Adrian Valenzuela Photography

Resurrection Roller Girls Portraits, Sonoma County, California

2011-04-14T23:49:00.000-07:00

Resurrection Roller Girls Portraits
Cal Skate, Ronhert Park CA
Adrian Valenzuela Photography

BAY AREA DERBY GIRLS Season Opener

2011-03-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

Bay Area Derby Girls Season Opener
S.F. Shevil Dead vs. Richmond Wrecking Belles
Craneway Pavillion, Richmond CA
Adrian Valenzuela Photography

American Kickboxing Academy MMA Fighters

2011-02-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

Ron Keslar

Nate James

Ron Keslar

American Kickboxing Academy MMA Fighters
Nate James
Ron Keslar
San Jose, CA
Adrian Valenzuela Photography

Silicon Valley Roller Girls Dot.Kamikaze's vs Bellingham Roller Betties

2011-02-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

Silicon Valley Roller Girls Season Opener
SVRG Dot.Kamikaze's vs Bellingham Roller Betties
San Jose Skate, San Jose CA
Adrian Valenzuela Photography

SVRG KillaBytes vs Bay Area Derby Girls Berkeley Resistance

2011-02-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

Silicon Valley Roller Girls KillaBytes vs Bay Area Derby Girls Berkley Resistance
San Jose Skate, San Jose CA
Adrian Valenzuela Photography

Brentwood Wedding of Dana and Tony

2010-10-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

Tony and Dana are perfect for each other.... When I found out they were getting married I was not surprised at all. I am happy to see two such beautiful and wonderful parents share their life in marriage. God Bless You Both!

Dana & Tony's Wedding from Adrian Valenzuela on Vimeo.

Pro MMA Fighter Jon Fitch trains for UFC 117 Fitch vs Alves

2010-07-23T00:51:00.000-07:00

Pro MMA fighter Jon Fitch is currently training for his upcoming match with Thiago Alves for UFC 117. I spent a couple of days at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose shooting Fitch and his training staff preparing for battle.

Interviewed by Rachel Hulin from "A Photography Blog" Adrian Valenzuela does the Derby

2010-05-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

Check out this interview by Rachel Hulin.... from A Photography Blog!

Ronnie Romiti's A-4 in RC Jet International Magazine

2010-04-15T00:25:00.000-07:00

I shot something that I have never done before, I photographed a jet and a jet engine in my studio... no I do not have a massive studio the size of a hangar. Ronnie Romiti is an avid Remote Control Jet Enthusiast that installed a controversial part into his RC A-4 and was able to make it work. RC Jet International's April/May edition featured some of my photography of Ronnie and his jet, and we also made it to the cover.

Shooting with the 7d and Profoto D1's Silicon Valley Roller Girls vs San Diego Derby Dolls and Tacoma's Dockyard Derby Dames

2010-03-06T23:00:00.000-08:00

The Girls from Silicon Valley had their first bout of the season tonight against San Diego Derby Doll's "Hard Corps" and Tacoma Washington's Dockyard Derby Dames. I've been wanting to test out Canon's 7d and the new 1d Mark IV along with Profoto's D1 Air system, so I rented the 7d and the D1's from BorrowLenses.com in San Mateo. (The Mark IV was unavailable... I'll get to that camera soon) I found the focusing system on the 7d to be pretty impressive as I was able to track the skaters pretty easily as they were moving toward me. I seemed to lose focus as they travelled laterally in front of me around the turn. I think however it may have been due to low light levels and maybe a rapid change in direction of the skaters. I will test this further at the Santa Cruz Derby Girls venue this weekend which is well lit.

