that certain player I can always fall back on the other players.

As usual the shots that I was looking for didn't come. I was looking for a certain pose or action shot but it wasn't materializing. I went over to the Ticats bench area and snapped a few shots of receiver Dave Stala.  I was about to take more shots when the Ticats made a play on the field and all the players on the bench stood up and I couldn't see through these giants in front of me.  Well, that ended that inspirational thought.

 

I began to walk back to the Stampeder’s side to see if my luck would change.

I set out along the sideline snapping shots of the plays as they unfolding in front of me. I am not sure if anybody knows this but it takes a long time to get around a football field when you stop and try to take action shots. It also seemed that the play was always on the other side of the field. I finally reached the Stampeders bench area.

 

One thing for sure, it's a real neat experience being near the play on the field and listening to the crowd behind you. But its even more especial to stand beside the future or now a day legends on the sideline and listen to what they say to each other. Also, there is the coaches talking about the next play with the players that just got off the field.

 

Then there was the kicker Rene Paredes going through his routine. He was my prop for a good 40 shots most likely a future painting.

 

It was on the sideline where I seen the TSN cameraman that I had talked to earlier in the game. As we were talking the play had stopped and then I seen Coach Huff wandering onto the field with his head set wrapped around his neck asking the referee for an explanation on a call. The stadium lights lit up McMahon's field. As Coach Huf put his head set back on his head and with a deep concentration glare walked towards the sideline.  Even though there was 25,000 fans sitting on our side of the stadium, it felt like Coach Huf was looking through us and through the bleachers into the parking lot...that's the look that I wanted to capture! That's it I said!

 

As I stood there and snapped a few photos all I seen was the distant dark blurred crowd behind him and there in front of me was a living legend in the bright stadium lights. I recall telling the TSN cameraman who at the time was looking in another direction " Look at that " I said. As he turned and pointed his camera at Coach Huf all he could say was - " Way too Cool!"  I told the cameraman, my friend " This is why I love doing this. I can't wait to do a painting of this."

 

During the rest of game I was following Coach Huf for about 30 to 50 more 

shots. Some of shots were good quality and some not so good. When I say good quality, I mean clear and detailed and where I can see every hair, wrinkle, stitching in the shirt, etc. The wind was blowing pretty good so most of his

shots had his hair flying all over the place. I only had a few shots where his hair was laid down and styled if you wish. I decided to go with the messy hair look because that's how I recall seeing it.

 

Hey, that's how paintings are conceived and created!

 

" This is why I love doing this! "

 

If you have any questions on the this or any other paintings please click

'contact' and we will be happy to provide you with any information we can.

 

Thank you and I really appreciate your visit. I hope you enjoy viewing and reading about " Coach Huf "

 

Joe Versikaitis

 

Photos for this painting were taken by Joe Versikaitis

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