Talent in the making.

Here it is another long while before I have been here and although I have not been working, I have been very busy helping various people do things. That's another blog though, this one is long due in coming.

I'm talking about someone I've known for a long while now, but never taken the time to mention which is quite long over due.

Rip Impact




The very first time I met him was at a wrestling card at the Studio in Hamilton. Along with a few other wrestlers, he was one of the first to come up and introduce himself to me. I was also quickly added over on Facebook even though I hadn't any photos of him wrestling up that I deemed anywhere near as worthy as the one to the left.

I enjoyed every match he wrestled including the one on that first card, and all his other matches that I've seen. Check the video above for some clips of his match. Let me tell you, the fast moving, quick wrestling, matches are the absolute biggest challenge to photograph or video. They go way too fast for most to keep up you really need a huge knowledge of wrestling holds and moves to anticipate what is coming next. For the record, I've never been told what's choreographed in any wrestling event I've attended, it's all experience on holds and moves and ringside savvy that's gotten me these photos and videos.



You'll have noticed in the photos tape across his arm with the words "Owen" written on them. The date taken was May 24th 2009, if anyone remembers Owen Hart they will get the connection. In fact it takes a lot of wrestling knowledge to know that Rip Impact wrestled a lot like the late Owen Hart complete with the "Sharpshooter" that Bret Hart used before Owen took it and used it nearer to the end of his life.




That's precisely what Rip Impact did in his match which was essentially a tribute to Owen in all aspects that I could see. It ended up that he lost the final match on that day, but that's wrestling for you. Yet another long blog I could get into about what not to do as a promoter as I've watched many try and fail, or try and succeed.

Staying on topic though, I not only wanted to mention Rip Impact for the wrestling skills, but also the dedication to the wrestling world that I find can be rare with wrestlers. Over the years that I've seen him around in the independent wrestling world I've observed all his help to each of the cards in various manners. Whether it's helping to take apart a ring, or ensure something was running right, Rip was always on hand there doing something.

It's that kind of dedication that I truly love to see in the wrestling world and this is long time in coming for Rip Impact because I could clearly see that from the start he was one of those wrestlers that deserved a lot of recognition in the wrestling world.



It should also be mentioned that somewhere throughout the matches I've taken photos of him at that he also found a way around towards my camera to get some good photos such as the one to the left. Maybe he knows just how difficult it is to shoot a fast moving wrestler in the ring and was giving me a photo opportunity like I was a paparazzi in Hollywood, but personally I know he's a nice guy and would simply stand there just so I could get the photo.

Not many wrestlers will acknowledge the camera when I'm busy around the ring taking photos and I don't know if they realize that sometimes angles just don't line up so nicely to get a great photo opportunity. In fact during one entrance I was recently filming of a lady wrestler, she turned and her hair swung across her face rendering the photo absolutely useless. A true wrestler that knows the photographers are right there taking photos would make that one moment count rather than turn around suddenly to look back at someone. Wait for the photo, then turn to look at whatever has caught your attention.

Several of Rip's entrances I've caught, but the last one he came in way too fast for me to catch him. The lighting was also dark; you can tell by the video at the top of this blog as this is the wrestling card I am referring to.



I am pleased with several of his photos from that card though. It all went down so fast I don't know if I was chasing him getting the photos or he simply stopped for the ones I got. (See photo to the left for an example) Regardless, it takes a lot of ring presence to get where people are and what they are doing. You're covering a huge area of space with a big immovable ring in the middle of it looking for the best vantage points to shoot photos from.

I believe that wrestling photographers are pretty much a wrestler's best friend in the wrestling world because we capture the permanent images that will remain in the world forever and it's something that generations of fans will treasure. It's a piece of wrestling history etched in time for youngsters to look at. When you get a good wrestler like Rip at ringside it makes you want to capture all that moment for everyone to keep looking at years from now.

Think back a moment to the wrestler you remembered the most that was just before your time. The one that you wished you could have seen that match. You'll have heard about how they were with fans and people at ringside and think 'he was great'.

The photographers and video camera people that trailed those guys around are the ones you're thanking for being able to see what it was like back then. If not for them, there would only be a memory.

Now we're here in the present where friends, family and fans of Rip Impact are looking at these images and video thinking about how great the match was and how good a wrestler he is. Years from now those memories are still alive and well because I was able to get those moments. How could I possibly not give the long due credit here to Rip Impact that he truly deserves.




