Location: Crossfit Wreckage

2 Sony A9... w/ 24mm GM, 85mm GM and 70-200mm GM 

      Whats going on everyone. Been a while since I last posted and I promise to get back to sharing my experiences behind the lens. Much has changed since I last posted, the biggest being that I no longer shoot Nikon. I was a Nikon shooter for over 6 years but I wanted to move forward with a new system allowing me to grow more as a content creator. Not saying Nikon couldn't have done that however Sony was a seamless process to allow myself to provide photo and video. With that said I have settled on shooting with 2 A9 and an A7Riii for video. I did have a A7R4 but I sold it due to the massive file size with 61 megapixels. Ok now on to the shooting!!!!

Another year covering one of my favorite events which is RX Madness which is operated by RXtreme Games. Absolutely love working with Tori and Scott. This event has grown every year and continues to get larger and better. Location was at Crossfit Wreckage which is a box I consider to be family as well. RX Madness is a bracket/tournament style competition and provides a competitive atmosphere like no other. Event 1 was a 10min AMRAP that included Wall Balls, Box Jump Overs, Deadlifts, DB SNatches, Power Cleans and Echo Bike.

Pretty much shot this entire event with my 24GM

Those box jumps were intense. Also would like to give a shoutout  to athlete Adriana Barrera who unfortunately suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during event 1 on box jumps. She is an amazing athlete and wish her a speedy and healthy recovery. I was fortunate to capture a few shots of her before so here they go!!!! GET BETTER ADRIANA...

On to Event 2. It was time for the big lifters to come out. Nothing but barbell work. Overhead Squats, Snatches... then max effort gymnastic movements for points. I was able to use the 85mm a few times here.. but lets be honest. I could have shot the entire comp on my 24mm.. just sayin...

Nothing but intense and dope vibes for this event. Celebrating moving some weight and possibly even some PR's 

Final Event before head to head bracket style was called "Couples Therapy"  which included Toes 2 Bar, Thrusters, Pistols, Goblet Squats, Clean and Jerks, Double Unders and Squat Cleans... YUP.. TONS OF FUN!!!!!

After all the scores were added up it was time to have teams go head to head. This was a spicy one... Devil Presses definitely got that heart rate up!!!

There were 2 more events that decided which teams would be in the Finals. We are talking Ski Erg... Strict Pullups... Deadlifts.. Squat Snatches... which then all ultimately led to Axle Carries... Axle Bar Cleans... Muscle Ups... and Handstand Walks. For the Final event I was able to break out the 70-200 GM!!!! 

Want to thank Tori and Scott for always having me cover their events. Look forward to many more to come. Much love to Crossfit Wreckage for always being a great host and making everyone feel welcome in their home. To all the athletes who gave me fist bumps.. said whats up... and were wearing Dope Content Swag.... I appreciate that so much!!!! Means a lot to me to have such great support in this community. I plan to share more stories with all of you this year. Its lined up to be a busy shooting year so stay tuned!!!! Thank you for taking the time to read this blog... Have a great day and Keep crushing life!!

www.rxtremegames.com    www.crossfitwreckage.com

IG @rxtremegames           @crossfitwreckage

BAW Photography IG: @baw3_photo

Location: Tuscaloosa, AL 

Nikon D4 and D3s w/70-200mm 2.8 G2 Tamron, 20mm 1.4 and 35mm 1.4 Sigma Art  

      Last weekend I was fortunate enough to share an experience of a lifetime with a well deserving kid. Kurt who is an amazing 18 year old who lives with autism, those of you who followed his dream wish know that he is a huge Alabama Football team. His dream was to meet Coach Nick Saban and to experience an Alabama football game. His dream came true last weekend.  I want to start by saying that this blog will not even come close to expressing the joy on Kurt's face the entire weekend, however I will do my best to share how amazing this weekend was.

We started early Friday morning with a flight to Birmingham AL from Charlotte. I arrived early waiting for the rest of the team to arrive which consisted of Brandon (Dream on 3)..Kevin (Wheelhouse Media) and of course Kurt and his cousin Joe. When Kurt and Joe arrived I could see an Alabama hoodie and a smile from ear to ear. From my first point meeting Kurt I knew this was going to be an amazing weekend. When we stopped at Starbucks for breakfast Brandon gifted a pair of bluetooth headphones to Kurt. His words were "These are AWESOME"... Which are words he used all weekend!!!!

This would be the first time that Kurt would be on a plane. He was so excited. When we took off he cheered with joy. As the flight continued I noticed that he was amazed with the view.

When we landed we were met by Jennifer from Mercedes Benz and she gave us the keys to  an awesome rental van. We were riding in style the entire weekend.

We had about an hour drive to Birmingham where we would be going straight to The University of Alabama to the Nick @ Noon event. This event consisted of a town hall forum setup with Nick Saban and Eli Gold. It was Homecoming weekend so there were people everywhere. Kurt got a table right up front where he would be as close to coach as possible.  At the end of the event Kurt got his chance to meet Coach and get a photo. Kurt threw his arm around him like they have known each other for years. SO COOL!!!!!! 

After that cool moment we then took a walk over to the Bryant Museum. This consisted of memorabilia that traces the long history of Alabama Football. Kurt and Joe were having a blast seeing all the history of their favorite football team.

 After the museum we were notified that local news wanted to come by and interview Kurt so they could share his story and also spread the word of this great organization Dream on 3. Kurt smiled during every interview that he gave. He also was sure to include a "Roll Tide".

AND THEN.... DAB ON EM!!!!!

It was time for us to head to the hotel.... but when we pulled up.... Definitely not a hotel.. IT WAS A RESORT.  We pulled up to the Ross Bridge Resort. They donated our entire stay.

Pulling up to the resort was very exciting for Kurt... but the welcoming that he was about to receive would blow him away. The entire staff was waiting the cheer him on as he walked through the door. They had signs and all. 

Kurt was also greeted by Sigao Studios and Bridging Apps with a brand new Ipad customized for his needs. There was also a recorded video message on there from Alabama Football Alum Rashad Johnson.  To top it all off they had the Dream on 3 logo projected onto the floor at the entrance. They kept it on all weekend!!!

Then we all went upstairs to check out Kurt's room and he had a few surprises waiting on him.

To wrap up the night we went to dinner at EastWest Birmingham. The food was amazing. One thing I can tell you is that KURT CAN EAT!!!!

