3 First Time Experiences Celebrated at The NMU vs Alaska Hockey Game

View the NMU vs Alaska hockey game through the eyes of a new sports photographer as she shares her perspective from behind the lens.

Marquette, Mich. – Roweena Langin, a photography major at NMU joins the Marquette Magazine team and shares insights and perspective from her first sports photography assignment in her debut article, “3 First Time Experiences Celebrated at The NMU vs Alaska Hockey Game.”

I just started interning for marquettemagazine.com. My first assignment was full of firsts. My first time using a Nikon, first time using a mono-pod, and my first time using a 300mm fixed lens.  At Friday’s January 17^th NMU vs. Alaska hockey game I was handed all three of these things minutes before the game started, had a crash course on how to operate the equipment, and was told to have fun. That is what I did.

NMU scores! Northern Michigan University vs. Alaska Fairbanks. January 17 2014, Final Score NMU 5 Alaska 4 Photo by Roweena Langin

Before the 17th I had experienced hockey as a fan, as a photographer shooting from the plays benches and behind the glass with a 200mm lens. The 300mm lens added a whole new wow factor to the game.

When I looked through the lens it felt like I was in the middle of the rink, surrounded by all the players, moving up and down the rink chasing the puck. I sat in my seat watching them get closer and closer to me until they almost completely filled the frame leaving me with a strong desire to dive out of the way to prevent a collision. Then the lens was full, any second the player would hit me sending me flying backwards onto the ice. I braced myself and nothing, the player had passed by the lens. I looked over the camera to find him by the blue line, leaving me with the passing thoughts “How did he get back there?” and quickly followed by “This lens is awesome!”

Gerard Hanson and Dominik Shire pass the puck in Alaska territory. Photo by Roweena Langin

I was not the only person involved in the game to experience a first. Two of NMU’s freshmen got to celebrate their first goals. Forward John Siemer found the net during the third period setting the score 4 to 2. Not long after forward Gerard Hanson scored NMU’s last goal of the night, making the game a 5 to 3 game.  Alaska did their best to close the 2 goal deficit, but was only able to close the gap by 1 point. The final score of the game NMU 5, Alaska 4.

Defensive man Luke Eibler celebrates winning game 1. Northern Michigan University vs. Alaska Fairbanks at the Barry Event Center on January 17 2014, Final Score NMU 5 Alaska 4 Photo by Roweena Langin

by Roweena Langin

When I was a little girl my parents taught me how to use a camera. I spent my photographic childhood in 4-H taking photos so I could enter them into the yearly county fair and have them judged. I have a BFA in photography from Northern Michigan University. My favorite photographic subjects are sports and nature. My dream career is to be a sports photographer working for a big name team or media. I have been a volunteer photographer for the Beacon House in Marquette for some of their fundraising events. In May 2014 I became a contributor with marquettemagazine.com.

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