Hockey players cast pretty impressive shadows during pickup games in Glenview

Low-winter sunlight and hockey players engaging in a pickup game combined to create long shadows on the ice-covered sand volleyball court at Flick Park in Glenview recently.

While searching for general art photos to illustrate cold weather on Dec. 26, I noticed a sign in front of the park indicating that the ice rink was open. I've been known to dabble in hockey, and I was curious to see the rink and check the quality of the ice.

I was surprised that the rink was built on the surface of the sand volleyball court, and that the ice was as smooth as glass. While there, I learned that players would arrive soon for a two-on-two pickup game.

After photographing the game at ground level, I obtained an authorization to fly in Executive Airport's airspace and took photos of the game with the drone. Views of the game were taken at a low altitude at an angle that showed the players' faces, as if they were taken from a nonexistent balcony overlooking the rink.

Then, the drone was flown directly above the ice, and the result is the photo presented here.

What I like most about the photo is the posture of the players and that the shadows appear to be 10 feet long.

Other than the shadows, what I find most interesting is the color of the rink. While some park district ice rinks are laid on baseball infields or grass surfaces, many use plastic liners to create a base that is impermeable to water, and the base color is white.

Since the rink at Flick Park is over sand, the color there is beige. If not for the lines from skate blades, the ice would be barely visible.

Upon viewing the photo, my father-in-law commented that drones have opened up a whole new realm for photography, and I certainly agree with his assessment.