Today I was welcomed in to my first Colors Day pep rally at Fayetteville High School. This idea is new to me – where I’m from, we didn’t have Colors Day. Our pep rallies were a seasonal event and the only time anyone was crowned for anything was for homecoming and prom (and boys were voted for positions in these coronations as well). Nonetheless, pep rallies like these are awesome! I love performances by cheer, dance and clubs. Plus, events such as this demonstrate the leadership it takes to plan or MC events for an entire school! Bravo to those involved and congrats to all SIX ladies crowned! This year, for the first time in school history, two Maids of Honor were crowned.

To purchase images from this gallery, please click here.

The girls game was physical tonight with several turnovers mid-court and lots of tumbles. The more aggressive the games are, the more exciting they are to shoot. Always keeps me on my toes (even though I’m sitting most of the time).

This was my first time shooting basketball in Fayetteville’s new gym and unfortunately I didn’t have two sync cords for my strobes. I thought the one may automatically slave to the master, but alas, it did not. Thankfully, the gym is pretty well lit, so the photos still turned out well.

To purchase images from this gallery, please click here.

12-0 Bentonville hosted 9-3 defending state champions Fayetteville Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. I though the game could go either way – a perfect season for the Tigers or a back-to-back state championship for the Purple’Dogs. Either would have been cool to see, but alas, only one could prevail. While Bentonville drew first blood, two interceptions in the second half helped Fayetteville to win the game. Congrats to Fayetteville for their 31-20 win.

To purchase images from this gallery, please click here.

Fayetteville High School held its commencement exercises Thursday, May 17, 2012, for the class of 2012 in Bud Walton Arena, graduating an estimated 571 seniors.

Covering graduations is always difficult because of how short the time is before the ceremony starts. The more interesting photos come as students prepare for the ceremony, but the light is terrible in the television tunnel at Bud Walton Arena and the time is short before they file out into the arena. One can only hope that something interesting happens as the kids are waiting to walk to their seats.

Click here to purchase photos from this gallery.

I’m no runner. In fact, when I did track in 8th grade, I was so horrible I asked the coaches if they wouldn’t make me compete in the track meets. I think the only event I didn’t come in dead-last was a hurdles event that I came in second to last (barely) because a girl fell hard over one of the hurdles. Because of this, I have a high amount of respect for track and field competitors. I was very captivated by the movement of arms and legs during these events, especially in the “jumping” ones – high jump, triple jump, pole vault, etc. Pole vault was especially interesting to me because it looks so impossible and I cannot fathom how one learns (or has the courage) to throw themselves vertically in the air on a tiny pole and over another pole. Too scary for me!

To purchase any of these photos, please click here.

I’m so excited its baseball season again! Partially because I grew up playing the game, and partially because I don’t have to worry about light as much as other sports because the games are played pretty early! It was a great game and I was sad I had to leave after the fourth inning.

I was having an “on” photo day today and was very happy with some of my shots. Working with the 300mm lens we have is always good practice and I even started working with it on manual focus. I’m not confident enough to manually focus the whole game, but its coming along!

To purchase photos from this game, please click here.

I had the wonderful pleasure of not only photographing Fayetteville High School’s boys basketball team for the first time, but it also photographing my first state championship game. Little Rock Hall was a very tough opponent for Fayetteville to take on and the Bulldogs certainly held their own in the first half of the game. Unfortunately for the Purple Dogs, Hall won the game, 42-31, putting up 27 points in the second half.

The lighting in Summit Arena was incredible so there was no need for me to light the gym. It really reminded me of shooting at Colorado State University basketball (my alma mater), so I was instantly charged and ready to shoot. To my dismay however, one of the referees seemed to love standing in my way, so I wasn’t the happiest of campers. I also was bummed out when my wireless cable release did not work properly.

However, on a funnier note, I had to dive out of the way in the first half the game when Kile Graves of Fayetteville charged  into the baseline to save a ball. Not only did he have to jump over me, but he half jumped, half fell, into the table directly behind me. Luckily, Graves wasn’t injured in his spectacular dive. It’s been awhile since a player has almost (or successfully) taken me out, so it was fun to be reminded that it can happen!

To purchase any of the photos from Friday’s game, please click here.

I traveled to Cabot yesterday to cover the first round of the State 7A Basketball Tournament at Cabot High School. Here are my shots from four back to back games including Springdale Har-Ber girls, Springdale boys, Fayetteville girls and Bentonville boys.

Some long volleys made for a few intense moments at the game tonight. Fayetteville won the match, 3-0.

To purchase any of these prints, please click here.

Photos from the inaugural Whitey Smith Relay Carnival on Friday at Mountie Stadim in Rogers.