The Week That Was In Sports

After a couple of pretty busy weeks making sports photos this one was very light. For most weeks lately it has been event after event. This week it was the one event on Saturday just after last weeks version of this post went out. It was a fun game with a few cool stories to tell so this post won’t be too short. It will however be much shorter than last weeks post. This coming week I have a couple of my normal events with a couple of cool things to have some fun with as well.

A Photo That Keeps Going

This is a photo that is still going on social media. I was just happy that students stayed for the second half when I came out of the media room. I saw in the stands that a few of them started to take their shirts off. Then a few more joined them, then a few more. When Purdue Pete joined them I knew that a photo could become a thing. I kept watching and waiting for more students to join. Once enough showed up that Pete was in the middle of a composition I made the photo. At the time I thought that maybe there was a cooler photo closer to what was going on. I think that this was the move though. Use the compression of a long lens to let everything come together. I really like how this turned out. It is not a sport action photo, but it is my favorite of the week.

What A Start!…Wait What?

Ohio State started the game on defense, but quickly got the ball on offense. On their first play they broke a huge run down the sidelines where I was. The celebration unfolded right in front of me. It was the perfect way to start the game. I had a couple of good angles of the first score and some good jube as well. The play was called back because of a penalty negating what I had made. I could still file the photos, but just with a longer caption.

Welcome Back Max

If you follow this blog then you know that I love to photograph catchers and tight ends. As a kid I always wanted to be a catcher, and way back in the 1900’s I was a tight end. They don’t often get a lot of attention unless they are engaged to a pop star. Max Klare was one that was going to be fun to watch at Purdue as he grew into his role. Of course in this new era of college football Purdue just kind of turns into the minor leagues for the elite programs. When we do get someone good in here we don’t have the money to keep them. They end up going to a place like Ohio State. You can’t blame the players. They are college kids who have a chance to earn some good money for playing. In the case of Max that is true and he gets to play for the #1 team in the country. It was cool to see him having some success in his return to Ross Ade.

One Photo To Tell The Story

I always look for one photo to tell the story of the game. This photo kind of did that for what happened last Saturday. Ohio State just laid down a good old fashioned butt whipping to the Boilers. They didn’t do anything flashy. They just came out and put it to them. I may have rose colored glasses right now because I still see good things in what Purdue is doing even in a lopsided loss. I can see things that are improving. I really like this coaching staff, and I would like to make this photo in reverse in the future after Purdue sticks it to Ohio State.

When It Works Out…

Going into the game I had a few players on Ohio State to make photos of. Jeremiah Smith was definitely one of those players. Here early on in the game he made a very nice catch down near the goal line. Everything worked out here for a pretty good picture. It is one thing to make a photo of the star just standing around. Getting an action shot of them is much harder. I was glad that I had this one in the can. Could I make a better one as the game went on?

…And When It Doesn’t

Knowing that I need photos of Smith I tried to know where he was at all times. I was on the quarterback when this play started, but with my other eye I was tracking Smith running up the middle. When the ball went to him I swing my lens over and nailed the catch. I photographed the celebration and him running off of the field. I knew that I had the ball in the air right before it hit his hands. I went back through my images to tag them and of course Smith was looking the wrong way when he caught the ball. Sayin could have put the ball over his other shoulder. That would have made for an amazing photo. That is why this sports photography is so fun for me. You can think that you have done everything right only to have the ball go over the wrong shoulder. If the ball had been on his left side this might have been my favorite photo of the game. As it is I didn’t even file this image.

A Weird Game

This was a weird game. I don’t think that I had a good game. That is weird to say. I really have nothing to back that up. I had twenty images that I was proud of for social. I had a good gallery to turn in at the end of the game. For some reason though I wanted more. That is the weird thing about this sport. I only have one more football game this year. Hopefully I can make something cool happen on that day.