Sports Photography

Hi there, readers!
Todays subject for my long written speech is: Sports Photography.

Throughout the last 4-6 months, I have been affiliated with X Flag Football here in San Diego, CA. I have been photographing their games and players multiple days of the week, every week, for months. I want to let you know my experience, what I've learned and also my take away from going from an "unexperienced" sports photographer to a "semi professional" sports photographer.

(P. A)

Photo taken of X Flag Football
San Diego, CA (2018)

When I first started, this was my very first photo (P. A). I had no clue what it took to photograph these large and fast men hurdling right towards my 5' 1" body. In a word, I was petrified! For one, I am not a socialite by any means. I am a sufferer of social anxiety and sometimes depression to the point that I don't leave my home for days at a time. So, this was a complete jump out of my comfort zone. For two, I was brand new to digital photography (I bought this specific camera - https://amzn.to/2LzYqkb ) and I didn't know manual mode from Automatic mode. Aperture? What is that, right? So, as you can see from the photo, I had a rough and bumpy start. I didn't understand that lighting is literally everything because I just bought a camera one day and started shooting. I found out very quickly, during my shoot, that I needed to start doing my research and *learn my camera. So, I started studying what makes a camera work and how I can use lighting to my advantage. Soon, I was setting up at the games and tournaments, feeling confident in my ability to capture the shots I came for. I started feeling so confident that I became more social with the players. I began to surface from this dark space where I had been hiding for so long, hiding from people. There I was. Shooting for hours at a time with no worries that I was not adequate enough for the position I began to hold.

After weeks of photographing these same men. I started to tell them about my photography business and show them their photos; They were more excited than I could have ever imagined. I would capture a "jump shot" at the perfect moment and they would go crazy with happiness. Seeing this excitement got my blood pumping in only a way I can describe as a high or an adrenaline rush. It truly made me want to get in the action and get on the field. I'm talking, ON THE FIELD. Have you ever stepped so far out of your comfort zone that you started to question your very own sanity? I did. To some people it is sky diving, to my husband it is, in his words, "teaching". To me it is stepping on the turf and getting in the action.

(P. B)
My very first action shot that
truly gave me chills.
San Diego, CA (2018)

Don't get me wrong, I heavily depended on the referees for my safety and although it was not their job, they really did look out for me. They made it possible for me to capture photos like this (P. B)  which is by far one of my absolute favorite photos that I have ever taken. When I looked down at my camera it was astonishing what was captured at such a close range! At the time I was using just an 18-55mm canon stock lens (You can see it here - https://amzn.to/2LB7FR0 ). I have since upgraded to a 75-300mm Canon Telephoto lens (see it here - https://amzn.to/2MXs3R3) and I am excited to say that it has been  an absolute enjoyment so far. Not only does it provide me with extremely detailed shots, it keeps me in the safe zone off of the field while still being in the action.

It's sincerely breathtaking looking at the differences between these two photos above. It gives me confidence in the future for my photography and my skills.

I have enjoyed my time being a sports photographer for X Flag Football and I hope you find delight in some of the photos included below as well. You can check out Mike Zimmerman and his nationally known flag football leagues here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and please subscribe to stay up to date with D&R Photography and my adventures.

Stock Photography by Samantha Molett

The key.

Stock Photography by Samantha Molett

I have people asking me almost daily, "What is the key to a successful photo?" I simply respond with patience. Now, if you know me at all, you know I have little to no patience at all for a lot of things (grocery store lines, traffic, the microwave to ding...). But for some reason I can sit for hours waiting for the right moment and the right circumstances for a perfect photo.

 (Ex. A)
Earth's personal satellite, The Moon.
Taken in San Diego, CA on MCAS Miramar (2018)
*Notice the craters on the bottom left which are just a
glimpse of what could be on the other side!

I have more recently started to branch out into more *astrophotography! It has truly become a vast part of my thoughts lately; I have been pondering what is really out in the great region above our beautiful planet! I started out just photographing the moon when I captured this photo (Ex. A). I stood outside of my home for close to 2.5 hours and just waited for the lighting to be just right and for the cloud cover to disappear and let me tell you now, IT. WAS. WORTH. IT. I became so excited that I started doing my research on "when the next full moon is." and "what planets are closest to the moon?". Before I knew it I was in the wormhole we call the internet, 3 hours deep in research and I realized that this is something I have to be apart of. I shoot with a Canon Rebel T6 Camera, so it's obviously nothing super fancy (I thought). But when I pointed my 300mm lens to the sky, thinking "this is going to be neat but I'm sure I won't capture anything, I was so shocked to see the definition of the very rotating mass above us. It was a moment full of emotions and speechlessness. I don't believe in my entire time of being a photographer I have ever truly felt the emotions I felt when I took my first "detailed" photo of the moon. I strive to capture that feeling in my photos and I hope that it gives you the tingles like it did for me...

(Ex. B)
The Full Moon on August 26, 2018
Photo taken in San Diego, CA on MCAS Miramar

I have another photo of the Full Moon (Ex. B) from August 26, 2018. I waited for two weeks to witness this through my lens and when I did it was mesmerizing! I have been on this earth for 8,931 days as of today and I had never before this moment paid attention to what was above me. A celestial body that lights our night sky. A solid mass that is sometimes more mysterious than our own planet due to the fact that we don't even know what is really on the other side, also known as "The Dark Side of the Moon"! When I look up at the night sky from now on, I am going to remember that this great, mysterious mass has weathered all things and yet it still sticks around to light our night sky.

What do these two photos have in common besides the obvious fact that they are both the same moon? Patience and understanding that it takes days, hours and sometimes in this case weeks to capture what you are trying so hard to portray. I have waited and I have endured the long hours on my feet and I have reaped the rewards and I have them here for you to enjoy as well.

Thank you so much for reading and taking the time out of your day to view my photos. I truly and sincerely hope you revel in the beauty of our most reliable companion, The Moon.

Samantha Molett
D&R Photography
See more of my photography here.

Welcome!

Hey there!

Photo taken on MCAS Miramar
San Diego, CA
2018

My name is Samantha Molett and I am the owner of D&R Photography.
Through my blog I will portray different feelings and emotions with my photography. My main goal as an artist is to capture a feeling while still leaving perspective up to the viewer. I love nature, sports and portrait photography; I can be seen doing any three of those at any given time of the day. I am an emotional photographer. Everything I do is done with an immense amount of emotions and focus. I hope you subscribe to my blog and take this wild journey called "life" with me.





Stock Photography by Samantha Molett