When shooting softball has got you down...

 ...Suddenly something epic happens. I'm not super pumped on the composition or focal point of the picture, but I felt like it warranted a post. It's rare to see such a valiant attempt by a player that lines up nicely with another teammate and opponent in the same frame.

Westlake's Lindsey Boelter, center, tosses her sliding catch to teammate Kasey Adams, right, to secure second base during a tournament game against Cyprus High School on Thursday, May 17, 2012, at Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah. Westlake High won the game 10-2 against Cyprus High School.

Region 8 Track & Field

To be honest, I'm not too sure why I'm posting these - I think I just had a good time at this meet.  Usually, track meets feel haphazard and thrown together to me; so much stuff going on at all times (in addition to the fear of being skewered by an errant javelin). Amazing athletes, good light and the lingering ache of a sunburn... Enjoy.

People vs. Gravity | Soccer in Orem, Utah

This turned out to be one of those games where every athlete is playing super aggressive. Flips, headbanging, flailing limbs, shoving... all the good stuff. While I'm not crazy about blogging sports images unless they are out of the ordinary moments, I figured I would throw a couple up from this particularly violent afternoon. Enjoy!

BYU Baseball + Utah light

Pitcher pictures are a dime a dozen, but I couldn't help myself. The late evening light at this time of year in Utah is godly. The 300mm was being used by editor on this particular evening, so I shot the game with a 400mm, which I've never done with baseball. The result was a much more expression-based game - either by way of pitchers, runners or base players. Enjoy the golden goodness.

San Diego pitcher Paul Sewald burns one down the middle during a game against BYU on Friday, May 4, 2012, at Miller Field at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Failures are just as good as victories...

...When it's regarding an athlete and you're a photographer. It is never good to wish failure on someone, but I'll be damned if a weird sports fail doesn't look cool. The image below stood out to me from the day's take; just the strange intersection of a moment and a unique shape from a BYU track meet recently. Enjoy!

BYU Volleyball | Something a little different

Rarely am I moved by a sports image in any aspect outside of the capture of peak action. During a match between BYU and Long Beach State, Brigham Young's Robb Stowell reacted to a point against his team in one of the places in the stadium with an ethereal background. Luckily, I had spent a solid 15 minutes on the floor of the BYU side of the game shooting tight with a 300mm - something that rarely pays off. The centered composition, an absent background and the multi-directional light on Robb during such a moment jumped out at me. When you see that weird frame in your take that appeals to you (and maybe you only!), do not be afraid to move it. What's the worst that could happen? Enjoy!

BYU's Robb Stowell buries his face in his jersey after a point was scored against his team by a Long Beach State player during a quarterfinals game on Saturday, April 21, 2012, in the Smith Fieldhouse at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Spring baseball continues...

A little bit of golden hour never hurts when out shooting a baseball game on a gorgeous April evening in Utah. I love the pace of the sport; molasses-slow for ninety percent of it, but a blazing ten percent to keep it interesting.
NOTE: If you say you "kinda like" shooting a sport to your editor, you will be assigned every game. Luckily, I honestly do have a great time out on the field in my supercool kneepads. Enjoy!

Baseball season arrives

And with lovely Utah light. While some hate the slower pace of baseball, it has to be the runner up to basketball as my favorite sport to photograph. Not much to say here except: expect more of this in the near future. Enjoy!