The Canon 7d has the ability to shoot Full Resolution HD video. I found it awkward to operate the 7d as a video camera having to look at the screen at the back of the camera instead of through an optical viewfinder. Manual focusing was diffilcult, especially when shooting a moving subject like Roller Derby. I think the best way to operate the 7d as a video camera is to set it up like a motion picture camera with a follow focus unit and an assistant to pull focus. Companies like Redrock Micro make DSLR support systems that allows you to do this. This is something I definately will use due to my background in Cinematography. Overall the 7d is a remarkable camera, and is priced under 2K. I am pretty excited to get my hands on the 1d Mark IV to see what that camera can do.

"Shooting HD Video" Photo Courtesy of Jim Cottingham

I want to be able to set up and control multiple lights wirelessly at the various Roller Derby bouts I shoot. Profoto's Air system I believe is the solution to what I want to do. I rented a pair of these lights and was able to control their intesities using a remote without having to go to each light physically to do so. This isn't a big deal in the studio, however if you have lights rigged high up or on tall light stands all over an arena it becomes to be a pain. Using Profoto's Air Remote I was able to dial in exactly the light levels I wanted standing on the track rather than running back and forth from the track to the light. Using Profoto's Studio air and the USB Air Remote, you can control multiple lights from your laptop wirelessly. This means I can have different lighting setups preprogrammed and ready depending on where I want to shoot on the track.

Central Coast Roller Derby vs. Derby Revolution of Bakersfield, Paso Robles CA

2010-02-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

Central Coast Coach Gabe Kahuna Kamakani's Skaters and Cpl. Punisher Derby Revolution of Bakersfield played an outstanding game tonight at the Paso Robles Event center. Either I haven't seen a game in a while or the girls were hitting really hard. I finally got to meet Kahuna and his team after talking with them for months. Both Kahuna and I were in the Marines so I felt like I have known him for years. Kahuna definitely had the better duty stations. When I was suffering at the worst duty stations the Marine Corps had to offer, (Italy and Hawaii) Kahuna had the good life at Camp Lejeune. Sorry Kahuna. The venue CCRD Skates in is perfect for a Roller Derby Photographer.... there's power available everywhere and there are plenty of places to rig strobes so you can leave the lightstands behind. I can not wait to shoot there again.

Photo Shoot with Miss Google Voice aka: Laurie Burke

2010-02-06T01:07:00.000-08:00

If you have "google voice" you have heard the voice of actress and voice over talent Laurie Burke. Laurie has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows, on film, in theater and in commercial print ads. For as long as I have known her she always has some type of project going on, I am happy for one evening Laurie sat still enough for me to photograph her.

Profoto Article on Adrian Valenzuela Photography by Ron Egatz

2010-02-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here is the link to the Article Ron Egatz from Profoto wrote.

http://blog.profoto-usa.com/?p=899

Adrian Valenzuela Photography wins Monthly Profoto Competition

2010-02-02T01:12:00.000-08:00

I want to thank all my family, friends and the ladies in the Roller Derby community who voted for my photographs in the Profoto Competition back in October 2009. Right before the New Year I got a phone call from Matt Hill and Ron Egatz from Profoto telling me of the great news. With all your support I was able to win the monthly competition for October which puts me in competition for the Profoto Grand Prize in May 2010. In addition to that, Profoto features monthly winners on their websites, in print ads and on their blog which is a great opportunity for exposure for all the winning photographers. The Photograph of SVRG's Dollface and OCRG's Wild Bella from the Silicon Valley Roller Derby game vs the OC Roller Girls is the photograph that will be used in the print ads and online during the month of February. Once again I am very thankful to all of you that helped make this happen, I am grateful to have so many supportive people in my life.

Adrian

Roller Derby Photography Tips, How to shoot Roller Derby

2009-12-17T23:21:00.000-08:00

Lately I have recieved e-mail asking about tips on how to photograph Roller Derby. Here are some things to consider to improve your Roller Derby Photography.

