For readers receiving my blog for the first time, I’m Tim Becker, a Connecticut based commercial photographer. Every month or so I share an interesting photo assignment or my thoughts about photography. Please feel free to unsubscribe if you would like to be removed from the distribution list.
As a commercial photographer I have enjoyed many opportunities to experience places that I normally would have never seen: like the view from the roof of city skyscrapers, underground tunnels, sewer culverts, construction sites, and the inside of factories where things are made. I have photographed in beer breweries, foundries with sparks flying, plating plants, plastic injection molding facilities, industrial painting plants, and many factories that machine and form steel, aluminum, brass and exotic metals. I always enjoy making interesting photos and videos of these fascinating places. It’s fun!
In July I experienced another first. I was asked to photograph Norwalk Havoc Robot Combat: http://www.50day.io/ where robots engage in combat. The huge warehouse type building is divided into a spectator area with several arenas where robots do battle, the pits where the robots are repaired and readied for combat, and there is even a green room (it's really a pink room) for combatants to relax prior to their match. You can take the Google virtual tour that I produced here: https://goo.gl/maps/bNAf4dET7vnsdjJZA
There is also a large video control room where the live broadcast of the matches and commentary by the two play by play announcers is directed. There are three weight classes: 3, 12, and 30-pound robots. The bouts last 3 minutes, however an addition 30 second encore can be added by the panel of three judges, if the match is particularly exciting. The judges decide on the winner by how well the robot is controlled, attacks and dominates the match, and by how much damage is done to it's competitor. A “knockout” is called if a robot is unable to show controlled locomotion for ten seconds.
Robots that fly or hover, crush other robots, use fire and heat or compressed gasses as a weapon are all allowed.
I asked if there is a fee to enter a robot to fight and was told “it is free, this is our owner's hobby.”
If you would like to watch the ten-hour July 2021 event on YouTube the link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtlIWhSw7yQ
I never know where my my commercial photography assignments will take me. The enthusiasm level of the employees preparing for this event was very high. I was told that several college admissions recruiters will be attending the July event to meet some of the future engineers and industrial designers from all over the US who come to Connecticut to compete in this hobby.
Norwalk Havoc Robot Combat is located at 165 Water Street Norwalk, CT. Anyone who would like to attend an event in person, there is another event scheduled for Saturday September 18th . The fee for spectators is $10. Robot combat is fun to watch, and no one gets hurt!
Tim Becker
Creative Images Photography
901 Main St.
Manchester, CT 06040
860-528-7818
tim@2cimages.com
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