friday night lights

Sometimes my work provides me with some unexpected photographic opportunities. On Friday I was asked to photograph a volunteer appreciation event that was taking place at the stadium prior to one of the home games of the local football team, the poorly named Edmonton Eskimos. I readily admit to having zero interest in this type of football, and even when I've won tickets in the past, I've chosen not to go (although I might have been convinced otherwise if Canadian football involved tailgate parties). I have, however, been sort of keen of being able to photograph inside the football stadium, if only to satisfy my addiction to taking pictures of empty seats. And satisfy that addiction I did. The volunteer event started well in advance of game time and I was free to wander around the relatively empty stadium in between the official program of the volunteer event and the game start time.

It had been raining just as we arrived at the stadium, so when I got my first glimpse of the empty seats, they were still covered in rain. A few players were on the field warming up and from my spot in the stands I got to watch as they tossed the ball back and forth and practiced running the length of the field. A few people headed towards their seats, but the majority held back and waited for the sun to dry what remained of the short rain storm.





Eventually the game began, and the referees, cheerleaders and players made their way out on the field. The stadium was by no means full, but as I was leaving (couldn't stay for the actual game), there were still throngs of people making their way to the stadium from the LRT.







It was a rather enormous spectacle. I haven't gone to any organized sporting event of that scale in a long time, so I rather enjoyed the novelty of the concession and it's stacks of hotdogs and hamburgers wrapped tightly in tinfoil. I didn't even mind the smell of spilled beer or the masses of rowdy and obnoxious fans. I suppose now after going to a football game I might as well give in and see a hockey game. Just one, so the experience can be equally novel.