Know the basics of photography in and out. Learn to shoot manually
Learn the game and movements of the players so you can anticipate where the action will be, just don't "machine gun" the camera and hope for the best.
Use flash. Most Roller Derby Venues are quite dark and don't have enough available light to stop the action of the players. Flash photography gives you the light you need to capture the action of the skaters. Study flash photography and know your lighting tools well.
Use Long focal lengths to get in close to the action, also use wide angles for a different perspective.
Study compostion and learn how to compose quickly
Don't just shoot Roller Derby, learn to excel in other areas of photography to improve your Roller Derby Photography.
Take professional courses. Seek out professional photographers you would like to learn from and take their courses. Almost all the top pro's offer workshops throughout the year. Although they may seem pricey, they really aren't in comparison to what you will learn from industry leaders.
Get your photographs in front of professional photographers that will critque your work. Its important that these photographers will truly critique it, and not just give you compliments. When you are taking a college course in Photography the students and teachers viewing your work are way too nice. Get it in front of pros that will rip it apart... you will learn more.
Take a look at what Roller Derby Photographers are doing now.... and do something different.

Silicon Valley Roller Girls vs the San Diego Derby Dolls

2009-12-16T01:24:00.000-08:00

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Took a little 7 hour drive down to San Diego this past weekend to shoot SVRG and the San Diego Derby Dolls. The bout was held at the Del Mar fairgrounds and was almost cancelled due to rain and a leaky roof. The wet parts of the track were constantly being wiped down by volunteers so no one would get hurt. I ran into B-Train from Wicked Skatewear, which is always fun and got to shoot SVRG in a whole new environment.

Engagement Session Bing Crosby's, Walnut Creek

2009-12-05T15:55:00.000-08:00

These engagement portraits for Debbie and John were really fun to shoot. Bing Crosby's in Walnut Creek was gracious enough to allow us to shoot in their beautiful restaurant off hours.

SVRG KillaBytes vs Brentwood's Undead Betty's, San Jose CA

2009-11-14T23:00:00.000-08:00

The Double Header here at San Jose Skate was a full house and a double win for the Silicon Valley Roller Girls. They hosted roller derby bouts vs. my hometown, Brentwood's Undead Bettys and also Humboldt's Roller Derby Team. This was a special night for my friend Aim DeKill, skating her last bout of her derby career. Aim is very much looked up to throughout the leauge, she's a wonderful person and I am glad to have met her.

Profoto Pro-8 Contest

2009-10-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

Profoto is one of the top photography lighting manufacturers in the world, they are currently holding a photography contest which I have entered. My gallery "Down and Derby" of the Silicon Valley Roller Girls and the OC Roller Girls is currently on the Profoto website for voting for the month of October. Please go vote for the "Down and Derby" set and help me get into the finals with the rest of the monthly winners!

Silicon Valley vs OC Roller Girls

2009-09-26T23:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got to shoot another one of my favorite teams.... SVRG's Dot.Kamikazes. I have to hand it to these ladies.... they run a professional leauge,well organized, hard working, fun-loving and they treat their photographers like gold. I have a lot of freedom when I shoot them and I have to say I really appreciate all they let me do. The OC Roller Girls were up here for the game and lost to SVRG 132-64. I got the opportunity to meet their Captain and Wicked Skatewear co-owner B-Train, and also test out Profoto's new generator the Pro8a-2400 Air. I would like to thank Profoto for their generosity in letting me test the Pro8 for the weekend. I was really impressed with the power it cranked out and the recycling speed of the generator. When shooting Roller Derby with flash you just can't "machine gun" it and hope for a good shot. You have to anticipate what the girls are going to do to capture the action they want to see, however action happens back to back and your equipment has to be powerful enough to keep up. The Pro8 stepped up to the plate and was ready to fire everytime I was. This night was also Juicy K.Tore's birthday bout... she cartwheeled onto the track like she used to always do when she was a little girl. Her family was out to see her play and joined everyone at the afterparty. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUICY!