Now lets get to Saturday.... GAME DAY!!!!! As mentioned before it was Homecoming weekend and with that comes a parade. Kurt would be in the parade riding in the back of an old school 1949 truck decked out in custom Alabama fashion.  When we arrived to campus we knew it was going to be a great day. All the vendors were setting up and the parade lines were starting to form. Once we parked we made our way towards our place in the parade to meet Mr. Gibb who invited Kurt to stand in the back of his truck the entire parade.

While we were waiting for the parade to start I initiated Kurt getting some photos will all the different sororities that were also waiting for the parade to start. Kurt was loving it!!!!!!

It was then time for the parade to start. The parade was about 3 miles long around campus. I walked along/beside/front/behind the truck for about 98% of the parade. Minus the 2% that I sat in the back. However I was able to get so many great photos of Kurt waving and yelling roll tide. There were thousands of people on both sides of the street cheering. This to me was the best moment of the entire weekend. Seeing Kurt's face and hearing him yell Roll Tide back at all the BAMA fans was beyond awesome!!

Those fans I was talking about!!!!

Had to get one final photo with Kurt and Mr. Gibb!!!

It was then time to head back to the stadium and get ready for the game. Kurt had one final interview to do with one of the student organizations.

We had about an hour or so before we had to head into the stadium. We relaxed for a bit then put on our pregame sideline passes and headed inside. Kurt was so hype going in. We walking onto the field and you could tell this was the moment he had been waiting for. His face lit up as he was watching his favorite football team warm up.

GAME TIME!!!!  Kevin and I went to the media box which was on the other side of the stadium but we were able to go and meet Kurt around the 3rd quarter and capture him enjoying the game.

While we were walking towards Kurt's seat I could identify where he was because he had both pom poms in the air. I then found out that he kept them up the ENTIRE GAME!!!! A true BAMA fan!!!!

I honestly can't say enough about Dream on 3!!! These experiences I am beyond grateful  to be a part of making a kid's dream come. Blessed that my passion for photography has allowed me these opportunities. When we asked Kurt what his best moment was he said " Hanging with you guys".... Yes that happened..... We all just sat in silence for a second because it meant so much to us all.  To be a part of this organization is humbling on so many levels.  I want to thank Dream on 3 and Beers and Burpees for allowing me to document Kurt's dream. Stay tuned for another big dream coming up in a couple weeks!!!!!  #dreamscometrue 

3...2...1...GO!!!!

www.beersandburpees.com    www.dreamon3.org

IG @beers_and_burpees           @dream_on_3

BAW Photography IG: @baw3_photo

Location: Bridal Portraits (Stowe Manor)  Wedding (Belmont NC)

Ceremony (Belmont City Hall)  Formal and Dinner (Jailhouse Whiskey Cigar Bar)

Reception (South Main Cyles)

Nikon D750  85mm Nikon, 50mm 1.4 Nikon, 35mm 1.4 Sigma Art, 70-200mm Tamron G2 2.8  and Nikon D3s

Bridal Portraits D750 with Paul C Buff Einstein and Octabox and Natural Light

      As you can tell from the title of this blog you can assume what transpired. I will do my best to give you a quick rundown of how all this went down.

I received a message from Tori asking "Are you sitting down?" I had no clue what was coming but I figured it was really good news. Indeed it was... Tori was letting me know that she was getting married to her boyfriend Scott and wanted me to be their photographer. I have worked with Tori on numerous occasions however this one was extra special. The biggest thing to this announcement was that NOBODY KNEW.... minus immediate family of course.  I was tasked with keeping this  secret and making sure none of the Crossfit community found out. To my knowledge all their friends thought that Scott was moving away for his job and they were going to throw a going away party for him. Little did they know they they would be a part of a wedding reception.

In the meantime Tori and I scheduled her bridal portraits at Stowe Manor in Belmont NC. This was a gorgeous estate. We would have the location all to ourselves. I arrived to the estate and was joined by Tori and her mother. I started walking to around the estate to determine where I wanted to start. I figured we couls start on the outside and work our way room to room.

Tori had a request to get some photos taken with Oakley. Oakley came dressed to impress with his bowtie. Check him out..... Born for the camera!!!

Those were the only photos we would take outside. It was waaaay to hot outside and we wanted to take full advantage of inside the home. There was a room on the other side of the door from where I decided to hang the dress. There was so much natural light in there I knew it would look amazing.

This estate was the best place for hide and seek because there were rooms everywhere. We started in one room and worked our way upstairs. Thank goodness I had my Paul C buff Vagabon battery back and strobes. There wasn't a lot of light throughout the home. The strobes worked perfectly providing a great blend of light while capturing Tori.

We  then made our way to the amazing stairs that led to the second level.  I was concerned that my strobe may not light the entire room up the way I liked. Boy was I wrong.

 We wrapped up the bridal portraits moving to the top of the stairs and up to the second level. These portraits turned out so amazing and was very pleased. The hardest part was holding on to these photos until after the wedding. It was all worth it!!!

Lets fast forward a few weeks to wedding day. Just a few more hours of holding this secret. The weather was great not a cloud in the sky. I met Tori and her family at the hotel for some getting ready photos as well as a first look with her father. We didn't plan on spending a lot of time at the hotel since I would also have to get over to City Hall and get some photos of Scott and his parents. We worked with the space we had in the room minus some minor furniture shuffling.

The call was then made downstairs to Dad to let him know it was time for the first look. It was pretty tough to choose a spot in the hotel lobby so we decided the choose the entrance.

I quickly packed up and made my way over to City Hall to meet up with Scott and his parents.

Pulled Scott aside for a few.

Before I knew it was time for Tori to walk down the aisle. She displayed so much joy the entire ceremony.  From walking own the aisle to reading her vows. One thing that was clear as day was that Scott absolutely adores Tori. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. It was a blessing to witness.

The sun was a little harsh during the ceremony however it all worked out. There were laughs and tears but both represented happiness.

 Tori and Scott picked out the coolest spot for their formals. We went to the Jailhouse Cigar Bar. Such an unique spot. Cigars and Bourbon....

It was a short walk over to dinner. The food was good and enjoyed every bite. I captured a few photos during dinner but since everyone was eating it was a good time to get some rest and recharge. One of my biggest concerns was that some of the guest that were coming to the wedding announcement reveal would walk by and see us all having dinner with Tori in a wedding dress. That would have been awkward. Needless to say that didn't happen.

OK... Here we go.... time for the secret to be no more. When I arrived at South Main Cycles I literally saw EVERYONE that I knew. I am sure that when they saw me arrive they figured a little bit more that just Scott going away for work was happening. I am friends with a lot of members at Crossfit Wreckage and of course my Crossfit Harrisburg family. They all know I am a photographer so at most they thought it was a proposal. It was go time. I tried not to make contact with too many people mainly to avoid any questions being asked. Well.... it was time.  Tori and Scott were announced as already being married. When they walked up the faces were priceless. Mouths wide open and tears flowing. Tori and Scott's friends were super excited for them.

