TRYING something new is hard for me. It takes a lot of courage for me to step out of my comfort zone, but when I do, I transform as a person.
I had never been to a live AFL game before Saturday, so it was a new experience for me.
I was there to work with FC Sports Media to cover two local AFL games.
The first game between the Hervey Bay Bombers and Brothers Bulldogs was alright, and we stayed until the end of the first quarter. I used the camera to take shots of the game, and I found it very exciting.
Other local media who were covering the match introduced themselves to me along with club coaches and officials.
I was amazed by the game, and it is something that I would watch again.
We moved on to the Bay Power, and Across the Waves Eagles match and that was an intense experience.
We were standing right up against the fence near the sideline to capture some images, and if I am honest, it was a bit scary.
One moment the ball flies past your face and then next thing five metres in front of you players are fighting.
I found the hardest part about taking photos had to continually follow the ball with the camera and attempt to get at least one shot.
Once you have taken what feels like a million photographs you check them out, erasing a bunch hoping to find the perfect shot.
The excitement from the crowd during the match was contagious, and I found myself drawn to the contest.
You could hear everything, including naughty language from one fan to another and I, had a slight chuckle.
Once the match was over, our job wasn’t. We walked through the mud out onto the field where we conducted post-match interviews.
The media help each other set up, and I stood in for channel nine, so he could get his shot set-up.
During the interviews, I was watching, listening and taking mental notes of what was happening around me.
It was an incredibly fun day, and I can’t wait to get back out in the field covering more local sport.
