August 11, 2023
Working for the Lake Country Dockhounds has kept me extremely busy this summer, but I wouldn't trade it for anything! I have taken more photos in a single week than I thought possible - on an average game day I take ~600 photos, with roughly 150 making the final cut at the end of the night. Multiply that by 6-9 games in a row and you have a ton of photos to sort through in a given week.
I thought it might be fun to break down what a day looks like for me right now. I usually arrive at the stadium somewhere between noon and 2:00. Some days I'll take arrival shots of the players coming through the back gate, usually on the first day back at home or the start of a series against a different team. There's a short staff meeting at 2:00 to prep for the day, after which I might do a bit of work on my computer in the club level before afternoon practice. On a typical day, that starts at 3:00, so I'll head down to the field around then to shoot the players as they start warming up. Earlier is usually the best time to get fun photos and great candids, as the guys are most goofy before the coaches start on what they need to do that day.
After batting practice (the last phase of the daily practice routine), I head inside and edit the photos I just took and share any that are particularly good for socials with my coworker who runs the team Instagram and Facebook. By the time I'm done with that, its usually close to 6:00, so I reapply sunscreen and head down to the field for the pre-game activities. The players begin filtering out of the locker room and I might grab some shots of them stretching or chatting before the game amidst the host welcome, first pitches, and any special things we have beforehand. Working with the other team photographer, we shoot the starting nine run out from the dugout and the national anthem directly following. It was a bit strange walking around the field during that at first, but I've gotten used to it now.
The other photographer and I split our game duties, so some days I'm in the dugout and focus on just shooting the game itself as well as candids of the players. Other days, I mill around the stadium taking shots of fans, food, staff, stadium locations, infield games, etc. We work with a shot list that details what we need photos of on a given day, which is helpful. I also will shoot some of the game from the third-base media box to get photos from a different angle, especially with our right-handed pitchers and left-handed batters, as well as any action between second and third base. Another favorite spot of mine is directly behind home plate.
Once the game ends (hopefully in a win!) around 10:00, I either grab my things and settle into one of the suites to work for the night, or head home to do the same. I'll sort through and edit photos from the day, export them, and then upload to the appropriate folders in the shared system for the staff and league (Dropbox and Canto, respectively) before being done for the day, somewhere around 2:00am. Driving home from work at that time usually entails blasting music 😜. Once I get my batteries plugged in for the night, I can head to bed and recharge for the next day!
July 30, 2022
This summer has been a busy one so far! To further my knowledge with photography and become more comfortable with the capabilities of my camera, I began working for School and Sport Pics in New Berlin. Working for them has been eye-opening and I've learned a lot about posing, lighting, camera mechanics, and much more. Working with other photographers who freelance in a variety of types of photography has been one of the most fun aspects of the job. A few work with models and do artistic studio work, while others specialize in weddings, seniors, and family photography. I have so much more to learn, but this job has already been amazing....despite adding a few pieces of equipment to my wishlist and eventually my expense column!
Some of the highlights of the summer for BRP have been shooting the Run O' the Mill Pony Club spring horse shows and the Waukesha Wings Golf Outing. I've been involved with both organizations for a long time, and it was an honor to shoot their events. Additionally, I've been doing some work for individuals with horses. I'm starting to book events for the fall, so if you're interested in having me photograph an event (horse shows, golf outings, etc) please reach out!
February 1, 2022
I am very happy (and nervous) to announce that I am going to be trying to build this hobby into a business! This is something that I've thought about for a long time and had MANY people suggest I do, and now I finally feel ready. This means that I will be accepting outside clientele and charging for my services. Photography is something I have developed a passion for over the last few years and I am beyond excited to be pursuing it professionally. I plan on taking it one step at a time and seeing where it goes, so wish me the best of luck! If you have questions or would like to schedule a shoot, please see my Contact page.
November 22, 2021
Thanks to a friend, I have been lucky to be photographing the St. Norbert College ACHA Division II Men's Hockey team since the beginning of the 2021-22 season. It has been so fun to get back into hockey photography after a few months off since my brother's high school season ended! I've been learning a lot about my own strengths and weaknesses as a photographer, specifically with athletics and particularly hockey, in addition to doing some research into how to improve. While there are many things I am learning how to do, the biggest goal I have now is to save money for a new camera. I have been very blessed to have a phenomenal camera at my disposal thanks to my dad, but he purchased it probably12 years ago and digital camera technology has come a long way in that time. For now though, I am thrilled every time I get to shoot a game and capture some memories for the team. Special shoutout to two of my best friends and roommate, Maddie and Maria, for going to so many games with me. From away weekends that we drive two hours for to home games ten minutes away, the games are that much more fun together. I am looking forward to going home for the holidays and hopefully taking some photos of the Waukesha Wings during the Joe Raymond Memorial Tournament after Christmas.
January 15, 2021
Over the past month, I've been photographing high school hockey games since my brother is on the team. I had taken some photos occasionally in the past, but not with the consistency of this season. I have learned a lot over those games and I believe the improvement in my skill is evident in the photos. Unlike with equine photography, that to me is a bit more straight forward because I've been exposed to so much of it, I actually had to do a bit of research about how to improve my hockey photos. There are still photos that come out poorly for one reason or another, but the number is shrinking with every game.
Something that I strive for with sport photography is to get close-ups and candids that communicate the feeling of the game. Tonight I had one photo that nearly brought me to tears when I saw it on my computer (can be found in Wings JV v. Stars 1.15.21). In a post-goal celebration, three of the players were together and the middle one smiling while looking straight at the camera. The pure joy in that moment came through so perfectly, that even though the image is not crystal clear, there was no way I could delete it. The icing on the cake is it came from a JV game. It was such a huge reminder to me about why we play sports. Especially for non-professional teams, it really is about the team camaraderie and love of the game over the level of game, statistics, or championships. I am so proud of that photo because I feel it truly captures the essence of both hockey and sport in general. Photos like that one renew my love for photography, as I am just so happy to have captured that one moment in time for the players, parents, and anyone who happens across it.