US Figure Skating Adult Nationals
Hosted by the Triangle Figure Skating Club at the Factory Ice House April 19-22, 2017.

We had the pleasure of shooting the Adult Nationals last week. One of our favorite event organizers, Scott Cudmore of the Triangle Figure Skating Club invited us to help provide photos for all of the skaters. We brought an extra shooter, Ken Martin, along to help cover the second sheet of ice. After four very full days and many costume changes, we had shot about 30,000 frames.

One of my very favorite events to shoot is the Free Dance. Creativity runs a bit wild, and we see some very convoluted positioning flying across the ice. I admire the athletic ability it takes to make these moves, and the creativity it takes to come up with the costumes. Not very many adults in the local clubs, so shooting a regional or national event is a real treat. I never thought figure skating would be such a pleasure to shoot. I’ve always been a football, soccer or hockey kind of guy. These dance acts have brought me around.

I would like to mention how much we’ve appreciated Scott Cudmore’s help over the past dozen years. He has always had a good word for us, and had an answer for every stupid question we’ve come up with. Perhaps the thing we’ll miss most is the food he always brings to his events. He is a crazy excellent cook, often bringing a dizzying array of choices for lunch AND dinner. His soups are our favorite. Scott has moved to Florida and is teaching skating there while building an event organization company of his own. He is on the board with US Figure skating, so no doubt we’ll run into him again. Often, we hope. Thanks Scott!