(6-1-14) IHSA Boys Track & Field State Finals

I spent this weekend in Charleston, Ill. shooting the IHSA Boys Track & Field State Finals for the Chicago Sun-Times. I always try to go to as many state finals events as I can, so being hired to do it is just a plus. I had bad luck that half of my favorite shots were of athletes not in the coverage area, but it gives me something to hold on to hopefully for my portfolio. I also got my third Game Face photo (the back cover of the Chicago Sun-Times) so that was pretty cool.

Below are my favorites (something weird is going on with the color in a few when I put them in here, probably Google's fault). I used three lenses that day, 200-400, 85 1.8 and 16-35.

Carlinville's Jack Denby reacts after setting a new state record in the Class 1A pole vault during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Cahokia celebrate their Class 2A first place victory during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Grant's Jonathan Wells competes in the Class 3A high jump during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Plainfield Central's Luke Winder attempts to clear 7' 7" after setting a new state record of 7' 3" in the Class 3A pole vault during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Cahokia's Joseph Branch competes in the Class 2A 4x100-meter relay during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Grant's Jonathan Wells competes in the Class 3A long jump during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

An athlete from Warren warms up before the 4x200-meter relay during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

York celebrate their Class 3A first place victory during the the championships of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 31, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Cahokia's Tyran Lyons runs in the Class 2A 300-meter intermediate hurdles during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Batavia's Tyler Mansfield reacts after a successful attempt in the Class 3A pole vault during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Highland Park's Benjamin Rogin runs in the Class 3A 110-meter high hurdles while his shoe begins to slip off during the the preliminary rounds of the IHSA Boys Track and Field State Finals hosted at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Ill. on May 30, 2014. Jon Durr/For Sun-Times Media

Excited to see that I made it on the back cover of the Chicago Sun-Times

Having Fun With Track

The two weekends before the Belmont Stakes, I will be at IHSA State Track & Field Finals. This past weekend I wasn't shooting for anyone and I went down just for fun. Next week I will be shooting the boys meet for the Chicago Sun-Times along with another photographer.

Since I had no distractions of making sure I got certain athletes, I decided that I would just have fun with it. I tried a bunch of different things and now I know what I will do for next week's meet for when I'm actually working.

I used only three lenses for the shots below, 200-400, 15mm fisheye and the 35 f/2. Some of them aren't as successful photos as the others but I was really experimenting with trying new things today. The one shot I'm the most frustrated about is the first one. That was the only race where I was standing at the finish instead of sitting or laying prone, that that would have made it better. There is also a 1-2 sequence of a remote and a handheld of the 2nd runner-3rd runner baton exchange of the 4x100.

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

Week's Work (2-17-14)

Here's some of my favorite shots from last week's work. I shot a swim meet, basketball regional final, and the state finals for girls gymnastics.