Soccer is one of my favorite sports to photograph. With state tournament games the action on the field is stepped up along with emotions. Without helmets to obstruct faces there is always an opportunity to capture great reactions and expressions. Here are two images from recent boys soccer state tournament action around Massachusetts.
Nikon D4s, 1/1250 @ f/2.8, ISO 5000, 300mm
Nikon D4s, 1/1250 @ f/2.8, ISO 6400, 300mm
A Salem police officer, left, holds a switch blade knife which was allegedly found on this man near Washington and Essex Street on Halloween night in Salem, MA.
Halloween in Salem offers a lot to photograph and never disappoints. This Halloween seemed a little bit slower and less chaotic than usual. However, that did not deter this person from being detained.
It all started when I was standing at the corner of a busy intersection, pretty much people watching and waiting for my next image to appear. All of sudden I noticed one police officer walking quickly and appeared to be following someone. Then I saw a second and third and fourth officer all closing in on their suspect. I quickly followed not knowing what was really going on but knew something was going to happen. They stopped the man a short distance away and I photographed the officers surround the man and start to search him. I didn't notice that police found anything until someone yelled to check him for a gun. At that point the officer held out the knife, handcuffed the man and took him away. The whole incident lasted only about 3 minutes or so, after that I went back to photographing people having a good time and enjoying the annual Halloween tradition in Salem.
Nikon D4s, 1/250 @ f/2.8, ISO 11400, 24-70mm
Nikon D4s, 1/250 @ f/2.8, ISO 1800, 24-70mm
Nikon D4s, 1/250 @ f/2.8, ISO 25600, 24-70mm
Nikon D4s, 1/200 @ f/2.8, ISO 25600, 24-70mm
Adam Pereira prepares for his role as Slender Man in the MEG Foundation urban legends themed haunted house at the MEG building in Saugus.
I've photographed this haunted house before and it's always offered plenty of visuals and cool effects. The most challenging part is working with the lighting. Most haunted houses are poorly lit and use strobe lights, making exposure and focusing an issue. For these image I used a straight on camera angle and made use of the parallel lines and colored lighting to help frame my compositions. For more photos check out Wicked Local Saugus.
Nikon D4s, 1/125 @ f/2.8, ISO 12,800, 17-35mm
Nikon D4s, 1/180 @ f/2.8, ISO 12,800, 17-35mm
Somerville's Ryan Vogel places a club into his bag after completing the second hole at Unicorn Golf Course during their match against Medford.
I arrived at Unicorn Golf Course after the match had already started, luckily the staff at the course was nice enough to let me use a cart. This enabled me to be able to move around the course and position myself in the best possible place to create an image. I noticed a golf bag in a perfect location under a backlit tree and I knew at some point when a person arrived an image might unfold. I was luck that Ryan was positioned perfectly for me to capture this sports feature photograph.
Nikon D4s, 1/5000 @ f/5, ISO 3200, 70-200mm
Sarah LoVasco, director, hangs a piece of acrylic artwork by artist Brett Mason titled "No More Than a Cubic Meter of Air" on the wall inside the Cabot Gallery & Artist Studios in Beverly, as she prepares for the first annual Group Exhibition, Artists of 222.
I met Sarah outside the Cabot Gallery & Art Studios, which is in a beautiful old historic building in downtown Beverly. I love how my job helps me gain access and learn a little bit about other peoples lives and gives me the opportunity to visit unique places. Check out Wicked Local Beverly to read the story and check out more photos.
Nikon D4s, 1/200 @ f/8, ISO 3200, 24-70mm
Nikon D4s, 1/125 @f/8, ISO 3200, 24-70mm
Michael Tansey of Peabody nearly gets kick in the head by Pasulayman Sowe of Lynn Classical as he attempts to head the ball during their game at Manning Field in Lynn.
Soccer is a great sport to photograph. There is always action on the field and the game has a good pace. Staying focused and understanding the game being photographed is a key element in capturing peak action.
Nikon D4s, 1/2500 @ 4.5, ISO 400, 300mm with a 1.4x teleconverter
I was assigned to photograph golf at Turner Hill Golf Club on a beautiful summer afternoon. Not a bad days work. One of the best parts of this particular golf course is the rolling hills and white sand bunkers. I like how the Masconomet players red shirt really stands out from the lush green grass. If you look close enough you can see the tee flying through the air.
Nikon D3s, 1/1600 @ f/5, ISO 640, 70-200mm with a 1.4x teleconverter
The shadows of high school marching band students are cast on the turf football field outside Beverly High School during marching band camp.
With summer seemingly slipping away, once again high fall sports and activities are quickly ramping up. I was assigned to photograph one of the local high schools as they practiced during band camp. I had free reign and noticed the students shadows as they marched on the field. I choose a low angle to help emphasize the rows of shadows
Nikon D4s, 1/250 @f/14, ISO 360, 24-70mm
A life sized cardboard cutout of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is seen inside the hall of Gerry 5 at the Marblehead Democratic Town Committee's picnic.
I was looking for creative ways to incorporate the cutout into a photo, however the problem I had was everyone was listening to the speakers and had their backs turned to me. I was hoping for some sort of interaction between the cutout and someone in attendance. I never saw that happen so I captured the scene that was in front of me.
Nikon D4s, 1/250 @ f/4, ISO 18000, 24-70mm
A pig rests while being accompanied by chickens inside the Livestock Barn at Essex Technical High School in Danvers.
