23
Jul
2009
Evolution 2009
What an amazing eSports event Evolution 2009 was! The biggest fighting game tournament in North America took place this past weekend (July 17-19, 2009) at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino. EVO 2009 definitely lived up to its billing from start to finish the venue was packed with spectators and energy that kept growing as the event continued to its main event, the Street Fighter IV finals.
I was able to photograph EVO 2009 thanks to the help from the organization who asked me to be their official photographer. They were nice enough to provide a hotel room for me at the Gold Coast, right across from the Rio. Not exactly the most magnificent room, but given the amount of time I spent inside it really did not matter. Most of the time I was at the venue, when I was at my room it was just to pass out and sleep to rest up for the next day. 
A typical day for EVO consisted of waking up around 6AM, showering, getting dressed and meeting with the staff at 7AM for breakfast. Breakfast was a time to discuss about the event and what needed to be done that day, it was also important for me to attend so I would know which events to focus on and to know an overview of how the day would be run. By 8AM, we would be at the convention hall to setup for the day. For me it would mean charging my backup batteries, uploading any remaining photos from the last day on my laptop and checking out the lighting conditions. Then from 9AM till the end of the day, it was taking photos or uploading photos with breaks to get lunch and dinner to keep documenting the event without passing out.
The event itself was a smashing success. Never had I been to an event that ran as smoothly as EVO 2009 or the energy of the crowd all of Championship Sunday. The hype was so tangible during the Street Fighter IV finals between Daigo Umehara and Justin Wong, at time I caught myself staring at the match and missing some photo opportunities. The tension of the match at times was so thick it could of been cut through with a knife, especially when Justin had to win rounds to extend the match. In the end Daigo pulled off the close victory to be named the first Street Fighter IV champion of 2009.
All in all, I loved my time at EVO 2009 and am already looking forward to shooting EVO 2010. Perhaps I will be able to shoot another big fighting game event before the close of 2009? One can only hope so!
Evolution 2009 photos can be found here.
Grats on a job well done. It must have been great to be part of the most visible EVO event ever.
I enjoyed all the pictures you took but there is one in particular I really wanted. You took 3 or 4 pictures of Daigo right after Justin won the first set and went of the stage. I think it’s #172 of day 3 but not 100% sure.
I just thought it would be a great picture of him sitting and getting ready for the next match while everyone in the background was cheering.
Anyways, looking forward to your work on the next event.
Glad you liked it. That’s one of my favorite photos too :]
I’m currently working out which event I’m going to photographing. I’ll have news soon about it, I’ll post it on the blog and Twitter. So just stay tuned!
Thank you variously for can this dance hi. It is aru still variously wishes with BIGBOX. I want you to E-mail to this address when having embarrassed it because it is likely to come to Japan again. I will do the cooperation of the limit that can be done. Thank you for a wonderful photograph.
@aru
Hi Aru, thanks for posting. Hopefully I’ll see you again at BIGBOX before I leave Japan on the 27th. It was my pleasure to do the photo with your friends and you. I’m hoping I can come to Japan next year for Tougeki 2010 and maybe GodsGarden II!
Kara! It’s Jesse from Duke’s Boxing. I was watching one of the EVO videos and saw you take that picture of Justin Wong and Daigo Umehara and thought it was you. Great pics, I had no idea you had an interest in Street Fighter. Hope all is well.
@Jesse
Hey Jesse, I had no idea you were a Street Fighter enthusiast! How’s Duke’s Boxing going anyways? I’m so out of shape I haven’t boxed in a year and a half.
I’m no longer in SB and I haven’t gone to Dukes after that summer due to my busy academic schedule. I’m actually living in West LA contemplating on going to Wild Card lol. Pacquiao vs Cotto is going to be madness.
@Jesse
Haha, I’ve always wondered how the Wild Card Gym would be like. Let me know if you do go! I’m picking Pacquiao over Cotto!