Copyright © 2024 Tokyo in Pics | Powered by Tokyo in Pics
Tokyo Top 30 Showcase - big league basketball
Do you remember me going to a basketball camp in early 2021? It was for Tokyo Samurai. Well, later that year, I went to another of their events. They called this one Tokyo Top 30 Showcase. It brought Japanese B League coaches and scouts to check out the young talent. Head coach Kris Thiesen had the whole day worked out. Anyway, it was a good day of sports photography.
What photo gear did I use for these photos?
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lens: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
How was my Tokyo Top 30 Showcase day?
The kids put in a massive effort. Some of them played with injuries. I’m sure most of them had quite a few bruises to take home by the end. Until this event, I had thought basketball was a pretty gentle game (as far as sports can be).
But, I was wrong. In their desire to gain control of the ball, players often ended up on the ground in some bone-jarring falls. They picked themselves up and carried on as if nothing had happened. This game is not for the faint-hearted when played at the highest level.
Basketball is becoming more popular in Japan. So, it will be interesting to see how many of these kids will go on to bigger and better things. Tokyo Samurai is an excellent place for younger players to get that start. Kris Thiesen and his coaches have the skills and experience to guide them.
As for photography, it was an excellent experience. Culttz had good lighting, which made things easy. It was very different from my first game. That gym had poor lighting. That made me use a very high ISO and gave the pictures a lot of grain. That made them ugly. I didn’t have that problem this time.
The other thing was learning from past mistakes. In previous games, I sat in the same spot and snapped away. No wonder my pictures had a look of sameness about them. This time I moved around the court more, trying different positions. The new strategy worked out well.
I haven’t done much sports photography recently, so I have fond memories of this day. Hopefully, another chance to do it again will come. And just as hopefully, these young men’s dreams will come true.
For more basketball articles, look at:
External related websites:
- Tokyo Samurai (official website)