BalleMet Columbus' Nutracker

The Nutcracker

             About three years ago I knew I wanted to shoot sports and hockey was number one on my list. At that time I was photographing both Men’s and Women’s Ohio State Hockey Teams. It was early to mid-December and both teams were on winter break. I had nothing to shoot and the next time either team was going to be in town was in a month. I had to shoot something. I was like a trigger happy hunter with nothing to shoot. So I did what any other creative mind would have done in that situation. I did something completely wild and out of the blue that even to this day it shocks me. I shot BalletMet Columbus’ Nutcracker.
            The amount of ballet knowledge I had was that I couldn’t tell the difference between first position or a plié to an arabesque; and if I even tried those in that order it would have been an epic fail. Regardless, on that night I showed up with my gear not knowing what to expect. What I saw through my lens took my breath away. The colors of the lights of the stage beamed down on the dancers as they spun and leapt gracefully to the music of Tchaikovsky. Those elements made the plot of the story of Clara and the Prince and their journey through the land of the Sugar Plumb Fairy come to life.  Three years later I am still amazed with the dancers of this amazing ballet. I give you BalletMet Columbus’ Nutcracker.

 

          

           

High School Gymnastics: The Love of the Game

High School Gymnastics: The Love of the Game

            This last Saturday was interesting. It had been a couple of years since I have photographed a gymnastics meet. The last gymnastics meet I had photographed was The Ohio State Women’s Gymnastics Team. Gymnastics is really hard to photograph. First you are shooting in low light high school gyms or club gyms. Secondly, unless you know the routines of the gymnasts it can be really difficult to shoot because you don’t know which way they are going to flip or what skills they are going to use.

           College Gymnastics is different in skill level than High School Gymnastics. In NCAA Gymnastics teams such as The Georgia Bulldogs, The Oklahoma Sooners, The Alabama Crimson Tide, and the UCLA Bruins; recruit girls who are former Olympians, National Champions and Elite Gymnasts. High School Gymnastics have girls that at one point were on their way to Elite Level Gymnastics, but they grew taller and their bodies matured. Some after spending 24 hours a week in the gym wanted to experience other things such as high school life. For others, at fifteen years old, it was their first meet.

            For most of the gymnasts competing in this quad meet at Dublin Coffman High School, they will not compete in Division I NCAA Gymnastics. Most of them will have their last meet their Senior Year. What I saw through the lens was something different, fun. Fun is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as 1. “Enjoyment or amusement: pleasure. 2. Playful, often noisy activity.” I want to focus on the second definition.

              While I was shooting this meet I noticed that the girls were very supportive of each other. The last performance of the meet was the epitome of this. The Central Crossing Comets and The Franklin Heights Falcons were a combined team. Most of these girls on the combined team had little or no experience in gymnastics accept Micheala Maddox.  The Combined Team was on the balance beam and all of the other teams had finished competing. Maddox donning her blue leotard was the last girl to compete. She put on a show as her fellow gymnasts from all of the teams represented rooted her on as she landed skill after skill. When Maddox nailed her dismount, the crowd went wild.

        Dedication, perseverance, and confidence is what is needed to win at any level of sport. Still many athletes at the elite level lack passion and enjoyment that got them into that level in the first place. What I saw from these gymnasts was something many athletes forget to bring to the table. The playful enjoyment that brings raucous and loud activity that is “fun.” That is why I believe these gymnasts are doing it because they are passionate about it. They aren’t competing for a spot on the Olympic Team or on a World Championship Team or being televised. They are doing it for the love of the game.

                                                           

 

                                                       

                                                                                   

My First Year Photographing High School Football

            High School Football is finished for the season here in Columbus. Before this year I have never photographed football before. I must admit I actually fell in love with it. It brought back memories of my only year playing football. Looking at me now people wouldn't believe that I was a scrawny little guy trying to play wide receiver at San Pedro High School. I only played one game as we were trouncing Narbonne High. I remember the crowd that night at Daniel's Field; loud and crazy. All of a sudden I heard my coach yell "Brent, get in there!" He gave me the play and I ran out on that field as fast as I could. I made it to the huddle and I gave them the play. The huddle was broken and I went to the line. All of a sudden I heard the back up quarterback yell "Brent! Your on the wrong side!"
             To my utter horror I looked to the sidelines and my Coach was frantically pointing to the other side. I faked it and ran the motion. The play called for me to block the defensive back that was covering me. I don't remember hitting him and leveling him, but that guy wasn't going to get passed me and he didn't. When I got back to the sideline the starting quarterback grilled me, "What are you doing, Clark!" he thundered.
             "Having fun." I replied. The interesting thing is that I got a chance to play the rest off the game. I never caught a pass or scored a touchdown that night. I didn't care. I was on that field and for one night I felt like I was a part of that team. You see, I was the worst player on that football team. There were guys that hated my guts just because I was there. They hit me, and hit me they did. Some tried to injure me. Hey I was the 6'1 135 lb. kid with long hair of course the were going to stick me. I just came back for more every time they slammed me to the ground and talked trash. The point is I never gave up even though everyday it was the same thing. Finally, that night I got a chance to play.
            The first night I shot football brought back those memories. When I was playing, I was that kid on the sidelines wishing I was fast enough, strong enough, athletic enough. As a man years later, I was still on the sidelines photographing the game thanking God for the opportunity to do this, a talent that was being developed. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you my first year photographing High School Football.