High School Football Portraits

The Gwinnett Daily Post features the top six football athletes in Gwinnett County prior to the season.  Below are the portraits I made of the "Super Six" players.

Grayson running back and defensive end Robert Nkemdiche has committed to play for Clemson next season. Nkemdiche is rated the No. 1 college football prospect in the country.

Archer defensive lineman Antonio Riles has committed to play for the University of Florida next season. 

Central Gwinnett linebacker Trey Johnson has committed to play for Auburn University next season. 

Norcross senior Alvin Kamara is one of the nation's top recruits and is ranked as the state's No. 1 running back by ESPN.com.

                                                                     Here is how it looked in the newspaper.

Philly Faces

Ever since I became a professional photographer it has been a goal of mine to photograph the Philadelphia Phillies. I reached this goal this past weekend. Once standing behind my camera I flipped an internal switch from a diehard Phillies fan to a professional unbiased photojournalist. Surprisingly, it was much easier to flip that switch then expected. With that being said, I think people who choose this profession because of the access we get to events are in this career for the wrong reason. I love meeting new people and sharing their stories through compelling photographs. Below are a handful of generic images I made of the struggling Phillies squad. Time to set more goals...

Portraits

In my career thus far as a photojournalist I have struggled to make successful portraits. Portraits are the only type of photograph we (photojournalists) are allowed to completely control, yet I truly find it challenging. I have been shooting lots of portraits since landing a job at the Gwinnett Daily Post, six months ago. Below are a few recent portraits that I felt were acceptable.

Olympian swimmer Amanda Weir 

 Cody Smith owner stylist and his mother Joy Smith owner manager of Revival Hair Salon

Mechanics from an all female auto repair shop.

Amy Elk poses for a portrait where her sister Dominique "Nique" Leili was found dead almost a year ago.  

High school golf standout Cierra Hoyle.

Marine veteran and author Jedwin Smith.

Recent Work - Summer 2012

Prison Awareness

Troubled teens of Georgia get exposed to prison life during the Prison Awareness program at the Gwinnett County Comprehensive Correctional Complex in Lawrenceville, GA. The goal of the Prison Awareness program is to educate at risk teens about making better choices, in hopes of preventing future jail time. To view the video click HERE

Ultimate Fighting Championships

I photographed fighting for the first time last weekend. It was very intense and unlike any other sport I've shot in the past. Due to the chain link fence and fence post it made for a challenging night. Despite the challenges, I still enjoyed the new experience. Ultimate Fighting Championships at Philips Arena in Atlanta on April 21, 2012. Thanks for looking. Enjoy.

Strictly Sports