There was a really cool train behind the bar so before it got dark I wanted to get as many group shots as I could.

The secret was a success an so was the entire day. Tori and Scott's family were so welcoming from the first time meeting me. I love working with families who are so down to earth and love having a good time. I cant thank Tori and Scott enough for trusting me with their secret and capturing their special day. I wish them nothing but happiness.  Also want to thank all my supporters for taking the time to ready about Scott and Tori's journey to this big day!!!

Hair and Makeup @hairbytaybear

http://www.southmaincycles.com/

http://www.thejailhousebelmont.com/

April 20th  2018

Location: Crossfit Harrisburg

Nikon D750  24-70mm Tamron G2 2.8 ... 70-200mm Tamron G2 2.8  and 2 Einstein 640's Paul C Buff

      Been a long time overdue but back at it with another inspirational athlete. This particulair athlete is part of my home box family. Trust me ...I LOVE shooting all athletes but when its someone from my home box  it becomes extra special. I was already a coach at CFH when Kate joined but when I first met her I knew she was going to an amazing athlete. Over the years she has since become a wife, mother, coach and Manager at CFH. I have captured Kate numerous times throughout the years during WODs and some events however this one was 100x more personal.  I was completely honored that she allowed me to be involved with sharing her story.... So lets gets started.... Here is Kate's journey.... TRUST ME.. READ IT ALL!!!!!

1.  How long have you been doing CrossFit?

I have been doing CrossFit for just over six years.  I’ve spent five of the six at CrossFit Harrisburg, three as a coach and two as an athlete.

2.  What brought you to CrossFit?

CrossFit means so much to me.  CrossFit is what I needed, when I needed it.  Specifically, I began because a co-worker told me about it. She knew the owners of a local CrossFit gym near the school where we worked together.  At the time I was living in the Westchester, NY area, which was about six hours from my hometown of Rochester, NY.  I lived in that area for three years, and one of them was the worst year of my life.

I often am asked why I moved to Charlotte, and 99.9% of the time I say what is the believable (and partly true) answer that I was trying to get away from snow.  The truth is, I was trying to get away from a lot more than that.  I moved to Charlotte to start my life over. 

Before I started CrossFit, I was in a very hard, and dark place in my life.  So hard and dark and some of it is honestly a total blur.  As I said, I was living far away from my hometown, because my then husband got a job in that area.  We moved down there somewhat unexpectedly, and though he and I didn’t love the area, it was an amazing opportunity for him so of course I went along!  I sold my house I owned before he and I dated, quit my job and helped him chase his dreams.  Two years after moving, I didn’t expect to have our marriage end.  I was completely shell-shocked.  I hated everything about living in that area, and hated it more when I was living there on my own as he and I tried to hash things out.

 I moved out of our house, got my own teeny apartment with my dog and my life began to start going through the motions.  Everything got really hard.  Going to work was hard.  I struggled to make it in every day to something that I used to really love.  I started closing doors to anyone close to me including family and close friends who were back home.  I had no one in the area I was living in except him and he was no longer part of my life.  I had no friends.  I went through a period of 5-6 months when I didn’t speak to many or respond to many people though they tried to reach out. People were worried about me.  I went to try and get help from a therapist but wouldn’t open up like you’re supposed to when you are in therapy.  She medicated me for anxiety and depression and though I continued to meet with her, I kept not opening up so I didn’t get any better.  I was still on medication and she kept tweaking it, but nothing changed.  I was a straight zombie, and looking back I truly believe the medication made it worse.   When I went to work, I would come home and go straight to bed until the next day (remind you I was a teacher and got out around 3:30).  I would either eat a ton of food or no food before going to bed, it really depended on the day.  I was incredibly unhealthy, inside and out.  This after being a college basketball player, group fitness instructor, personal trainer and attempting to currently function as a physical education teacher.  I totally stopped all physical activity, and everything that I enjoyed.

Why would I do this?  I was SO ashamed at what was going on in my life.  I was embarrassed, I couldn’t believe I was already getting divorced in my 20s (my 30^th birthday was upcoming).  I literally didn’t look at myself in the mirror for a very long time, no exaggeration.  I remember running by mirrors so I didn’t have to see my reflection.  I felt like it was literally the end of the world.  This super low part lasted around 2 months.  One of my lowest points was when I was driving and talking to one of my still best friends on the phone (one of the only people I would talk to about anything) and she thought I was going to crash my car because I was crying hysterically and trying to drive.  That was when it was the worst of the worst.  That’s where it’s all really blurry, and this is when I knew something had to change or I really didn’t know what was going to happen to me.  I was scared.  

Enter CrossFit.  I finally went to try what my co-worker kept suggesting I’d try.  I went alone and had a 1:1 crash course appointment with one of the owners.  After that class I had no idea what I was doing but I decided I liked it and I’d try it.  After a few weeks I was totally hooked.  I started craving going to the box and became obsessed with CrossFit, quick.  When I stepped into the box nothing else mattered besides what was in front of me.  I was focused.  I felt like I was coming back to being myself again.  I would count down the moments until I could be back.  I got off my medication.  Not saying I’d recommend doing the following, but I decided to go cold turkey off of the prescribed anxiety and depression medication.  I had read about how you were supposed to do that slowly, but that stuff made me a totally different person, and it was time.  I carved out a weekend where I could just be at home while my body could deal with it no longer trying to regulate things.  It was a long weekend of constant headaches and my head buzzing but I was off the medication. 

CrossFit was now my drug.  I couldn’t do a lot of the things we did at CrossFit at first but I really wasn’t worried about that!  I wasn’t the best, but I loved how it pushed me to be my best!  There were so many nice people at the box, both members and coaches, who supported me and didn’t care about my faults or my past.  I all of a sudden had friends which I never had where I lived.  People that wanted me to do well and I felt like it was what I was missing all along.  It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it.  That place and those people helped me more than they will ever probably know.

