Sheet metal worker Dave Reginek calls his second job at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena "a really cool gig."

The legions of Detroit Red Wings fans around the state would probably agree.

Since the 2003 hockey season, on game nights, Reginek has led a dual life: at the end of the regular work-day, he puts aside his hard hat and detailer drawings and picks up his hockey helmet and three substantial cameral bags, on his way to work as the Red Wings team photographer.

"Being a sheet metal worker pays the bills, but this is the kind of moonlighting job you dream about," Reginek said.

The work isn't easy, but it's every bit as good as it sounds, said Reginek, who has dabbled with photography since he was 11. The job includes a cramped rink-side spot unprotected by Plexiglass to facilitate shooting photos, regular contact with the players, and a pass to roam all the corners of Joe Louis Arena to get the action angles he wants.

A 27-year member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 80, Reginek is currently employed in his day-job by Danboise Mechanical, mostly doing computer-aided design work. He said his bosses, Carl Pistolesi and Steve Gordon, "have been absolutely great" in giving him time off on the occasions when his photography work conflicts with his sheet metal work.

He got the job as the Red Wings photographer during the 2003 season. Dave had been doing freelance photography work for groups like the Michigan Hockey paper. When his predecessor had a falling out with the Red Wings management, his editor at the MH paper recommended him for the job. Dave was given a four-game trial to shoot Wings' games. "It was a little overwhelming, and at the first game, my heart was pounding and I was pretty nervous. But they must have liked my work." He passed the test and was hired on as team photographer.

Photographing professional hockey action is a bit more involved than shooting sunsets. Reginek has more than $30,000 invested in his camera equipment to capture images in the fast-moving game, and his own pre-game warm up is quite extensive.

We followed Reginek around when the New Jersey Devils came to Detroit on Dec. 6. Detroit won, 5-2.

He gets to park in the players lot, which helps since he had to lug 60 lbs. of photography equipment. At least an hour before game-time, Reginek ambles along the catwalks among the roof trusses of Joe Louis, turning on and testing his strobes. He said the use of six strobe / flash units near the roof can make the difference between a good photo and a great photo.

During games, when he's taking photos, he uses a digital transmitter on his camera to trigger the strobes which illuminates the entire surface of the rink. Players and the 20,000 fans never notice the flashes.

Between periods, due to limited space, Reginek and photographers covering the game from newspapers, magazines and wire services rotate where they take their photos. The best spot is a tiny little "office" on the center red line between the players' benches, where Reginek dodges an occasional puck, as well as flying spit from players, and enjoys the sights and the sounds of being so close to the action.

"It's a whole different perspective down there," he said. "They're always yelling to each other, and everybody has a nickname. Drapes, Malts, Shanny, Langer. One of the funniest things I've seen was when LA was in town, and (former Red Wing) Sean Avery kept leaning over me where I was at, yelling at the Wings bench. He has a reputation for being a pest. It was constant. He just wouldn't shut up."

Reginek doesn't think twice about putting on a hard hat at construction sites, but he didn't bother to wear a helmet while working rink-side - until the San Jose game this year. A wayward puck hit him in the head in the first period.

"I bled like a stuck pig, but they gave me a towel and I kept shooting," he said with trace of a smile. "The Wings doctor gave me four stitches, and I was good to go." Lesson learned the hard way: Dave now wears a helmet when he's rink-side.

Other vantage points for Reginek during games are in the corners of the rink or at center ice, halfway up the stands. No helmet required.

Reginek does more than take on-ice action shots. Before the Wings-Devils game, he was asked by team representatives to take photos of some soon-to-be retirees who work for the NHL, as well as some "grip and grins" with team dignitaries. That's common, he said, and he never says "no" to anyone.

In between periods and after the game, Reginek rushes back to a small room near the Zamboni entrance of the Joe and drops off a compact flash disk containing the digital photos he has just taken - he shoots between 100-150 images each period. A Red Wings employee, using a laptop computer, stores his shots and then immediately uploads the best of the photos to update the team's web site in-between periods and after each game.

Reginek's photos are also printed out and used for a variety of purposes. Team members autograph enlargements. The Red Wings mutually share action photos with other NHL teams. Advertisers seek shots of players near their logo on the boards. Sometimes players want copies of a particular shot. Reginek is also the Wings' go-to guy for duties like taking pre-game photos of players getting recognized for a league milestone.

Reginek also takes off-ice player publicity shots for items like team calendars and Inside Hockeytown Magazine, but most of his work is done rink-side at Joe Louis Arena.

But he can't be everywhere. After the Devils game, Reginek expressed disappointment at being out of position when Steve Yzerman scored his fourth goal of the season - this was the best of the bunch for the Captain - which included a nice move on the Devils' goalie. "That's the way it goes, I was shooting at the other end of the rink," he said.

On occasions when he works the locker rooms, Reginek said there are a number of unwritten rules of etiquette in dealing with players, especially after a loss or during the pressure-filled playoffs. "It's all about being respectful," he said. For example, when he sees an opportunity to take a player's photo, he catches the player's attention and will look down at his camera and then at the player, giving the player the opportunity to decline the photo op.

He said the players have gradually grown comfortable with him, and he has nothing but positive things to say about the Red Wings and hockey players in general. "You run into some egos every now and then, but I've always found them to be down-to-earth, really nice people," he said.

Reginek, 46, still plays hockey two nights a week in a "beer league" and has been a life-long Red Wings fan. He knows he won't get much sympathy, but he said he "really misses being able to go to a game and watch a game in a seat."

Without prompting, he managed to draw parallels between sheet metal work and professional hockey photography.

"I think I've had some success in the in the sheet metal industry and in photography because of good preparation," Reginek said. "And you can't expect to be successful at any job unless you have the right tools. Plus I've always felt that if my name is going to go next to the photo, or if it's duct-work I've designed that's going in, I want it to be the best it can be."

A CRAMPED LITTLE spot between the players' benches provides a sanctuary for sheet metal worker Dave Reginek to work his second job: as Detroit Red Wings team photographer. Here the Wings have just taken the ice during their pre-game skate against the New Jersey Devils.

WHEN RED WINGS TEAM photographer Dave Reginek was asked for a copy of his favorite photo, he came up with this beaut from earlier this season. Dave's camera captured the puck just as it left Kirk Maltby's stick. The slapshot sailed wide of Chicago Blackhawk goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, and hit the boards just above Dave's camera position. There's a small Plexiglass-covered hole at the base of a Zamboni door that provides photographers with this perspective. Photo by Dave Reginek