This was my first year covering a wide range of summer league games and I was amazed with not only the teams but the umpires as well. Most of them are or were Varsity Softball & Baseball Players for Athens & Union City High Schools. I love the fact that they were given the chance to learn what it is like to be behind the plate and show their knowledge of the rules of the game but to also be a role model for the younger players.
Kudos to all of you…
As some of you may have seen on my Facebook page, I have started to put quotes on some of my images. Some of you are thinking that you saw me do this last summer and you are correct! My plans are to do this more regularly and I would love to use some of your favorite quotes.
You can comment on this blog post, send me an email (photographybychar@gmail.com) or post your favorite quotes on my Facebook page. We do need to give credit to who said the quote, so please include the name of the author or speaker for your quote. If you don’t know it, I will do some research and see what I can find.
Here are some that I have created and they will be posted through out this next week on Facebook…
Comment and leave your favorite thoughts and quotes. Maybe yours will be used next with one of my favorite photographs and featured on Facebook!
You will also find this post in my blog PHOTOGRAPHS & WORDS.
The crowd is roaring and you can feel the excitement in the air! The game has ended its 4th quarter but the score is tied… everyone prepares for OVERTIME!
There is a buzz in throughout the gymnasium… “Who is going to win?” Someone shoots… misses then a rebound… Now someone is at the free throw line. The crowd comes to a low roar but then as the shot is about to be made there is a frantic cry for a miss!
The score goes up for one team and then the score goes up for the other team. There is a break away and a block… the clock is counting down the seconds… and then buzzer goes off. The score is still tied. OVERTIME once again!
There is finally a break through and one team takes a lead. With the sound of this final and third buzzer Athens wins with a final score of Athens 77 Union City 71.
It was once again another game for the record books! It was about 4 – 5 years ago that the boys Varsity Basketball Game between Athens and Union City went into multiple overtimes. The ironic thing is… the game was played at Athens and Union City won the game. This year the game was played at Union City and Athens won.
But I remember that game at Athens all too well. I was not photographing it but instead I was a parent of a Union City Junior Varsity basketball player. We were watching the Varsity game to support his school team and fellow athletes. However, a part of me was also supporting the Athens team… you see, I am an Athens Graduate (1986).
It is amazing now going to these games and photographing them. I’m not rooting for one or the other teams any more… but instead I am thrilled to be a part of documenting such a great rivalry between schools. Click here to see more photos from last nights game between Athens and Union City.
Sometimes while photographing a sports game, I will get a little sidetracked and photograph something other than the game! I usually try to make it something challenging like a juxtaposition which is “the act of placing things side by side, especially for the purpose of comparison or contrast.”
One way I have found to capture a juxtaposition during a basketball game (actually during warm ups) is to capture the basketball as it comes thru the hoop and net. For me it is more of a comparison of technique, focus, position and timing. The shear timing alone can be extremely tricky but always such a delight when I capture that perfect moment in time!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Juxtaposition
The women’s hurdles had just finished with an amazing young lady from Athens winning. Now the gun has gone off and the boys are leaving their blocks. I cannot believe the adrenaline rush that I am experiencing let alone the runners! I am moving, backing up trying not to trip over my own feet. As my heart is racing, I get set and I start taking more pictures. Here is what I captured…
Congratulations, Jesse Anderson from Union City took first place at his home track invitational!
I chose the first picture for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Beginning because being a sports photographer I have captured several beginnings of races, games, matches and competitions… and I think this is my favorite beginnings to a race that I have photographed so far. Char
Above you are looking at the new 8″ x 10″ Team Portrait print that you will receive when ordering a package containing an 8″ x 10″ Team Portrait or an individual 8″ x 10″ Team Portrait. All schools of the teams that I photograph will also receive an 8″ x 10″ Team Portrait for displaying in their school.
Above you will find the new 5″ x 7″ Team Portrait print that you will receive when ordering a package containing a 5″ x 7″ Team Portrait or an individual 5″ x 7″ Team Portrait. Also, all coaches will receive a 5″ x 7″ Team Portrait of the team they coach.
You will notice that the new Team Portrait prints look similar to the Memory Mates! Now you have nice complimentary prints for scrapbooks and framing. There will be times when I will customize the Memory Mates to suit the teams, school/team colors and portraits taken. Here is an example of a change in the Memory Mate for the same school but different sport:
I am looking forward to an exciting and busy year of High School & Middle School Sports! Good luck to all of the teams that I am photographing… Athens, Tekonsha & Union City. You will also find me in Harper Creek this fall photographing athletes competing in Football & Volleyball.
