Back In Ross Ade Stadium

645 days. That is how long it was in between games from field level inside of Ross Ade Stadium. That is a long time in between appearances. When I walked off the field in 2019 after that last game I was not happy with my take on the day. I had a couple of photos that I liked, but overall I knew that I could do better. When you have a game like that you want to have another one as quick as possible. Having to wait 645 days in between is a long time. I loved having the fans back in the stadium and I wanted to show how great the stadium looks with them there. During a TV timeout I ran up into the crowd for a quick photo with the blue sky overhead. I wish that I could have done more, but at this point of the game it seemed like any play could be the big one.

The Rockets Red Glare

The first game of the season is always an interesting one. You have things going on that you don’t always know exactly how it will turn out. Here the overcast day allowed the fireworks during the anthem to show up very well. It allowed for a slightly different take on the flag photo that it seems like I make every year.

Pregame Fun

For some reason I did not think that I had the best pregame as far as photography went. My 26 year old lens was acting up, and I was missing photos. As we got closer to the game though things really started clicking and I was making some photos that I really liked. By the time that we got to the run out I felt like I was really making some good photos. This was fun because of the player that decided to get some air. He would show off more of his athleticism later in the game.

Elite Athletes

When you photograph sports you are constantly reminded what great athletes these young people are. Late in the game after a big play I got a stark reminder of that. Here is a huge defensive player showing gymnast flexibility. It was a cool moment that I was happy to capture.

Good To Have You Back

One of the things that makes college football so great is the band. When I go to a pro game it always feels like  a canned experience. The band in college athletics really gives the game the great atmosphere that it has. Last year with no band and no fans it was like watching a practice. When they started playing Saturday it really hit me that we were doing this. It was great to hear the band start up and the crowd go along with them. September 25th seems like a long time until I can experience it again, but hey I just waited 645 days so what is a couple of weeks?

Game Action

Photographing football is not always an easy thing. Photographing it from the stands makes it a little easier in the fact that things don’t get in your way, and you can see plays developing. It was fun being back down on the field where things move much quicker.

A Piece Of The Puzzle

One great thing about being part of the photo team is that you are part of a team. It sounds crazy, but I have worked a lot of football games solo before, and the need to make the scoring photo can lead to a lack of creativity. The wide stadium photo that leads off this post is a great example of what you can do with a good team. I knew that if the defense made a great play and scored that we had it covered. In the photo above I knew that I could hang back and make a photo of our quarterback without too much worry. If we made the big play and scored we had a team down there to capture it. That lack of pressure makes for a fun experience, and also a good gallery.

More Photos From The Game

Here is a link to the Exposure gallery put together by Purdue athletics. The last couple of years have been interesting, but it was great to be back on the photo team. As I write this I have no idea if I will be on the team at the end of the month when the team comes back home, but this one was fun to be a part of.