After doing CrossFit for about 3 months I decided it was time for me to move on from that area.  I was only there because of something that was in the past, and it was time!  The choice was move home to Rochester, or somewhere else.  That’s where the snow decision came in!  I really believe CrossFit gave me the courage and self-confidence to even think about doing this.  I was about to turn 30, and was ready for a change.  I applied to some jobs, got one, and moved totally alone to Charlotte.  My dad drove me down with all of my stuff and my dog, and when he flew back to Rochester I was like, well I guess this is home now!  I really didn’t know anyone, didn’t know much about Charlotte but I knew two things- the sun shined more than New York and I knew there were CrossFit gyms there.  I got a roommate, found a box and an apartment outside of uptown and started my chapter two.  Sometimes it’s so hard to believe that was even my life- I can’t believe that I ever got to that point in life- but I’m proof that life goes on!  Six months after living in Charlotte I met my now husband.  He and I moved out to the burbs, and now I have a 21 month old, and we have our own little world!  The rest is history!  CrossFit 110% got me where I am mentally today, and I am forever grateful, which is why I try to return the favor as a coach at CrossFit Harrisburg.

3.  What do you enjoy most about being at CrossFit Harrisburg?

CrossFit Harrisburg is my home!  I have been to boxes all over the US as well as in other countries, and there’s nothing like walking back into CFH.  Managing CFH has been a new exciting challenge that I have been loving!  I may be there more that I’m at my own house, but it’s the people that make me keep coming back.  We don’t take things too seriously, we have fun, we WOD hard and we make one another better.  We are all there to become both better people and athletes.  Thank you, athletes of CFH!

4.  What would you tell others who are thinking of trying CrossFit?

Don’t be scared!  Ask questions.  Be patient. Don’t try to be a hero.  Embrace the suck.  IT WILL CHANGE YOU, IF YOU LET IT.

5.  What motivates you?

My son Brooks, motivates me!  I want to be a fit mom for him!  The motivation of two little eyes are more than you can ever imagine before having a child.  Initially after my pregnancy, my motivation was to get back to pre-baby shape regarding conditioning, performance and aesthetics.  Now, my motivation is to smash everything I was able to do before baby and to keep improving!

Amazing story. How motivating is it  to read someones testimony of how Crossfit changed their life? After reading Kate's responses I developed a whole other respect for her. Of course I already had a ton of respect for her but to see how far she has come is motivating on so many levels. My hope is that someone reads Kate's story and finds a way to relate and possibly push them in the right direction. Of course this blog is about Kate's journey but it is also about some dope photos... SO LETS GET TO IT!!!!!

I set up using 2 Einstein 640 strobes. One on a boom arm and C-stand with a PLM Paul C Buff Umbrella. The other would be a kick light in the back left with no modifier.  I was aware of all the Kate could do, so we started off with some bar work. Snatches it was!!!!

  The transition was super smooth going into cleans. Rather than focus on the actual pull of cleans I wanted to capture Kate in her quarter squat and then hitting some Push and Split Jerks!!!! She definitely brought her "A" game!!!

For those who have seen my latest sessions, you know I have been getting back to using strobes outside. I took full advantage again. We took a quick walk out the bay doors and set up. First I will express my frustration with the functioning of my wireless triggers. Kate can attest to this.... I wasn't happy... Sometimes they worked.. Sometimes they didnt. Needless to say... I ordered a Cyber Commander and receivers from Paul C Buff directly after this shoot!!!!! ..... Cant wait for that delivery!!!!  #PayForReliableEquipment.... 

Either way I was able to capture Kate for a few DB snatches.

Loved that Kate brought a ton of clothes which gave us plenty of options. We moved back indoors after my continued frustration with my Pixel King wireless triggers. Started with some posed KB and some swings.

It was then time to get a little Toes to Bar action. Over the years Kate has gotten better and better with GYMNASTY movements. Love witnessing all the work she has put in!!! 

OH YEAH.... WALLBALLS!!!!!!

We wrapped up with a few Mother and Son shots. Everyone at CFH absolutely loves Brooks. This kid has the biggest personality I have ever seen in a kid. Not to mention he loves to smile. He has even been featured on the @crossfitgames Instagram page during the Open hitting some DB snatches.  Only reason I didn't include that photo below of Brooks and Kate snatching is because I submitted to @crossfit. Hopefully we will get a hit.. FINGERS CROSSED!!!! 

There really isn't enough that I can say in regards to Kate. I am positive that majority of you who read about her journey, had absolutely no idea how far she has come. Crossfit Harrisburg is beyond blessed to have Kate, her husband Frank and of course Brooks as part of the family. Kate is doing an amazing job with the social media game and she  represents CFH so well. I highly recommend that all of you follow Kate on IG @cfmamaofbrooks. She has also stepped up her nutrition game to another level.. which clearly shows.  Once again I want to thank all my supporters for taking the time to read my blogs and following my passion for photography and fitness. 

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!! 3..2..1..Shoot!!!

Location: The Ivy Place

Nikon D750 w/70-200mm 2.8VR  and D3s w/50mm 1.4

 I s

Good Evening everyone!!! This blog is a very exciting one to write. Why??? Because Jennifer (the bride to be) I have worked with before as well as her sister. I am also good friends with her family. Yup you guessed it.. through Crossfit. I tell you, this community is amazing!!! I was aware that Jennifer was in a great relationship with Gage (groom to be) but didn't know when the time was coming. I was so excited when I received a message from Jennifer with interest of booking my services for her engagement and wedding photos. We chatted for close to an hour about what she was looking for and possible locations for her engagement session. After going though a few we decided on The Ivy Place. From the pictures online I had a strong feeling this would be a perfect location. Boy were WE right. The weather was perfect. Not cold at all with a nice breeze. Jennifer and Gage even brought their adorable dog Rascal along. He was the best. 

When we arrived we literally started at a point where we could take a complete lap around the property. This place was designed for photo shoots. We were sure to take advantage of every part of this property. It was time to get started.

During engagement sessions I like to get solo shots of the bride to be as well. Jennifer was 100% on board. She had on a gorgeous blue dress that looks amazing in all these images. She definitely nailed it.

It was time to get Rascal involved. You could tell he LOVED his parents. He wasn't a fan of being left out of some photos, so it was time to get him there. 

Loved this one!!!!!!!

As stated before I am great friends with her family. Shelly Kinney provided Jennifer and Gage with a board that had details as to how they both met. The Kinney family have been huge supporters and if Shelly has a prop to be included.... then that prop will be included!!!!

We made our way around the property and I noticed a long gravel/dirt road that I thought would look great. Jennifer's dress was flowing in the wind and she looked amazing!!!!

After the road, I then saw a really cool looking stump/bench. So we headed that way. I shot majority of these with my 50mm on a Nikon D3s.  Wanted to get up close and personal.

When we first arrived at the property we could see that there were a couple old barn/houses located at the back of the property. There was definitely a snake concern with the grass being so thick. Jennifer was a trooper though... heels and all!!!!

