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Nevada, Iowa - Sports Bowl - November 2024

I'm putting this post up to show not everything works out the way you want it to in photos.


I'd had an idea in my head for a while, ideally for the Sports category at the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon. I wanted to find a bowling alley that would let me lie down on the lane behind a bowling ball, and try to get a reaction of my children and some of their friends reacting to pretending it was going to be a strike. I tried both of the bowling alleys in Ames and struck out, they didn't permit it. This fall, however, I found Sports Bowl in Nevada online - it looked like one of the bowling alleys of my youth, and even better, they were extremely open to this idea.

During Thanksgiving break, we all went over to Nevada, me wearing some junky sweatsuit I'd bought online with words on the butt, and we set up the shot. And I don't think these worked out perfectly for a few reasons:

  • I think maybe I should have storyboarded for the kids what I wanted, as getting their enthusiasm up was a little tough.

  • The lighting was not perfect. It's very fluorescent, and in a bowling alley the light points down near the pins (where I was lying), not up at the bowler.

  • I think I put the bowling ball too close to me, so it made the focus a little wonky? I would be interested in trying it again with maybe some lighting and moving the ball, but I'm not sure that the idea is that great to make it worth it.


Anyway - here are the results. I'd do over again, though, because I got to experience walking on a bowling alley, which I'd never done previously. Not a full-on bucket list item, but something that I'd always wanted to do.



Colorful bowling ball with "Storm" text on a shiny lane, blurred background shows dimly lit bowling alley with people.

Bowling lane with vibrant bowling ball in focus; background shows four people cheering. Shelves of bowling balls and pins visible.

A colorful bowling ball rolls down the lane, approaching pins. In the background, a family cheers in a lively bowling alley setting.

Seven bowling pins stand on a polished wooden lane with red and white stripes, creating a focused and anticipatory mood in the dim alley.

Bowling pins set up on a wooden lane, ready for a game. The pins have red neck bands and scuffs, under low lighting.

Four kids kneel on a bowling lane in front of pins. The backdrop has numbers 9 and 10. They're smiling, wearing colorful shirts.

Four kids lying on a bowling lane, smiling. Bowling pins in the background. Numbers 9 and 10 visible on red and blue wall. Casual mood.

Bowling shoes on a glossy counter in a bowling alley. Label reads "Eagle." Background features blurred lights and colors.

Bowling lanes under a curved ceiling with the text "SPORTS BOWL." Pins are set up on lanes 3-10 with reflections on wooden floors.

Stacked silver vaults in a room with fluorescent lighting. A poster with “Poetry on Ice” and “tractor” is visible in the background.

Boy in jersey stands in front of a wall display of colorful bowling balls with various prices and sale signs in a store setting.

Colorful bowling balls with swirling patterns on a rack; red, blue, and orange hues dominate the image. Background is blurred.

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Guest
May 29

Strangely, this is actually one of my favorite of your posts so far.

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Indecent Exposure

My name is Angie.  I find normal to be largely boring.  I am really lucky to get to spend time behind my camera doing all kinds of fun things, and also super-really annoying my kids by taking a million photos of them.  

singularfocusphotography@gmail.com

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