Savannah & Sydney both play in the Union City BUCKS Summer Softball League. I have photographed Savannah while she played several different sports over the past year, but this photo shoot really brought a new appreciation for her love for sports!
Sydney is Savannah’s younger sister and is just getting started with her adventure in sports…
Photography by Char specializes in Sports Photography. This includes both action and games coverage along with Team & Athlete Portrait sessions for all sporting leagues and age levels. You can contact me for more information by calling 517-767-3013 or emailing photographybychar@gmail.com
You can also view more of my work at http://www.photographybychar.com
I am a Freelance Sports Photographer in Southern Michigan. I have come across some schools where the Athletic Director will make the decision and contract a photographer to do all of the Athlete & Team Portrait shoots for all of their Sports Team for the year. I have also come across some schools who make recommendations but ultimately leave the decision up to the individual Sports Coaches.
I am curious as to how your school handles this?
I am going to share with you some information on how I go about an Athlete & Team Photo Shoot
Location:
I shoot Athlete & Team Portraits on your home field and natural setting of your sport.
The Athlete Portrait:
I encourage the athletes to do what they would like for their portrait. This includes their particular area of expertise and contribution to the team and sport. Examples would be: the pitcher having their portrait done on the pitching mound; a solid hitter having their portrait done up to bat; a discus throwing having their portrait done in the discus circle with the discus; a pole vaulter having their portrait done in the pole vaulting pit with the pole; or a good putter having their portrait done on the green with their putter & flag.
It has been surprisingly amazing that when an athlete has the opportunity to do what they want for a portrait, they really like their portraits more and are more willing to have their portraits done. A photo shoot also tends to go a little bit faster! Track may be the only exception to this considering there is such a large range of events that could be involved. However, I always attempt to limit the amount of time I take an athlete from practicing their sport.
My Objective as a Sports Photographer:
Throughout many years of being a parent of an athlete, I have learned what parents and athletes are looking for in a good Athlete & Team Portrait and Memory Mate. In my opinion, one of the main objectives a portrait photographer should have is to capture the true contribution, dedication and expertise an athlete brings to a team and sport. An Athlete & Team Photo Shoot should not be about me and what I perceive as the perfect pose but instead what the athlete, team and coach perceives as the perfect pose.
I will bring suggestions and guidelines to help an athlete and team portray what they are aiming for.
It is my belief that the athletes and teams should have ownership in their portraits. This would be the foundation of Photography by Char. It would be a great pleasure to be able to photograph your school’s athletes and teams.
As many of you know the NCAA March Madness tournament begins March 19. Now I don’t usually follow college or professional basketball. To be honest the only thing March Madness has meant to me in the past was that normal Channel 3 shows were going to be interrupted! However, this year I am actually looking forward to March Madness. Yes, Dish Network has assisted with this since I can now find The Young & The Restless on the Soap Opera channel… but more importantly would be my enjoyment in photographing the sport!
In the past, my favorite sport to photograph has always been whichever sport my teens were participating in at the time. They are grown now with my daughter graduating high school this year and as a result I have noticed a shift in the way I go about photographing sports. Instead of just focusing on my teens and their team… I am striving to capture the whole game showing the dedication and determination that all athletes bring to the competition and their team. While I enjoy photographing all sports, basketball has become one of my favorite to photograph. You can literally test all of your photographic skills while photographing a basketball game.
From capturing the action of a fast breakaway to freezing the ball in midair or a player jumping for a jump shot… to the contemporary portrait shots of a player concentrating on that all important free throw. To capture the facial expressions of a player while waiting for a rebound or a pass… to the physical contact on the floor with blocks and picks… nothing is better than that up close action right under the basket. There is a play on focal points and depth of field with capturing the spectators in the stands, the team on the bench and the lectures of the coach during a time out.
Ultimately, I have seriously enjoyed this past basketball season! Not only have I photographed 7-12 grades in the Big Eight Conference in Southern Michigan but I also followed the Athens Lady Indians to their Regional Victory and second trip to the Breslin Center at MSU for the Class D Semi Final State Championship Game. What an experience! These young ladies played an awesome game and I was extremely proud to be a photographer down on the floor while they played.
Spring brings a whole new round of sports. I have already lined up several Athlete & Team Portrait Photo Shoots along with athletic events. If your school needs a photographer, give me a call at (517) 767-3013 or email me at photographybychar@gmail.com. You can also see more of my work on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/PhotographyByChar.
In the meantime, I will be watching the NCAA March Madness tournament to see different aspects of the game that I can look for next year!
MY PHOTOGRAPHS & WORDS 