We wrapped up on another dirt road. I wanted to make sure Jennifer was ok with getting on the ground. She was already down there before I finished asking. She rocks!!!!

I cant say enough how much I enjoyed working with Jennifer and Gage. If this is a glimpse into what covering their wedding will be like, then it is going to be a blast. Working with genuine people makes my job so much more pleasant and rewarding. Gaining friends rather than clients is something I will never argue with. I cant wait to cover their wedding in October. I want to thank Jennifer and Gage for trusting me with capturing this special time in their lives. Thank you for taking this time to read about my experience with this lovely couple. Stay tuned for their wedding day pics in October. So grateful!!!  Take care and be blessed everyone!!!!!!

Location: South Charlotte Crossfit

Nikon D750  24-70mm 2.8 Tamron G2 and D3s 50mm with 3 LED lights 

      Week 4.. Yeah buddy..   18.4!!! This week I would be at another familiar box.. South Charlotte Crossfit. SCCF  is a box  have done a lot of work for. Have built alot of great relationships with athletes and coaches there. Although Abby (co owner of SCCF) I have never met, she still reaches out to me when they need coverage. I am very appreciative of that. We have a great virtual relationship. SCCF is a pretty large box and put out some legit athletes on the regular. I shot 17.4 last year  and there were handstands and deadlifts... so.... IM GOOD ON SETUP. For those who read my blog from 18.2 at Crossfit Jane, you would recall I had an intern interest. Well Patrick would be joining me for this coverage. I was excited to have him along. The ladies of  Balance Box.. @balanceboxclt. Meal Prep service located in Charlotte NC were in the building also. I went out and purchased 1 more LED light since I love them so much. Was stoked to see how it would go. 

The athletes were briefed and informed of the standards of all the movements.  18.4 consisted of the following...

OPEN 18.4

For time:
21 deadlifts, 225 lb.
21 handstand push-ups
15 deadlifts, 225 lb.
15 handstand push-ups
9 deadlifts, 225 lb.
9 handstand push-ups
21 deadlifts, 315 lb.
50-ft. handstand walk
15 deadlifts, 315 lb.
50-ft. handstand walk
9 deadlifts, 315 lb.
50-ft. handstand walk

Time cap: 9 min.

The weather was absolutely perfect. When I pulled up both bay doors were open and athletes were warming up. I arrived early and was actually able to capture an additional heat. I quickly set up my LEDs and chatted with Patrick a bit. It was then go time. I decided to set one of the work lights facing the wall where all the HSPUs would be taking place. The light worked great. On 3..2..1.. 18.4 was under way!!!!

It was then onto hand stand push ups. With the new standard athletes really had to drive those heels towards the ceiling.

The great thing about deadlifts is that there is ALWAYS intensity to capture. 

All of us know that when there is a 21-15-9 format for a Metcon.... the 15 is when the struggle gets real. It showed on those second round of HSPU's!!!! My Nikon loved it though!!! 

Do not want to forget about scaled... which was also a beast with some hand release pushups...

OH YEAH.. CANCER SUCKS...

As if all the deadlifts and hspus werent enough.. Then there was handstand walks or bear crawls. I'll tell you this... both of them are awful.....  

This workout seemed to have have the same result on everyone...

It never fails that I am able to capture some great images at SCCF. I keep saying that I am going to drop in and WOD.. but I am going to make it happen. Tons of cool folks over there. 

Be sure to check out my VLOG covering 18.4.  That footage can be viewed on my You Tube Channel. Gotta get that subscribe number up!!..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOCfXYaB1ro

 With 18.4 only being 9 mins I was able to cover  a lot of different heats. These athletes were putting in work!!!

Overall the experience shooting at SCCF was a blast. If your looking for some legit athletes to work out with and be around some down to earth folks... be sure to check out South Charlotte Crossfit. They have some monsters over there!!!

Be blessed everyone

FULL GALLERY: http://www.bawphoto.net/p591699458

http://www.southcharlottecrossfit.com/

Location: Crossfit Steele Creek

Nikon D750  70-200mm 2.8 Tamron G2 and D3s 50mm with 2 LED lights 

      Week 3 of the Open brought 18.3!!! Time to hit up one of my favorite boxes...Crossfit Steele Creek. Most of my supporters know I have shot SuperFit Games at this box plenty of times. Have also shot alot of marketing and website material for them.  Majority of the athletes there I consider great friends. They are always the first to speak to me when they see me out shooting at other events. They represent so well and love seeing them out and about. Such a great group of athletes and even better people!!! Since I just shot 18.3 the night before, I already knew what to expect. I was looking forward to the overhead squats and of course the muscle ups. Since I know most of the athletes at CFSC,  I pretty much know what athletes I wanted to capture doing certain movements.

The athletes were briefed and informed of the standards of all the movements.  I love the fact that CFSC does there Open Workouts on Saturday because it allows a lot more athletes to attend.  Once again the workout is listed below....  

OPEN 18.3

2 rounds for time of:
100 double-unders
20 overhead squats
100 double-unders
12 ring muscle-ups
100 double-unders
20 dumbbell snatches
100 double-unders
12 bar muscle-ups

Time cap: 14 minutes

I love walking into CFSC because its like walking into place full of family. So many familiar faces right at the entrance. I absolutely love shooting at this box because they have so many athletes at different levels. One of my favorite athletes Tiara came up to me and said "Hey make sure you get a good one of me doing muscle ups"..... My response was OF COURSE I WILL.... Here is what we got!!!

18.3 got started with a ton of double unders. CFSC is a pretty large box so there was plenty of room for some DUBS....

I was sure the OHS would not be a problem for most of the athletes here. I know they LOVE to squat!!!! I stuck with my 70-200mm 2.8. Not to mention my 2 LED lights were doing exactly what I needed them to do!

After the second round of dubs it was time for athletes to hit those rings. The best part is that there were athletes who nailed their first muscle up.  Being in that atmosphere with people cheering you on.. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Check out these athletes.

These 3.....  #NAILEDIT

Lets not forget the athletes crushing those pull ups representing the scaled division. Yup.. you guessed it.. there were some first here also!!!

I was even able to set up my Panasonic GH4 and film some of the athletes hitting the Open. That footage can be viewed on my VLOG.. I will continue to speak on my vlog... Gotta get that subscribe number up!!..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aYvKmB8UeA

Ok back to the photography. Next up were snatches. I used my 24-70mm on majority of these. It allowed myself to get up close and personal while they were pulling that DB off the ground.

 Brian ran the heats one after another which allowed me to get photos of pretty much every athlete. One thing I noticed while capturing everyone is that they were giving 100% effort. It showed...

