As part of my preparation for shooting an event I try to put myself in the minds of the parents and the student athletes. After all I was a three sport student athlete decades ago and I raised three sons who were student athletes. I start out by asking myself what pictures do I not have today that I wish I did? What images are in my mind but no where to be found on paper? 

In the case of my generation we only had pictures that the yearbook photographer or the newspaper photographer had taken. They were few and far between because they were so expensive to take. I can't remember a parent in the 1970's carrying a camera to a game!

It's one thing to take a picture from the stands of 22 guys on a football field running a play, but still another to be on the sideline watching the team captain get in the face of one of his teammates trying to inspire him. Ten years from now the two will be sharing a beer asking, Do you remember that?

What will the players and the parents want to remember ten years from now and how can I help them to do that? Is it important to get the decisive shot as to whether a runner was safe or out or would the celebration of the victory be how they want to remember things? 

I think I'd like to come up with a pre-event photographer's prayer, that asks that the players stay safe, that they enjoy the intenseness of the moments ahead, they welcome the opponents determination to try to beat them and that both teams raise the level of their performance to new heights. Oh and help this old sports shooter to stay out of the way while figuring out how to supply parents and student athletes with the very best memories. Amen.