9:27 AM Winter Invite Las Vegas

I skipped the US National Cyclocross Championships in Bend that are going on right now to watch my kids swim at the Winter Age Group Championships Swim Meet in Vegas. While it would be great to be in Bend to see and shoot all the action I'm not missing the freezing temps.

It's cold here in Vegas but I get to escape that by sitting in the sauna that this indoor pool has become. As an added bonus there are a around a thousand screaming kids going every direction and my youngest son has decided it's a fine place to walk around shirtless (not a BL reference.)

I like shooting swimming because it's a whole different game than what I'm normally shooting. The outdoor meets are pretty much second nature. Indoor it's a whole new ball game. Dark, blue, crowded. As soon as I saw what I was working with I decided I would not go for my typical swim photos to save for when the kids are older or the wife to scrapbook.

For the shot of my daughter below I broke into the coaches area and mounted a strobe, sent my youngest to go crash a "Lego Party," and pushed my lens to view the pool in between the legs of another spectator. My wife hates the slow shutter shutter speed stuff. I love it.