Even had an impromptu photo shoot with the ladies of Snatch and Run. Make sure you check them out @snatchandrun.

Best part of the day was at the very end while I was packing up. An athlete told me she bought/wore her shirt because she knew I was coming. So I put my lens back on and made sure to get a good one.. Check it out!!

Overall the experience shooting at CFSC was a pleasure as always. There are multiple members/athletes who support BAW Photography 100%. Covering the event didn't feel like a job but more of providing my services for friends. The greatest thing about the Crossfit community is the appreciation they show to everyone.

If you are ever in the Steele Creek be sure to check them out. You wont be disappointed. Up next is 18.4 at South Charlotte Crossfit......GONNA BE LEGIT!!! Stay Tuned!!!!

Be blessed everyone

FULL GALLERY: http://www.bawphoto.net/p182595104

http://www.crossfitsteelecreek.com/

Location: Crossfit S3

Nikon D750  70-20mm 2.8 Tamron G2 and D3s 24-70mm 2.8 Tamron G2

      Its time... 18.3.. and boy was it a nasty one!!! I would be fortunate to cover 18.3 at 2 different boxes. Crossfit S3 and Crossfit Steele Creek. First up is S3!!!!! I have worked with S3 for numerous events. I really enjoy shooting at S3, mainly because they have taken me in just like I am a member. When I receive an email from Becky, there is pretty much a guarantee I will say yes to covering the requested event. I have developed some great relationships with members of S3, so its always a great time coming back there. I already knew exactly how I wanted to shoot this Friday Night Lights. I was on the fence as to whether to use LED lights or my strobes. Then I remembered the lighting is so good at S3 that I won't need any lights at all!! Shooters Dream!!!

The Open announcement consisted of the following WOD... 

OPEN 18.3

2 rounds for time of:
100 double-unders
20 overhead squats
100 double-unders
12 ring muscle-ups
100 double-unders
20 dumbbell snatches
100 double-unders
12 bar muscle-ups

Time cap: 14 minutes

When I first heard this announcement my thought was.. ohhhh SO GYMNASTY!!!! My second thought was that I would have the opportunity to capture an athlete hitting their first Bar or Ring Muscle Up... possibly even a first Double Under. These are moments us fellow Crossfit photographers aim to capture. Seeing the excitement on an athletes face by hitting a movement they thought they would NEVER get.

I was scheduled to shoot at S3 for a little bit over an hour. I got there a early just to hopefully catch some athletes warming up and to get some Vlog content. YES I HAVE A VLOG!!!  It was a quick setup and before I knew it.. it was 3..2..1..GO!!! When I walked in they literally starting up a heat... so might as well start shooting right???

 I decided to cover a lot of the night with my 70-200mm 2.8 on my D750. Sometimes I forget how great it performs.  There were so many double unders going down so I knew I wouldn't be short on those images. My goal was to make sure I nailed overhead squats and of course the muscle ups. Check out some OHS shots below....

Its was so cool seeing the athletes walk up to the rings for muscle ups. You could tell those who were walking up knowing they were going to nail it. Then there were those who walked up with the hope of getting their first one. The facial expressions varied from intensity, smiles, laughter, and all out PUMPED. Check them out.

Boy do I LOVE DB Snatches. I wasn't fortunate enough to get to many of them, however the ones I did get turned out great. Majority of the snatch images I used my 24-70mm 2.8 on my D3s.

One thing I recognized is that there were so many athletes who were very efficient with their double unders. Controlled the entire time which made it very easy to get good shots of them. It was even better seeing the athletes who were stringing some dubs together for the first time. Or performed more dubs in a workout then they ever had before. Super Inspiring!!!!

The work these athletes were putting in really gets me fired up to attempt myself. So we will see how it goes for me on Monday. I shot for about an hour so time went pretty quickly. Wrapped up with some of my favorites of the night. Mainly because my 70-200mm was on point tonight!!!!

BY FAR MY FAVORITE FROM MY MAN RUDY!!!!!!! #CASTROSWAG

Crossfit S3  is crazy fun to shoot at. The athletes there are welcoming and super supportive of BAW Photography. So much that I am even a member of their athletes FB page.. I MADE IT!!!! Thanks Becky.  There are some shoots we already have scheduled for the future so before you know it you will be reading another blog in regards to S3. If I am ever available to cover an event as S3 I am in 100%. Multiple fist bumps and high fives all around. Sending thanks to S3 as always for their continued support and always reaching out to cover their events. THANK YOU S3!!!!!! 

Next up is Crossfit Steele Creek and by next up I mean today!!!!! Literally in hours!!!! Lets go!!!! Stay tuned Thank you for following my work and continuing to be supporters. BE BLESSED EVERYONE!!!!

http://www.crossfits3.com/

Location: Crossfit Jane

Nikon D750  24-70mm and D3s 50mm with 2 LED work lights

      Back at it with 18.2!!! This one got going at Crossfit Jane. I was fortunate enough to shoot there last year as well, however they have done some renovations since then. I already knew how I would set up since I did a shoot with the amazing Sara Joy. Hopefully you have read that blog. So the Open announcement on Thursday by  Dave Castro was......

Workout 18.2

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 reps for time of:
Dumbbell squats
Bar-facing burpees

Men use 50-lb. dumbbells

Workout 18.2a

1-rep-max clean

Time cap: 12 minutes to complete 18.2 AND 18.2a

The DB squat was a new movement added to the Open this year. I was looking forward to seeing the different methods athletes would use to squat with them. I arrived at Crossfit Jane about 45mins early. I was already prepared as to how I was going to cover the event. My only question I needed to know what how they were running heats and what the setup would be. They were running 4 athletes at a time which would give me the ability to make sure I got some shots of every athlete. I was greeted by everyone while walking in, which is so great to experience. Saw some old faces from last years Open coverage so there were hugs and fist bumps everywhere. It was a quick setup and before I knew it.. it was 3..2..1..GO!!!

 I shot majority of the heats with my 24-70mm. Especially when it was time for 18.2A, which was a max clean!!! 

As much as I love my strobes the 2 work lights did exactly what I needed them to do. Had them pointed in two different directions which allowed enough light for both of my bodies. The D3s is a beast regardless but my D750 needs some help sometimes. There were 4 min breaks in between each heat so it was enough time to update IG with a few behind the scene photos and of course my sock game!!!

There was a moment when I saw an athlete squatting and her biggest cheerleader was right behind her squatting rep for rep.... Check it out..

OH THE DB RACK METHODS!!!!!!

THE PULLS!!!!!!!!

 CANT FORGET THE LADIES...... SO AWESOME!!!!!  

