The NCAA Men’s Basketball Atlantic Region tournament was the first time I was able to try out sports photography… and I loved it! Previously, I was running a wireless camera down on the court for our broadcasting crew, and the energy down there made me fall in love with the job. However, I will always come back to photography. Being able to capture moments in time is an indescribable experience. Combining it with sports turned out to be the career path I was searching for when I went back to grad school. I am so happy to be on this path and I want to share the start of it with you!
Under Pressure
Okay so I’ll admit, I’m not too good at naming my photos. However, I love that I was able to capture his reach and the jump to get to the net. There’s so much movement and tension in the picture, not knowing if the ball is going to go in. Plus, at least as a beginner, it’s not always the easiest to get the ball in the shot when it’s moving so fast!
Going Over Plays
I remember taking this picture and being really excited about how it came out. This is the kind of bench shot you see coming from the professionals, so it was a great confidence boost.
Against the Opposition
Action shots are so much fun and I’m so happy I was able to get so many of them. I also love the Mercyhurst player on the left adding depth to the image.
Beat to the Net
Isolating him against the darker background pulls all the focus to him, especially with no players around. Again, I captured his reach and jump, as well as his ability to beat defensive players to the net. I love the energy and motion coming off of this image.
Victory
Number 10 was such a fun player to watch, and I can’t believe he’s only a freshman! It felt amazing to capture this solitary moment before the buzzer went off and the team rushed on the court to celebrate. His humble celebration represents how I felt to be given the opportunity to cover the team’s success.
After such a great season, I am a little sad that I won’t be able to cover another one. However, I have these photos to look back on and I know there are great things out there waiting for me. A thousand thank yous to the Communications Department and the IUP men’s basketball team for the opportunity!