A winner that match, a lot of applause. It's all there in the photos to keep treasured for eternity. In my world where lighting and flares are constantly problems, it makes these kinds of photos very worthwhile to take.

Truly appreciated, Rip Impact.
Thanks
Desiree

May or May not...sounds like Yoda

Hi again everyone,
I was looking around for more wrestling groups to go out and photograph and found a lot in my area. So many at so many times...some conflicting with others. So I may or may not attend, but whatever the decision I know I will be updating it here.

I have a point to the may or may not attend too. Some of these groups are farther away or charge admission at the door that as a photographer, first time shooting I don't know if they will want this fee. It would simply cost me to travel and get in just to get some photos. I know I do it for my own reasons, but it doesn't help if the wrestling is mediocre.

What I like about attending these new cards is the ability to expand my friendship in the wrestling world and meet new people. There are some cards that I actually have seen some of the wrestlers; one of which is a nice guy and friend on Facebook. Unfortunately there are some wrestlers I'm not too keen on and one of those will be on one of the cards.

I don't mind travelling out to Hamilton, Ontario to attend some of these cards. I know the area very well to get to them; Hamilton is a quiet city to me. A day trip is all it takes to realize I am away from home; even with the wrestling.

Perhaps I should explain...Toronto=excitement you can't go a block without something going on. Car horns/alarms, emergency vehicles sirens, road rage, crazy people, fights, vandalism or crimes, arguments, etc. All occur almost all day, every day. So one trip out to a wrestling card in Brantford the most exciting part of the trip was the way the conductor on Via Rail came up asking me, "Do you know about my hammers?" He was talking about the emergency exit windows where you get those hammers and break through the glass. Did you not know that, you would find that odd to the point of humor. Hamilton I rarely encounter any kind of excitement until the wrestling.

So when I eventually return to my city I know I am there and usually get a "welcome back" honk or whatever. My problem with leaving for these cards is the immediate boredom that strikes for lack of something to observe during the journey. The last trip out to Hamilton I made my own fun by "Tweeting" my trip. I took photos along the way and posted the journey; most exciting part? The key tag for the women's washroom in a Tim Horton's. The thing was the size of a text book! I posted it on twitter, I had to. The thing was the size of the calazone from Kitchen Nightmares.

I know I am going to get off topic here, but I could just picture Gordon Ramsay's face if he saw this thing during an inspection of this Tim Horton's. I was laughing the entire time thinking of these things right after I saw this key tag. Can you picture someone trying to steal this thing? It wouldn't fit in a pocket, but would look obvious in a bag. Of course following that I'm thinking about Macy and the character of Chris Dellar AKA "Hulk" I can think of a billion funny lines I could give them if they came across this key tag.

Before I really get off topic here, my point to this was about if I would encounter another funny or interesting thing during the time I go and shoot these shows? I would suppose it's a chance everyone has to take in life and you'll never know if you don't try.

To end on that note with one of my quotes "Trying is free"

Desiree Doucette

Some how I knew it would be like this.

Hello readers,

I had a feeling things would get busier and I wouldn't have much time to update. Wit the upcoming British Isles Show I have even less time. I decided to take care of the important things and the things that were holding me back.

The show is really what I want to blog about today because usually it gets prepared every year, year round. This is a big anniversary for the show...two Coronation Street stars are coming, Becky and Shawn.

For me it means deciding on what I want to wear with much more precise decision because this would not only mean meeting a lot of people and looking nice, but also being in front of cameras.

The back drop isn't so bad for the show, but that red carpet! I pretty much blended in one year with a red top. Then there is the rest of the show where you need to be in comfortable clothes to walk around in. There are many vendors and navigating for the first hour is usually crucial.

The stage show I also like to get to various great photo opportunity spots to take some pictures. For the most part the show has the same lay out as always, but sometimes a vendor or two move somewhere else.

I still have yet to get a camera card ready for the show, I have plenty, but haven't gotten one clear of photos. I simply have to back up and burn to DVD, but that alone takes some time.

There are many other litte things that need to be prepared for, but I don't want to go on about it here now.

I mostly try to get onto my Twitter account and tweet what I am doing, so I will likely be updating more there first.

That's about all I have time for today,
thanks for reading
Desiree