I had the opportunity last week to photograph the South Bend Roller Girls as they prepared for an upcoming bout. Despite the darkness at the rink, I was able to make some frames I was happy with. Since it was so dark and I didn’t want to strobe the arena, I worked a lot of pan shots and used my faster glass for the wide shots when they weren’t skating.
![South Bend Roller Derby Candice Mansfield, "Candi-Land Massacre," makes her way through a turn as she takes part in a drill as a jammer during South Bend Roller Girls practice on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. In roller derby, the jammer is the only person who can score points. Jammers, who wear stars on their helmets, get a point for each opponent passed during passes through the pack. Mansfield is a debt collector away from the rink. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212s.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby Members of the South Bend Roller Girls, including Shannon Hoyt, third from left, line up for a drill during a practice on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. Hoyt, known as "Hoytie Toity," helped organize the team two years ago when she posted to her Facebook asking if any of her friends were interested in starting a derby team. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212c.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby A pair of shoes and a pair of skates await a derby girl before a South Bend Roller Girls practice on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212b.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby Genevieve Carlson, "Genevicious," listens to coaching during South Bend Roller Girls practice on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. Carlson, who lives in South Bend, is an outreach coordinator for the Humane Society of St. Joseph County. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212i.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby Shannon Hoyt, "Hoytie Toity," takes part in a drill wearing a star on her helmet to designate her as a jammer during a practice of the South Bend Roller Girls on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. In roller derby, the jammer is the only person who can score points. Jammers, who wear stars on their helmets, get a point for each opponent passed during passes through the pack. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212u.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby Candice Mansfield, "Candi-Land Massacre," wears a helmet featuring a gingerbread man throwing a Molotov cocktail during South Bend Roller Girls practice on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212j.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby Heather Planert, "Fraidy Krueger," second from left, looks back as she rolls in a shopping cart drill with her teammates during South Bend Roller Girls practice on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. The drill consists of several teammates connecting in a line as the person in the back pushes the entire group. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212h.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby Shannon Hoyt, "Hoytie Toity," smiles as she takes part in a drill during a practice of the South Bend Roller Girls on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. The idea for the team started two years ago when Hoyt, 32, posted on her Facebook asking friends if anyone was interested in starting a derby team. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212p.jpg)
![South Bend Roller Derby Genevieve Carlson, "Genevicious," rests for a moment on the hardwood floor skating surface after a few rounds as a jammer in a drill during South Bend Roller Girls practice on Thursday, April 12, 2012, at USA Skate Center in Mishawaka. Carlson, who lives in South Bend, is an outreach coordinator for the Humane Society of St. Joseph County. (James Brosher/South Bend Tribune)](https://www.brosher.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rollerderby041212l.jpg)
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