Calm Before the Storm
Yesterday’s game was a crazy game to say the least. One all-time NCAA record broken, rain on and off throughout the game, over 100 points scored and a broken camera. Before the game and before my main camera broke, I took time to capture the quieter moments of the team as they prepared for the game.
Let me know what you think and please go check out the Flickr Gallery of the shots from the game.
As for the following week or so, the posts will slow down a bit as my days will be filled photographing students return for Fall Term. I’ll do my best to get a few shots up here and there.
Ups and Downs in Football and Photography
Today I covered the inaugural Lincoln Bowl at Knox College against Eureka College. While it was an exciting game that lead to a final score of 62-55, it was a day of frustration not only for the team, but for me as well. Knox College eventually lost the game after leading or being tied with Eureka for most of the game. This was very frustrating for many of the players who hoped to start the season on the right foot.
As for my frustration, right before the game I was handed quite the curveball. My main camera the 7D decided to end its run and I was forced to use my backup camera the Xsi. This is an intro level camera body that I haven’t really used since my sophomore year of college. While this was a large problem at first, I did what I could to continue covering the game and I came away with a number of shots I am proud of. I hope you go over to the Knox College Flickr page to check out the best 25 shots I got from the game.
As per always, please let me know what you think of the shots and send a link to a friend or a family member if you think they will enjoy this post. Thank you.
Soccer Practice
The women’s soccer practice I covered yesterday, was not only a practice for the team, but a practice for me. I tried different angles and locations than I normally would take during a game. I got hooked on shooting this spot so much that I have ordered equipment to shoot this remotely during the first game on Friday and for the rest of the season.
Let me know what you think.
Football is Back
I wanted to post a few exclamation points on the end of that title.
On Friday I covered my first Friday Night Lights game (HS football) for The Galesburg Register-Mail and on Saturday I covered a scrimmage of the Knox College team and their first game is on next Saturday. First is my best shot from Friday during the Knoxville HS vs. BPCA HS. It was fun and I wish I could have stayed the whole game, but deadlines called and I couldn’t stay for very long.
Knoxville senior Cole Steele brings down the Spartans’ senior Seth Tolley on Friday, Aug. 24. John Williams/For the Register-Mail
Next is a few of my best shots from Saturday. I changed things up and shot from the top of the press box and with a 50mm at times thought the game. It gave me some nice angled and I didn’t worry too much to get action shots, and tried to work on sideline shots. While most of these are action I was trying to get comfortable walking through the team’s sideline and getting shots without players giving me weird looks. Eventually they will start to ignore me, I hope.
Next up men’s soccer soccer scrimmage today, if the weather clears up.
Let me know what you think of the shots. Thanks.
Headstand for Concentration
A few days ago I was covering a cross country practice when the Head Coach Alex Moreno began to teach the students how to do a headstand to help them work on concentrating and breathing. This is only part of the numerous photos you can see over on Flickr of preseason practice. Go check out the other photos there.
Sophomore Kaity Hutchcroft does a headstand during stretches for cross country on Tuesday, Aug. 21.
Side note: So far, not that good on reaching those goals that I put forth yesterday. I have only one more like on my Facebook page, nothing more than average for views and no new subscribers. Remember to spread word of my work if you enjoy what you see. It would really help me and is easy for you to throw up a quick link to your friends on Twitter, Facebook or your own blog and you could easily win yourself a free photo.
Reaching for a Different Shot
Yesterday I ran briefly (100 yards or so) with the cross country team as they did their afternoon workout. I was aiming to get something different from what I normally get from a running shot. I’m not fully satisfied so one day I’m going to show up more ready to run to get something more interesting and better.
I really want to know what your opinion of the shot is and ways you think it can be improved. Thank you.
First Football Scrimmage
Yesterday was the first scrimmage of the season and the football team already seems pumped to get the season started. Check out this shot and let me know what you think.
Start of Daily Posts
In an aim to provide more photos to my viewers and push me to produce better photos on a day to day basis, I have created the goal of posting once a day. Most times, I would have to guess, it will be only one photo but I won’t limit myself to one photo.
Today, since I did not even take my camera out of its bag today, here is a shot from my archives. As football season nears, I give you a shot from last season. While not the best season for the team, I enjoyed covering all the games and I can’t wait to cover the team for the fifth year.
Enjoy and please give me comments and critiques of this photo and most importantly hound me for any missed days (without a good excuse).
Baseball and Golf
The Knox baseball team qualified for the MWC championship today during the last home game of the season. The game also marked the departure of three seniors and a long time coach, James Isaacson. Here are shots from that game along with a few shots from golf from earlier that day.
Thanks for taking a look. Please request any photos before reuse. Please leave a comment  about the shots. Also I’m trying this gallery instead of a slideshow. Tell me if you like this style better. Thanks.
Baseball, Poetry and Bill Ayers
This weekend I photographed a gambit of events. From the Knox at Monmouth baseball game to the Rootabaga Poetry Slam. Here are some of the shots from the weekend. Today I am off to Green Oaks to produce a feature story and photos for this week’s center spread, barring Flunk Day’s arrival.
Please let me know if there are any that stick out or have any other comments. Have a great day!
Knox vs Monmouth Baseball
Here are some shots from Tuesday. I don’t have much to say since I am a busy busy guy, but hope you enjoy and please let me know if you have any favorites or any comments and critiques. Thank you.
Rootabaga and Start of the Baseball Season
It has been a busy week and is still busy, so I will keep this brief. Here are my shots from this weekend’s Rootabaga Jazz Festival and the first home baseball game of the season. Enjoy and let me know if any stick out. I love comments and critiques.
Portfolio Critique
Hey everyone. It is internship season and I am looking to get another internship this summer. I am posting this in hopes to get a quick critique of my portfolio before I send in a few applications. Please let me know what you think of it. Any weak photos? Any editing changes? Any other photos you remember that are left out? Let me know.
http://john-williams-photography.com/Portfolio.html
Thank you.
Sports Saturday Take 2
I promise to be better at uploading things now that Winter term is beginning. There are two more posts that should arrive shortly. (Wedding photos and Second City show) There will also be a best of 2012 post and constant updates from my independent study this term (The Essence of Knox: A Portrait Project).
This Saturday I shot almost 26 Gbs covering wrestling, two basketball games and Second City. While it was a long day, I enjoy photographing all day. Here are the selects from the sporting events.
Give me any opinions you might have, they are always appreciated. (more…)
MSOE Wrestling Tournament
Sorry for the lack of updates in almost a month. With finals and whatnot I got distracted from the photography side of my life.
I spent a good part of Saturday photographing Knox’s Wrestling team as they competed in MSOE Invitational. The team finished 9th out of 11 teams and seniors James Wagner and Alex Faulkner finished sixth and fifth, respectively. It was nice to get a little sports photography in over break and I hope to go shoot some basketball on the 13th and maybe some other high school level games for fun if I can’t pull some freelance jobs.
Heres a collection of the shots from yesterday. Hope you enjoy.
13th straight Bronze Turkey loss; First winless season since 1968
Knox College’s Football season ended today with a 56-27 loss to the Monmouth College Scots during their 13th straight loss for the Bronze Turkey trophy. While this has become common place, this game met more than just one more loss on a regretful season. This loss signaled the first winless season since 1968 for Knox College.
While I felt like Knox performed better this season than last season (1-9 record last season), they were unable to pull out a win despite having a more powerful offense this year. Certainly I’m not saying the defense was the main reason for the loss, but weak tackling and missed coverage did lead to a few scores today and in previous games.
I have become used to photographing losses (haven’t covered a winning football game since sophomore year), the losses this year, were clearly more heartbreaking for the members of the team than in previous years.
Here are the shots from today (plus a couple swimming shots from this morning). Let me know if any stand out, or if you have an opinion.
Thank you.
Homecoming
As Knox College’s Homecoming winds down, here are a few selects from this weekend. There still is an alumni soccer game today, and that should be good for a few more shots. The football team struggled all day against Illinois College losing 49-19 to continue the winless season. The volleyball team has their fair share of struggles as well with a 0-21 record on the season. Despite that, the students and alumni showed up in force cheering on their teams.
Shooting Soccer with a 50mm
A few days ago I let a new photographer at The Knox Student borrow my 70-200mm so I challenged myself to shoot with just my 50mm f/1.8 during the game. I looked for more sideline shots, since the action was getting covered by the two other photographers from The Knox Student at the game.
Here are my five best shots from the day, and I must say I think I will pulling out the 50 more often during outdoor sports events. It was a fun challenge that helped me think more about the emotion and sideline action than the action out on the field.
Knox College's Ella Peterson sits with her teammates during a team talk during halftime against Concordia-Chicago. Knox was tied at the half, but was unable to keep up with Concordia-Chicago, losing 3-1.
Assistant Coach John Baillie watches the action on the pitch during the second half of the 3-1 loss to Concordia-Chicago on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011.
Knox College's Angie Garduno dribbles the ball past Concordia-Chicago defenders on Tuesday during the 3-1 loss to Concordia-Chicago.
Knox College's Emily Turner watches from the sidelines after being pulled from the game against Concordia-Chicago on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011. Turner was replaced by Rachael Koene in the 83rd minute during the 3-1 loss.
- A game ball sits on the side of the field after the Knox Women’s Soccer Team lost 3-1 to Concordia-Chicago on Sept 13, 2011.
John Williams Photography Blog 