IHSA State Swimming

Last week's work was posted in a hurry as I was in the media workroom for Illinois' High School State Swimming Finals. This week's work is posted while I watch Skyfall instead of the Academy Awards. After Lord of the Rings, I never really cared about them.

Anyways, this was my 8th time shooting the state swim meet and I was determined to really push myself.

The one shot I am most pleased about taking is the 5th one. On Friday during the preliminaries, Sacred Heart-Griffin's Ryan Held was less than 0.09 seconds from two state records. When swimmers get that close to a record just in the prelims, you should be expecting a new record the next day. At Evanston Township High School, the timing board is directly above the starting blocks/finish which makes the swimmers look back towards the starting blocks to check their times. Since I was working with another photographer, I decided to take a risk and wait right behind the blocks at the finish and hope he reacted while looking at the board and luckily he did.

Spectators take photos of the start of the third heat of the 200-yard freestyle relay during the boys' swimming state finals preliminaries hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on February 28, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Swimmers warmup during the boys' swimming state finals hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on March 1, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Bartlett Co-op's Matthew Lee swims in the 100-yard breaststroke during the boys' swimming state finals preliminaries hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on February 28, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Evanston's Joseph Seguine-Hall leaps in to the pool during the 200-yard freestyle relay consolation final during the boys' swimming state finals hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on March 1, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Sacred Heart-Griffin's Ryan Held reacts after finishing the 50-yard freestyle championship finals during the boys' swimming state finals hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on March 1, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Waubonsie Valley's Michael Schwers swims in the 100-yard butterfly consolation final during the boys' swimming state finals hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on March 1, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Marian Catholic's Joey Cifelli after his dive during the boys' swimming state finals hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on March 1, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Stagg's Evan Johnson swims in the 400-yard freestyle relay consolation final during the boys' swimming state finals hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on March 1, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Hinsdale Central's Ranco Reyes swims in the 100-yard breaststroke championship final during the boys' swimming state finals hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on March 1, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media

Libertyville's Matt Harrington reacts after swimming in the 100-yard butterfly during the boys' swimming state finals preliminaries hosted at Evanston Township High School in Evanston, Ill. on February 28, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-TImes Media