High School Cross Country Photos

It been too long since I posted any photos so I thought I would revisit my fall project from last year. I had the opportunity to follow the Rowland Hall Cross County Team for one season. The idea was I would take photos documenting the team through out the season and then present a book to the team as a surprise at the end of the season. Sounded simple and straight forward when I started and in many ways it was, but I have a tendency to over think things and not in a good way which made the project harder than it needed to be. In the long run it taught me allot so in my mind it was a success. I also left the project really impressed with everybody associated with the Rowland Hall Cross Country Team.

Lately I have started to print large copies of my photos which is a whole new experience for me. It is amazing that I have taken so many photos and printed so few. I'm learning what shows well on my computer screen may look distinctly different printed out 16"x 24" so its been a fun but challenging process. I am also learning that my favorite photos are generally not the photos that most people like. For example the last photo of this post, the girl from Alta High School. I really love this photo for so many reasons, to me its more than just a photo of girl running cross country, but like I said above, I tend to over think things.

Happy Halloween

I was planning on racing cyclecross this year but my bike just showed up this Wednesday and since I have never raced bikes let alone cyclecross before I figure it would be better to go down and take some photos rather than kill myself racing. After a bit of practice I hope to race later in the season.

I have taken photos before at the Utah Cyclecross Halloween double at Wheeler Park and know from experience that the opportunity for good photos are everywhere. You just can't walk away without at least a few great photos. I managed to get 40 or more decent photos in about a hour of walking the course. It is also fun just to watch the races even if you are not taking photos, you can't help laughing as a grown man rides by wearing tighty whities or a rider dressed as a butterfly flips over his handle bars because a racer dressed as a chicken just crashed in front of him. Best free entertainment around.

50 Yard Dash

It started during lunch with a simple comment, well not really a comment but a challenge. "I could beat you old man, I could beat you running backwards." "Really, willing to put up a case of beer behind those words or are you just flapping your lips?".... Soon other challenges were made, engineering versus DCC, machine shop versus weld shop. Smack talk all week long, side bets were made, long lost pairs of tube socks and grass stained sneakers pulled out of retirement, the 50 yard dash was on, Friday at high noon.

Fall Project

I have the great opportunity this fall to work on a project that involves taking photos of Utah high school cross country meets. A few years back I took pictures at the State Championship Finals at Sugar House Park. I was only able to take pictures for about a hour but walked away with a few really good photos, so I am very excited to be able to spend some extended time taking photos of these amazing young athletes. Not only is it fun to to take photos of the runners but the whole culture of Utah High School sports is intriguing and foreign to me. I don't have any children and didn't participate in any High School sports myself so when I show up to these events I am always a little overwhelmed by the large scale of the meets. At the American Fork Grass Relays I believe there was over 230 JV girls starting at the same time, which is very impressive and scary when they come charging at you all at once. Above is a few photos that I like and I will be posting more as the season continues.