2013 Scottsdale Criterium — Cycle Racing

I love cycling, and I love photographing cycling so when the 2013 Scottsdale Criterium rolled around this year I jumped at the chance to head over there and try to capture a few action images.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

There is always a variety of different way to depict motion and the speed of the race, with this shot I used second curtain flash sync to create the motion blur effect.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

Sometimes shooting in the harsh bright sunlight can be very challenging and there can be a few different ways to deal with the harsh bright light.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

NASCAR Hits Phoenix International Raceway

You know I love Motorsports photography, so when the NASCAR circus is in town, I’m all about making the nice photographs.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

01 March 2013: Kyle Busch (54) during Friday’s practice session for the Dollar General 200 fueled by AmeriGas Nationwide Series Race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale Arizona.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

01 March 2013: Clint Bowyer (15) during Friday’s practice session for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Sprint Cup Series Race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale Arizona.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

01 March 2013: Jimmie Johnson (48) during Friday’s practice session for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Sprint Cup Series Race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale Arizona.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

01 March 2013: Joey Logano (22) during Friday’s practice session for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Sprint Cup Series Race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale Arizona.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

01 March 2013: Joey Logano (22) during Friday’s practice session for the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500™ Sprint Cup Series Race at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale Arizona.

More NCAA College Basketball

I’m sorry but this is the closest thing I have to March Madness, so if you want something more you might as well head on over to Sports Illustrated dot-com or ESPN dot-com. If a few shots of the Arizona State University Sun Devils Basketball game against USC will help with your March Madness fix than this is the place to be.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

Thankfully I have a few images of the “older” Sparky uniform before the change over to the “new and improved” Sparky that no one seems to like.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

At least they didn’t change the cheerleaders outfits.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

24 January 2013: Jordan Bachynski #13 of the Sun Devils dunks the ball during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the University of Southern California Trojans at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the USC Trojans 98-93.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

24 January 2013: USC Trojans Byron Wesley #22 drives toward the basket during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the University of Southern California Trojans at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the USC Trojans 98-93.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

24 January 2013: Dewayne Dedmon #14 of the USC Trojans during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the University of Southern California Trojans at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the USC Trojans 98-93.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

24 January 2013: Jahii Carson #1 of the Sun Devils during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the University of Southern California Trojans at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the USC Trojans 98-93.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

24 January 2013: Jahii Carson #1 of the Sun Devils during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the University of Southern California Trojans at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the USC Trojans 98-93.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

24 January 2013: Carrick Felix #0 of the Sun Devils dunks the ball during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the University of Southern California Trojans at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the USC Trojans 98-93.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

24 January 2013: USC Trojans Eric Wise #34 takes a shot while ASU Sun Devils Jordan Bachynski #13 defends during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the University of Southern California Trojans at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the USC Trojans 98-93.

Image © Doug James, no use without written permission

One last farewell to the “good” Sparky.

2013 NCAA March Madness Basketball

It’s March and for many sports fans that means NCAA March Madness Basketball. Lots of people follow the annual college basketball brackets with fantasy sports leagues, office bracket pools, and television coverage all leading up to the final four!

Sadly, I don’t have any coverage from any of the tournaments, only a few shots from a game where the UCLA Bruins took on the Arizona State Sun Devils. I hope this satisfies your need for college basketball.

26 January 2013: UCLA Bruins Shabazz Muhammad #15 dunks the ball during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the UCLA Bruins at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the Bruins 78-60.

26 January 2013: Sparky, the Arizona State Sun Devils mascot (foreground) and the UCLA Bruins stand for the National Anthem prior to the start of an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the UCLA Bruins at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the Bruins 78-60.

I know this game is from way, way back in late January, but it’s all I have, so you will have to make due. From the opening tip-off to the final buzzer, this was a great game.

You just had to know I’d get a few shots of the Sun Devils Spirit Squad.

26 January 2013: Arizona State Sun Devils Jordan Bachynski #13 dunks the ball during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the UCLA Bruins at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the Bruins 78-60.

It looked to be a full house as the second half started.

You just gotta love the outside jumper in front of the opposing teams bench.

26 January 2013: UCLA Bruins Kyle Anderson #5 (center) during an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the UCLA Bruins at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the Bruins 78-60.

26 January 2013: Arizona State Carrick Feliz #0 and Jonathan Gilling #31 celebrate after winning an NCAA Basketball game between the Arizona State Sun Devils and the UCLA Bruins at Wells Fargo Arena in Tempe AZ. The Sun Devils beat the Bruins 78-60.