Santa Cruz Derby Girls vs Tucson Roller Derby's "Iron Curtain"

2009-09-12T22:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite leauges to shoot, the Santa Cruz Derby Girl's "Boardwalk Bombshells" played Tucson Roller Derby's "Iron Curtain". Candie Hooligan always makes my job of catching her in action easy. Below: Here's a shot of Candie getting a whip from Brawley Parton. Above: Jammer Lulu Lockjaw, Eden Yourheartout and Brawley Parton. This was also the last home game for Kicken Red Vixen as she goes into Derby Retirement. Kicken is great jammer, great dancer and a wonderful person. We will miss you Kicken!

Sac City Rollers vs LA Derby Dolls

2009-08-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

The Sac City Rollers hosted a bout with the LA Derby Doll's "Tough Cookies". I've been wanting to shoot Sac City for quite some time now since a former Sac City Skater got me into shooting Roller Derby. She now skates for Sacred City so I'll have to hunt her down once again. The girls from LA were a lot of fun, check out Krissy Krash and Iron Maiven in Drew Barrymore's movie "Whip It".

Lois Greenfield

2009-08-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity tonight to attend a class with world-renowned dance photographer Lois Greenfield. It is always motivating and inspiring to hear the stories of how different photographers became who they are. Lois is an incredible photographer and an amazing public speaker. I feel very lucky to have had this opportunity. Thank you PPGBA!

Yolanda & Franklin, Treasure Island SFBay Area Wedding

2009-08-18T15:18:00.000-07:00

Silicon Valley Roller Girls vs Angel City's Rocket Queens

2009-08-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

The ladies from the Angel City Roller Derby Rocket Queens traveled up to the Bay Area to bout with the Silicon Valley Roller Girls in San Jose. SVRG had played a great bout beating the Rocket Queens 209 to 45. I got to meet some great girls from Angel City and hope to shoot them again soon.

New Roller Derby Website

2009-07-31T10:06:00.000-07:00

I just created a new addition to my site dedicated to Roller Derby Photography. I appreciate all the motivation and encouragement coming from all you Roller Derby ladies and also from my fellow photographers. The site can be accessed from www.adrianvalenzuela.com.

Santa Cruz Derby Girls vs. Jet City Roller Girls

2009-06-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

Shooting the Santa Cruz Derby Girls at their home track was very exciting tonight. It was a little different from other bouts that I have been to. The building they skate in has stadium seating and houses a lot more routy fans then I am used to. It was a close game and it got pretty loud in there. Here's some shots from that night.

Santa Cruz Derby Girls vs. the Silicon Valley Roller Girls

2009-06-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight I shot a bout between the Santa Cruz Derby Girls and the Silicon Valley Roller Girls. The bout was hosted by Silicon Valley at San Jose Skate, the ladies did an awesome job organizing the event. It was very entertaining throughout the night... the audience was obviously having a great time. Steve Wozniak was among the many fans packed into San Jose Skate to support our two local Derby Leagues. Thank you Mr. Wozniak for the best computers I've ever owned! Check the "featured gallery" on my site and my facebook site for photographs of Foxee Firestorm,Candy Hooligan, Sheila Princess of Power, Kicken Red Vixen, Lulu Lockjaw, Pipi Hardstocking, Shamrock N' Roller and more from Santa Cruz and from Silicon Valley, Feisty Irish, Terribelle Demise, Rot Wheels, and The Smack Dahlia.

Liberty High School Senior Sam Jobe, Brentwood CA

2009-06-02T01:36:00.000-07:00

Sam Jobe is a 2009 Liberty High School Senior from Brentwood CA with aspirations to be a singer and an actress. This young lady, writes her own music and sings beautifully. I think she'll do great in the near future. Good Luck to you Sam!

Sonoma County Roller Derby and the Chicago Outfit

2009-06-02T01:31:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I traveled with the Sonoma County Roller Derby Leauge to Chicago Illinois to shoot a bout with the ladies from the Chicago Outfit.

