Water Polo on HP5+

Water Polo on HP5+ is a series of photos i shot during a heated premier league game between Sliema Frank Salt and Valletta United at the National Pool on a Friday evening, under spot lights. Final score was 10:11 in Valletta’s favour.

Although i’m not a water polo fanatic i have shot this sport a couple of times before and always at this same venue. This is a fast sport that also requires a zoom lens of over 200mm. Unfortunately the maximum zoom i have is 200mm. The National Pool is not the best venue for photography especially when they switch on their harsh spot lights that create strong specular highlights all over the water surface but on a positive note, this is also back lighting so all the water splashing shows up in the photos.

Sliema Frank Salt vs Valletta United. Ilford HP5+ @ ASA1600

I shot two rolls of 36 exposures during the one hour we were there. Both rolls of HP5+ were shot at ASA1600 and metered in camera with an added 2/3 of a stop over exposure  to compensate for the harsh specular high lights. When a camera light meter sees so much bright light it will automatically under expose. (Similar to photography in snow) This would mean that the specular high lights will look good while everything else will be under exposed. Ilford HP5+ can handle over exposure and since there is minimal detail in specular highlights over exposing will not cause any problems. Development was adapted to compensate for the 2 stop push.

Sliema Frank Salt vs Valletta United. Ilford HP5+ @ ASA1600

The opportunity to shoot a water polo game from the pool side was possible thanks to the Malta Institute of Professional Photography, of whom i am a member.

Photography by © Alan Falzon. Developed and scanned by Darkroom Malta.

*Click on photo to see full size

Featured Product