Years ago, when I first starting shooting, I had a tendency to look down on sports photographers. They just shoot sports, they're not "real" photographers. Then the day came when I actually had to photograph a sporting event. High school football if I recall correctly. When I showed up at the field, I gained a whole new respect for those who photograph sports and can do it well. Over the ensuing years, after working at a few newspapers where everybody on the photo staff gets their fair share of sports assignments, I got pretty good at photographing them. In most cases I still can't tell you what is actually going on in the game and how this play affects the outcome of the game, but I can come back with well composed, well shot images from the game or event with the players in the images correctly identified.
The other night I had to photograph at a major league baseball park. I wasn't actually shooting the game itself, my job was to photograph an Air Force honor guard as they presented the colors during the singing of the National Anthem as well as the person who sang said National Anthem, but as i walked out onto the field it made me think about having to shoot sports. Though, despite my lack of interest in sports, it still can be somewhat exciting to have access to the field.
While at the game I shot number of images of the honor guard preparing to do their thing. This is Senior Airman Jenna Hall waiting backstage as it were.
Senior Airman Jenna Hall
Air Force honor guard
*And for Sean, as this will make no sense to anyone else, today for lunch I had an egg salad sandwich on rye bread with American cheese and apple juice.