Kelly Barton Fitness Portraits

2009-06-02T01:17:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to shoot with Kelly Barton a fitness model from the Bay Area. Kelly competes in the Class C division, and recently placed 4th in the "Contra Costa Fitness " It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to achieve her fitness goals and I have a lot of respect for what she has achieved...

Down and Derby with Sonoma County Roller Derby

2009-04-09T22:33:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I got contacted by "All on Ya" number 25 of the Sonoma County Roller Derby Leauge. Its that time again... this time around I'm covering them from the begninning of the season to the end for a "project" for the end of the year. It should be pretty fun. The first bout is on April 18th, "Wine Country Homewreckers" vs. the "Santa Cruz Roller Girls" in Ronhert Park.

Napa Fire and Police Department Charity Basketball

2009-03-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

This evening the Napa Fire Department and Napa Police Department organized a charity Basketball game to raise funds to stop youth violence in Napa. I had a great time shooting for these guys. The police department came out on top this year, however it was a very close and exciting game throughout. The kids from the local Jr. High delivered speeches about what they have learned through the DARE program, the Chaplain delievered a touching speech honoring Sgts. Mark Dunakin, Ervin Romans, Daniel Sakai and Officer John Hege from Oakland PD. This was a great family event and I hope to photograph more of these community events in the future.

Midwest Model Natascha

2009-03-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Natascha was kind enough to let me photograph her tuesday night after one of our classes. A special thanks goes out to Penny Copeland of Twin Spring Photo for holding my lights and making everyone laugh, Andrew Bowser from Andrew Bowser Photography for also assisting in lighting, and to Craig Heidemann from Apple Studios for lending me his lighting gear.

My Springfield Work at the Elfindale Mansion

2009-03-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

Here is some of my work from Bambi Cantrell's workshop.

Bambi Cantrell Workshop, Springfield Missouri

2009-03-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

I have been looking forward to the opportunity to learn from Bambi Cantrell for quite some time. The opportunity came up and I had to jump on it. The workshop was held at the Beautiful Elfindale Mansion in Springfield Missouri. It was hosted by Dawn Shields of Dawn Shields Photography and she and her staff did a great job of making us feel welcome. I can't even begin to tell you how much I learned from Bambi in these short 3 days. She opened my eyes to a lot of concepts and techniques that has helped me as a professional photographer. I highly recommend professionals take courses like this one to improve their skills. Not only do you learn from the instructor but you also gain even more knowledge from the other professionals in your class. It is an invaluable experience that I will not forget. The photographers there in Missouri were not only extremely talented but wonderful people as well, I can not say enough good things about my new friends from the Midwest. (Colorado and Florida too Dory and Cindy!)

Megan & Zhani

2009-03-06T11:04:00.000-08:00

Here are some portraits of two clients Zhani and Megan.

Workshop with Bambi Cantrell, Springfield MO

2009-02-27T01:13:00.000-08:00

I'll be in Springfield MO next week attending a wedding workshop with Bambi Cantrell. Bambi is one of the best wedding photographers in the World. I've been looking forward to learning from her for quite some time. We'll be shooting at the Elfindale Mansion from the 9th to the 11th.

Photo Session with Andria

2009-02-14T02:20:00.000-08:00

Anne Geddes

2009-01-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

Today I had the opportunity to meet one of the most respected professional photographers in the world, Anne Geddes. Anne was the keynote speaker here at Imaging USA in Phoenix AZ, and was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Professional Photographers of America. Hearing this woman's life story and her motivation to photograph the precious moments of a child were unbelievably inspiring.

Sonoma County Roller Derby

2008-09-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

The ladies from the Sonoma County Roller Derby league had me photograph one of their bouts tonight. It was the first time I've ever been to a Roller Derby bout let alone photograph one. The lighting was quite a challenge and power was scarce but I managed to make do. The girls were a lot of fun and I hope to work with them more in the future.