Pole Vaulters

My favorite thing about shooting track is all my options. There are so many events and so many opportunities to make interesting images, I am never bored. Today I focused on the pole vaulters. These guys expressions made my day.

At the pool

Swimming is one of my favorite sports to photograph. Although most high school dual meets don’t produce a lot of emotion the action is predictable. The athletes have a rhythm that is relatively easy to follow and capture. The decent window lighting in Longmont’s Centennial pool didn’t hurt either.

Something for myself

I made this photo while shooting a track meet at Longmont High School. The kid’s team didn’t win the relay race, it didn’t run in the paper but I liked it and thought it was fun to try to make something more artistic at a sports shoot.

Lacrosse

I had to go over to Alexander Dawson High School today and photograph the new boy’s lacrosse coach Travis Aldrich. The paper asked for both feature photos of the coach and action of the game.  

Focusing on the fast paced game and the sidelines at the same time is pretty tough especially when you are paying attention to the sunlight, tying to find clean backgrounds for the action photos and keep close to the coach. I found it was best for me to get some action shots first then get up close for the feature photos of the coach. 

Behind the Curtain

I have photographed too many performances to count and one of my favorite things to do is get behind the scene shots. Anybody can point a camera at a stage and take a photo. But I find the real moments are made and can be captured behind the curtain.

My very first job in Colorado was to go the Frederick High School and photograph the Varsity Blue Choir. I love slipping into the dressing room and making images of the girls in a frenzy putting on makeup, spraying their hair and getting into costume. The pre-performance prayer works out occasionally and noticing someone like a high-energy director who is controlling the lighting via a head set while conducting the pianist and making sure the singers are getting out on the stage at the right time all help tell the story that the audience doesn’t get to see.