VCU Lacrosse

I got the opportunity to shoot one of our club lacrosse games yesterday on University of Richmond campus. Although we (VCU) got out butts kicked, I think i got some good images, which really is all that matters to me at this point. I used to be all about our lacrosse team, and I obviously do cheer for them, because I still have friends on the team, but really, as a photographer, I'm just looking for that great photograph, whether that happens by us losing really bad or winning. My job is to follow the game and document aspects of the game that some may not see or find different aspects of the game that I can bring interest to. It was an afternoon game so I was able to take advantage of the late afternoon, dramatic sunlight, which to me, always makes a great photograph. Ever since I started looking at Simon Bruty's work, specifically his photograph with the dramatic, chierosciro lighting on the tennis player, I really started to thinking a lot more about the light that was present in the frame of my images. One of my main focuses has been to try and replicate that type of feeling that his image gives you, at least for me. I love being able to try and incorporate beams of light stretching across the frame, while capturing an athletic feat at the same time. Doing so adds a whole new level to photographs I feel, obviously you can take great sports photographs but if you can utilize the atmosphere around the game and somehow include that within the images, it adds to the narrative and overall impact the image can have.

I also starting to consider what adjective words i may use for my presentation, it started to make me think more deeply about the real meaning behind my works, and the ideas i was trying to capture through my experience of sports photography at this point. Some words i've been considering include: drama, light, triumph, passion, just to name a few. I'm looking for words that show the dramatic lighting i'm trying to incorporate into my photographs, as well as words that describe the passion in sports, doing everything you can to pull out and W in the end of the game. Leaving everything on the field, shots that show emotion in the face, as well as body language showing the extent of what goes on in sports: on the field, sideline, anything. The thing with sports is there are so many, and eventhough there are certain shots that are comfort shots: ones that you know will be good, there are so many angles and directions you can go with a photograph when including a team, or the geometry of the field, ball, equipment, the list goes on forever. These are things I encounter when I approach a sport through my lens.