Meet Our Girl Friday On Location

What motivates me to stand in sweltering 100-degree heat, or near-freezing 40-degree cold, taking photos of young athletes? The fun of the game, seeing the sports skills, being part of the community through my photos. And above all – to catch that ever-elusive, perfect peak action picture.

Each sport has different speeds, different angles, different things to watch for. In football, it’s all about who has the ball. In basketball, it is that lay-up – with the athlete grimacing with effort. In track, it is when the high jumper clears the bar with the narrowest of margins with muscles straining, or the hurdler clearing the hurdle with the front leg fully extended. In volleyball, it is the successful dig or net block. No matter what sport, it’s all a fun challenge to try and catch.

Luck does play a big part in capturing that one amazing photo, and so do quick reflexes. There is video footage of me jumping over a football player to avoid being hit as they charged the sideline where I was standing. All the while I was protecting my camera – my valuable instrument in documenting our small town sports events.

And as the weather poses a challenge sometimes, so do the lighting conditions, or an umpire dashing in front of the camera at a crucial moment. But that all adds to the extra satisfaction when you know and see that you got a great shot.

I just love showing the action, portraying the student’s achievements in a positive way through my photos.