I cant go without shining light on my man Jude. This little guy is an absolute beast. He has some of my favorite shots from last year so I knew he would nail some tonight. When I arrived at Crossfit Jane he greeted me at the door and asked if I needed any help. Then we went on to discuss favorite sports teams. Ok.. I'm getting away from the point.. which is.. LOOK AT THE INTENSITY OF THIS KID!!!!!

Mom and Dad right there!!!! Got a quick posed shot!!!

These athletes were crushing 18.2

Overall 18.2 was a blast to cover. Crossfit Jane always  shows me so much love and I will for sure schedule a drop in to come and WOD at their facility. There is something in the water over there at CFJ.... the family and community they have built is so strong. You can feel it as soon as you chat with a member. I met new followers of my work and the fact they took the time to approach me and deliver such kind words was such a blessing. I even met a young photog by the name of Patrick who is an up and coming photographer in the Charlotte area. His parents were nice enough to ask if I would allow him to shadow me.... UMMM of course you can. You choose the Open you want to tag along on. So... 18.4 at South Charlotte Crossfit he will be along for the ride.

Next week I have Crossfit S3 on Friday then Crossfit Steele Creek Saturday Morning. Going to be a busy weekend. Get ready to get flooded with tons of content. Thank you for following my work and continuing to be supporters. BE BLESSED EVERYONE!!!!

http://www.crossfitjane.com/

Location: Crossfit Harrisburg

Nikon D750  24-70mm 2.8  and D3s 70-200mm with 2 Husky LED work lights

      Week 1 of the Open is here and just as exciting as last year!!! Decided to start at my home box this year. Gotta look out for the hometeam!!  18.1 was a goodie and involved dumbells, rowers and some Toes 2 Bar. Was really looking forward to capturing some dumbell cleans and toes 2 bar. I have purchased new glass since shooting last years open, so my arsenal consisted of the new  Tamron G2 24-70 and 70-200mm. I also purchased a new body, the Nikon D3s.. which I love. Super fast and a beast in low light!!  Insted of using my typical strobes I decided to use some LED work lights to give a more Friday Night Lights look.  Check out 18.1... 

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
8 toes-to-bars
10 dumbbell hang clean and jerks
14-cal. row

Men use 50-lb. dumbbell

Women 35-lb

I have witnessed the growth of CFH over the past few years, so shooting the Open is an exciting time. I get to see athletes I don't get to see often and I get to capture the new members who have joined. The best part is shooting athletes who are doing the Open for the very first time. I knew we had a lot of athletes with gymnasty skills so I was expecting some epic T2B shots. 

I arrived a little early and was able to catch a couple of my favorite athletes hitting 18.1 already.... #nailedit

Frankie and Kate of CFH gave a briefing showing the athletes all the standards for each movement.

The movements were pretty self explanatory. There were a few questions in regards to the DB clean to overhead.  The lanes were numbered and DB's were in place... IT WAS GO TIME...

Athletes starting hitting those Toes 2 Bar. Considering there were only 8 it was tough to catch everyone on first go around. Thank goodness it was a 20min AMRAP.

EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE AND MOTIVATING.... SCALED DIVISION!!!! #KneeUps

The dope part about the db clean is seeing all the athletes getting aggressive with that initial pull.

Then we have the overhead. I found myself using my 24-70mm for majority of these shots. Allowed me to get up close and provide some different looks. 

 The rowing aspect was so much fun. For some athletes I literally setup right on the rower and got close and personal. By far some of my favorites. Seeing these athletes pull for their dear lives to reach those calories was awesome. 

 DAB ON EM!!!!!

Always love capturing shots like the ones below. These truly show what the Crossfit community is about. Motivating and pushing each other. Its amazing how much harder you can go with people yelling at you... LETS GO!!!!

Then we had these!!!! #RECOVERY..... IM NOT DEAD

 Being able to cover 18.1 at my home box was a great way to start off this Open season. Of course I would have rather been able to participate but hopefully these images count as my participation. I will be sure to complete 18.2 on Monday.  I am honored to be a member of such a great box and community. I also want to thank all of you for taking the time to read about my experience covering 18.1.Next up is 18.2 and I will be in action at Crossfit Jane.

Be blessed everyone

http://www.crossfitharrisburg.com/

Follow on IG @baw3_photo

YouTube Vlog Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2N5f4qOmY0L31mcGtC1bVg

Location: South Charlotte Crossfit

Nikon D750  24-70mm Tamron G2 2.8 ... 70-200mm Tamron G2 2.8  and 2 Einstein 640's Paul C Buff

      Here we are with inspiration athlete #5. This athlete would represent South Charlotte Crossfit. SCCF has shown a ton of support last year and has continued into 2018. This includes website headshots, Crossfit Open coverage social media material. Lauren was the athlete selected and the only previous experience I have shooting her was for the Open last year. Hopefully I will be shooting them again for 2018... No pressure Abby... ha.  Lauren has reached out to me before about how much she loved her photos from the Open, so I was hoping she would be just as excited when I reached out to her via email. Her response was great. Super stoked and ready to go. Love that Lauren is 2 years into Crossfit and her life has completely changed due to this amazing community.   Check how this Mom's journey with Crossfit ....

1. How long have you been doing Crossfit?

I started Crossfit in May 2016, I am coming up on my two year anniversary and I still can't believe it! 
 

2. What brought you to Crossfit?

I had just had my second baby and was dealing with a lot of weight issues and felt awful. I also just started nursing school and my mental health was suffering and I needed an outlet. My sister had been doing Crossfit for 6 years and finally convinced me to try it out (I was so scared since I have never been athletic or really "in shape") and I immediately loved it. It's been non stop since!

3. What do you enjoy the most about being at SCCF?

The energy and community! I am a early morning warrior and there isn't many places that can immediately kick you into gear and make you excited to be working out and getting fit with pals (even when it's below freezing and still dark)! All the coaches are great and very knowledgeable, I came into SCCF knowing nothing about form, movements, etc and I owe so much credit to them for always being there and for the tremendous growth I've seen. 

4. What would you tell others who are thinking about trying Crossfit?

Don't think, just DO! If there is anyone who can stress this more, it's me! I was the typical person who thought "I will die" and  "I am not fit enough" but I was so wrong. You will have a whole community behind you, supporting you, watching you grow and it's pretty amazing! Can't believe where I was when I started compared to now!

5. What motivates you?

My two daughters (they are two and four). Raising them to be strong and confident. They watch and absorb everything I do and I want them to always push forward and to do that confidently. #MOMSTRONG 

Another huge motivating factor is for everyone who can't. As a nurse, I know how truly lucky I am to be physically capable of everything I do. Life is precious! 