2012 Scottsdale Polo Championships – Horses and Horsepower

I have never attended an actual polo match before, except for the polo scenes in the movie “Pretty Woman” so when I heard about this event to be held on October 20, 2012 at the Scottsdale Polo Fields I made the necessary inquires for a media credential. What a great event, all kinds of interesting things to photograph, although covering the actual polo match proved to be difficult and would require very long glass with very shallow depth-of-field to help with very, very distracting backgrounds. I didn’t feel like lugging big heavy glass around with me on a warm day in October, so I took an f5.6 lens which didn’t cut the mustard as they say.

I was a bit disappointed with most of what I got, with the difficult lighting conditions and me not having a long enough and fast enough lens I tried to capture some reasonably good images. Have a look and feel free to let me know how you think I did.

Covering a polo match is, as I said is all new to me, I sure had a good time and found the event very interesting. I look forward to the next event where I can apply what I learned at this event and try to capture more compelling images.

To see more images from the 2012 Scottsdale Polo Championships, click the continue reading link below:

PGA Golf — 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open

I know golf is not hugely popular on my photo blog, but I thought maybe if I had some images of one of the most popular local players, Phil Mickelson and some brightly colored images I might get a few extra viewers. Here are a few shots from round 2 action, I hope you enjoy these.

February 01, 2013: Phil Mickelson on the 9th green during round 2 action of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at the TPC Stadium golf course in Scottsdale Arizona.

To see more from the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open, click the continue reading link below:

The Arizona State University Sun Devils Final 2012 Regular Season Home Game

Everyone seemed excited for the Arizona State University Sun Devils football final regular season home game on November 17, 2012. I was excited because it would be a day game and I would get to create images in the beautiful sunlight rather than the typical night game, high ISO of most of the ASU games I cover. This was the game when the Sun Devils would celebrate the graduating seniors on the team so a great many of the players had several family members either in the stands or on the sidelines.

You could almost feel the excitement in the air as the teams took the field, and for many of the players, the last time they would play in front of the home crowd.

17 November 2012: Arizona State Sun Devils QB Michael Eubank (18) drops back to pass during the Pac-12 conference match-up between the Washington State Cougars and the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

To see more of the exciting Sun Devils action, click the “continue reading” link below:

NCAA College Football — Utah Utes vs Arizona State University Sun Devils Sept. 22, 2012

I’m playing a bit of catch-up with my football images these days, college football season is finished, all the college bowl games have been played and the BCS champions have been crowned, and yet I’m still posting images from a late September game. Yep, that’s right I am. I thought you might enjoy a few images from this game although I feel bad for the Utah Utes because it was a bit of a rough game for them.

I’ll let the images tell the story.

I got a new lens, yeah for me. I spent most of the time during warm-ups before the game playing with my new wide-angle lens and I gotta say I’m liking the images I have created with it.

To see more images from the game, click the continue reading button below:

2012 Fun in the sun — UCLA Bruins vs ASU Sun Devils

All year the photographers that cover sports here in Arizona hope and pray for the sun drench day games when the year’s ASU football schedule is released, and when it is released we review it with nervous anticipation in hopes that there will be at least one, and if we are lucky two games that don’t take place at night under the lights.

All around the world great sports photography is produced where golden sunlight and beautiful color is the norm, but due to the summer time temps here in Arizona most of our sports photography is at night or indoors, and that can make capturing the kinds of images that make it into printed magazines a challenge. With so many of the sporting events taking place at night you can’t rely on that golden sunlight to give your images that extra “pop.”

It turned out this year’s game against the blue and gold of the UCLA Bruins was going to be a day game and, I for one was very excited for the day-game opportunity.

The light before the game on the Sun Devils marching band looked fantastic as it bounced all around the stadium.

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Lucas Oil Off Road Series — 2012 Drivers and a buggy or two

For the 2012 season of the Lucas Oil Off Road Series racing (LOORS) I tried to mix it up a bit with my images and I found some personal gratification from producing images of some drivers in their trucks. The way the screening and window net as well as the dash configuration sometimes made fitting my wide-angle lens between everything difficult so not every driver is represented and some shots just came out better than others. Here are a few that I liked:

Todd LeDuc gives me the eye as I grab images through the window net.

To see more images click the continue reading link below: