This photo was taken during a Franklin College basketball game and captures a key moment of strategic tension as the opposing team begins to set up a play. Positioned at midcourt, I framed the action to include not only the athletes on the court but also the bench, cheerleaders, and the banners that hang above each element, contributing to a fuller narrative of the Franklin College sports atmosphere. The shot is more than a snapshot of gameplay, it’s a frame into the energy, history, and competitive spirit of the team and school.
As a beginner of photography, I struggled with taking decent shots around campus. What I find most valuable about this photo is how it pushed me to think differently about sports photography. Instead of chasing only peak action, I focused on the anticipation of how players read each other, how teammates react from the sideline, and how every detail contributes to a moment of build-up. You can see player #5 preparing to make a move, with the Franklin College defender ready to guard it. The polished gym floor mirrors the motion, while the banners hanging above offer a sense of Franklin College’s legacy and pride.
This photo also shows how I’m growing technically. This photo is one of my very first shots that I took during the 2022 basketball season. The lighting is balanced and natural despite the indoor setting, and the scene is layered with intentional composition, which is something I’ve been consciously working on. Capturing players in full stride, along with their reflections, adds a dynamic element to the frame, and it feels grounded in the real rhythm of a college basketball game.
Including this image in my portfolio is important because it’s not just documentation, it’s storytelling. It reflects a shift in how I view sports photography, not just about fast shutter speeds, but about freezing the emotional pulse of a moment. This Franklin College game allowed me to combine technical growth with creative instinct, making this photo a standout example of my evolving style.
This photo highlights another key stage in my creative development during my photography 190 class, capturing motion and spacing in dynamic environments during a Franklin College soccer game. The image shows a player mid-run toward the center of the field, framed by the vibrant markings of the turf and the empty expanse of space ahead of him. While many action sports photos focus tightly on the ball or clashes between players, I chose to widen the shot and emphasize the player 27 running into space. This decision reflects my intent to portray the shutter speeds movement, preparation, and the often-overlooked moments that shape the rhythm of the game.
The blurred background adds a sense of movement and helps isolate the subject, directing the viewer’s attention to the player while still offering a contextual glimpse of the environment of benches, coaches, and players. The gazing light above the field helps me with balancing the intensity of the darkness of the late evening lighting, balancing intensity with calm. This image taught me the power of timing and shutter speed exposure. Not every compelling sports photo happens during high contact moments. Sometimes, the most telling images occur in transition.
This photo deserves a spot in my portfolio not because it's the most dramatic, but because it shows my eye for capturing transitions, framing clean compositions on the move, and embracing negative space. It reflects my growth in finding moments outside the chaos, where players set up plays, sprint into new roles, and silently contribute to the greater rhythm of the match. These quieter, strategic moments are just as vital, and learning to notice and shoot them has been a milestone in my academic growth.
This image captures more than just a moment during a basketball game; it captures emotion, teamwork, and the atmosphere of Franklin College athletics. Taking this photo helped me grow as a photographer in many ways. I had to be alert, anticipate the action, and react quickly to freeze the right moment. Indoor lighting posed a challenge, as did keeping the image clear despite the motion of the players, but I used my technical knowledge and instincts to get a strong, well-composed shot.
What makes this photo powerful is the story it tells. The players’ body language, the crowd’s engagement, and the visual alignment all work together to create a dynamic image that feels alive. It shows a pause in the intensity of the game, giving viewers a chance to connect with the players as real people, focused, determined, and united.
In this image, I wanted to show the human side of competition. The players' expressions and posture, combined with the energy of the crowd and the presence of cheerleaders in the background
This piece belongs in my portfolio because it demonstrates my growth in photography, both technically and artistically. It shows that I know how to work in fast-paced, real-life environments and still produce high-quality work. It also reflects my connection to campus life and my interest in capturing authentic moments that matter to a community.
Overall, this photo is a strong representation of my developing style and confidence as a visual storyteller. It highlights my ability to use photography not just to document events, but to tell deeper stories through composition, timing, and emotion.
This photo is one of my personal favorites because it blends natural beauty with an artistic vision. I captured this shot by looking up from the base of a tree during springtime, just as the blossoms were starting to bloom. What makes this image stand out to me is how I used editing not just to enhance the colors, but to bring out the mood and emotional tone. I wanted to show something soft, peaceful, and aesthetically pleasing.
The angle of the photo draws your eye upward along the trunk, guiding you through bursts of purple blossoms that frame the sky. I intentionally chose a low-angle perspective to give the tree a towering, almost majestic presence while surrounding it with delicate clusters of flowers. This contrast between strength and smoothness feels symbolic of the changing seasons, especially spring, which always carries that energy of transformation.
In post-processing, I leaned into warm tones and increased the contrast just enough to make the blossoms pop against the more neutral trunk and soft blue sky. The final result has a dreamy, almost surreal quality, which I think makes the photo more than just a documentation of a pretty tree; it becomes a visual experience.
This photo is important in my portfolio because it shows my growth in both composition and editing. I’ve learned how to edit color and light to shape emotion, and how perspective can completely shift the way we view something as ordinary as a tree. It reflects my interest in nature photography and my desire to make the viewer feel something, not just see something. Every decision I made from the angle to the edits of the color was to make the image feel pleasing, calm, and a little bit magical.