My assignment was to photograph some of the updates that have been made to Essex Technical High School in Danvers for an upcoming story. While on a tour of the grounds I was lead into the Livestock Barn where some of the animals were kept. There were a few chickens and rosters around as well as two very large pigs. I was able to take a few quick photographs before being charged by one of the rosters in the barn. My tour guide and I didn't waste any time and quickly left the barn. I was told this was a common occurrence and the rooster only tolerated people he was familiar with.
Nikon D3s, 1/250 @ f/5, ISO 5000, 70-200mm
Topsfield, MA native and 2016 Rio Olympics qualifier in the 5000 meter, Abbey D'Agostino, poses for a photo inside the Harvard University indoor track complex where she trains.
I had the privilege to meet and photograph Abbey a few weeks ago at the Harvard Athletic Complex at Harvard University, one of the sites where she trains. We meet at the indoor track and started taking some environmental portraits. Whenever I show up to an assignment I'm never sure what I'll be faced with. This assignment worked out well, we had the track all to ourselves and didn't have to find an alternative location. I always enjoy meeting people and hearing a little bit about their stories.
Nikon D4s, 1/250 @ f/5, ISO 3200, 24-70mm
I'm always looking for images wherever I go. I captured this photo while on assignment in Somerville. I noticed a bunch of large banners, about 15 feet tall, with graphics on them while walking past a parking lot. The banners were catching my eye but this one with the women in the red dress on it was great. I choose a very low angle and photographed for a few minutes capturing images as the clouds moved past. Waiting for the right shape of clouds made a difference in the final image. Paying attention to colors and how they work together can be a great way to take your images to the next level.
Nikon D3s, 1/500 @ f/11, ISO 200, 24-70mm
A pedestrian walks near the Partners Healthcare building at Assembly Square in Somerville.
My assignment was to photograph the new Partners Healthcare building as well as other construction around the Assembly Square area of Somerville. I had no idea how far along construction was but to my surprise the building looked almost complete. This worked to my advantage and I was able to walk around the square for a bit capturing various angles of the building and the great reflections of the clouds.
Nikon D3s, 1/250 @f/8, ISO 220, 24-70mm
Glover's Regiment captain, Seamus Daly, left, looks on as soldier Frank Lyons, center, fires his musket during a mock skirmish with soldiers from the Crown Forces during the Glover's Regiment annual encampment at Fort Sewall in Marblehead.
Attending the annual Glover's Regiment encampment is like stepping back in time. One of the highlights is the mock battle that take place around historic Marblehead harbor and Fort Sewall. The event is rich in history and a great place to capture fun photographs. To see more images check out Wicked Local Marblehead.
Nikon D3s 1/800 @ f/5.6, ISO 400, 70-200mm
Isabel Andrews, assistant coach, spots Alena Thalput, 13, as she leaps a wall gap at Somerville High School during the Somerville Recreation Department Parkour program.
For this image I chose to use a low angle to help clean up a distracting background and used the leading lines of the stairs and handrail to lead the viewers eye into the frame.
Nikon D4s, 1/800 @ f/6.3, ISO 100, 24-70mm
People watch the Fourth of July fireworks at Singing Beach in Manchester by the Sea.
It's always fun to photograph fireworks. The challenge with photographing fireworks that tell a story is trying to capture the bright colorful fireworks as well as exposing for the general scene. It takes some experimentation and since some fireworks are bright and some are darker, your photos will all look a little different.
Fuji XT-1, 1 second @ f/5, ISO 3200, 18-55mm
Fuji XT-1, 1 second @ f/4, ISO 320, 18-55mm
Fuji XT-1, .5 second @ f/5, ISO 3200, 18-55mm
Westwood's Andrea Meincke holds up the MIAA Division 1 girls lacrosse state championship trophy for the fans after their win over North Andover, 13-7, at Boston University.
Championship games always allow for a chance to get a nice trophy shot. From experience I knew one of the team captains would bring the trophy over to show the fans. I headed over towards the bleachers and waited. This shot happened to work out just as I hoped it would. Anticipating the moment and experience got me to the right spot at the right time.
Nikon D3s, 1/800 @ f/9, ISO 400, 24-70mm
Members of Joseph Vigliotta's family cheer as his name is called to receive his diploma during the Danvers High School graduation inside the high school field house.
While looking for candid moments of graduates with their diplomas and cheering on their classmates I happened to hear the crowd start to cheer loudly. It was clear what the crowd was reacting to and I was able to get my shot.
Nikon D3s, 1/250 @ f/5, ISO 4000, 70-200mm
Mack Brunot celebrates after receiving his diploma during the Malden High School graduation at MacDonald Stadium.
Graduations offer a lot to photograph. There seems to be endless photo opportunities if your in the right place at the right time and are able to anticipate the moment. Sometimes the cheering from the crowd as a graduates name is called to receive their diploma can help you gauge if a student may celebrate as they receive their diploma.
Nikon D3s, 1/1250 @ f/4, ISO 200, 70-200mm
Benjamin Murphy, left, and Braun Stephanos, right, of Premier Builders cut a window frame to size during a Habitat for Humanity affordable home project in Ipswich.
I was given free reign to roam around the construction site. There were a lot of photo opportunities between all the different projects going on at the house. I noticed two men carrying a large frame and followed them. I made a few images of them as they worked. I like how the frame they are working on helps my composition by the use of "leading lines".
Nikon D4s, 1/250 @ f/6.3, ISO 100, 24-70mm