Lastly, seeing my own personal growth keeps me motivated. Giving my best effort each day and seeing what I am fully capable of is the best feeling!

Awesome responses from Lauren and love how motivated she is to continuing to get better and stronger. I arrived to SCCF about 45 min early. Planned to be earlier but traffic didn't agree. When I arrived I was greeted by Christi who runs Administrative Operations at the box... Great athlete also. She asked if there was anything I needed.... told her nope I was good... then I started to set up. I went went my normal setup, however for the cover shot I set up a strobe to put light on the South Charlotte Crossfit writing on the wall. As you can see above. After the initial intro shot it was time for Lauren to start lifting. I asked what her favorite movements were. She replied with "ANYTHING" She loves overhead movements and definitely loves to squat. We stated with some SNATCHES!!!!

Once I saw how perfect her form was... I knew we were going to have a good time!!!!

  The transition was super smooth going into cleans. All we had to do was switch some weights out and Lauren was ready to go... Can we take a moment to look at this front rack position... #HIGHELBOWSMUCH!!!!

I recalled that when I shot Lauren at the Open last year she was doing deadlifts....So I said... Why not... Deadlifts it is!!!

Seeing how great Lauren's mobility was we went into some dumbell work. This included some snatches, OHS and walking lunges. BICEP LITERALLY TOUCHING HER EAR!!! 

After second thought I wanted to get Lauren back to the squat rack. Get a couple staged shots and then get her WAAAAAAY below parallel. 

Even though she had done a ton of shoulder to overheads early that morning, she agreed to a few push jerks. Thanks for being a soldier Lauren!!

Another movement that I recalled capturing her doing was a handstand. I loved it. We had a little heart to heart before taking this shot... IT TURNED OUT SO DOPE!!!!!! You killed it Lauren..

Then we nailed that profile pic hotness!!!!

During this project I wanted to utilize some bay doors but just wasn't sure how I wanted to go about it. I decided to bring both strobes over to the bay doors and do some KB work!!!

The lighting was so impressive that I requested for Lauren to Snatch and Clean again.... She quickly agreed... NO HESITATION... It was so worth it!!!!!

Another super positive athlete to work with. Lauren was so easy to talk to. Might I had she had the most dope playlist EVER. Cant go wrong with EMINEM... Lauren had songs on her playlist that I completely forgot about. So THANK YOU Lauren. I want to thank South Charlotte Crossfit for their continued support and the love they always show on social media and at events. There are some amazing athletes out there and I really need to drop in one morning. Want to thank Abby who has used my services numerous times within the past two years... Now all that's left is to physically meet her.. ha. Maybe one day!!!I Also want to thank all my supporters for taking the time to read the blogs and follow this entire inspiration project. Have a couple of events coming up to shoot however the next athlete coming up represents Crossfit Wreckage so STAY TUNED....

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!! 3..2..1..Shoot!!!

Location: Crossfit Pineville

Nikon D750  24-70mm Tamron G2 2.8 ... 70-200mm Tamron G2 2.8  and 2 Einstein 640's Paul C Buff

      Right back at you with inspiration athlete #4. This athlete would represent Crossfit Pineville.  The athlete selected is Ann Marie Hubbard. I have never met or captured Ann Marie before but Brandon and Michelle (Owners of CFP) spoke highly of her so I KNEW it would be a good one!!  I have been fortunate to work with CFP for headshots and marketing material. Have become pretty good friends with Brandon and Michelle Shuck of CFP.  This is another box that continues to shout me out on social media and also have some things scheduled with them in the near future. Would love to get out there and shoot the Open... but we will see. (clears throat) ha. Ann Marie's response to the email was just as grateful as all the other athletes have been. Which literally makes me smile ear to ear.  Check how this Mom's journey with Crossfit ....

1. How long have you been doing Crossfit? I am going on my 4^th year.

2. What brought you to Crossfit? 

I was an avid runner, who ran anywhere between 30-40 miles a week, as well as a spin and step instructor in my free time. I was a gymnast in High School so fitness was always a very important part of my life. As I approached 50 years old my Internal Medicine doctor told me that I had to start lifting weights to support my skeleton with more muscular strength. I am a very intentional person so I did a lot of research and landed on Crossfit. I was definitely very intimidated  since many of the videos I watched had such strong women who all looked younger than me. .

3. What do you enjoy the most about being at CFP?

The community at CFP is amazing. Since I moved to Pineville last year, I have had the experience of being at 5 different boxes since starting CFP 4 years ago. CFP is absolutely my favorite. Brandon and Michelle were so welcoming and it impressed me that the owner actually performed the programming he did for the gym each and everyday. This is not the case at every gym. When the owner is in the pain cave along with their members it is the secret sauce to the community they create.  I love that every week you can find something small that you improved upon. Pushing yourself mentally and physically  beyond your comfort zone became a feeling I yearned for consistently. I found that with a plan in place along with dedication and pure hard work, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Most of my friends who are 50+ years old just accept that their body is older and therefore cannot change to be more fit. (This is totally inaccurate).  The group classes is what gets me walking in the door everyday. As a gymnast you are typically an individual contributor and being 5”1” I did not participate in team sports, but it was something I always wanted to do. Crossfit is both individual as well as a team environment and this fed my passion in a way I never expected.

4. What would you tell others who are thinking about trying Crossfit? 

Jump in with both feet no matter what your age, don’t hold back. If you don’t understand something ask questions. In the beginning of my CF experience I heard all these people mentioning something about an “Open” and I was so intimidated I did not ask and just did not show up on Saturday’s because apparently that was something for very advanced people. After a year in when people started talking about it again, I pulled a coach aside and asked him “What is this “Open” thing” ? It was so exciting for me to see how many ways I could compete. However listen to your body and join a box that has strong coaches. This is exactly why I have found a home in CFP.

5. What motivates you? 

Throughout my CF journey, I realized that I was much more competitive than I was in my younger years. I love pushing myself both mentally and physically and walking away with a very satisfied feeling to tackle anything that comes my way for that day.  his specifically has translated over to my both my professional and personal life.  I get so excited to see others improve in our gym and share in their enjoyment of achieving that one new move. I believe, as a Masters Athlete (50-54),  I have a responsibility to help those who are older believe they can participate in any way that achieves a positive experience for them. At CFP their community is accepting of all levels, this in and of itself keeps me walking through their doors on a daily basis. 

Once again .... Amazing responses. Why is this so awesome.. because I was stoked to shoot another Masters Athlete. Talk about drive.... no other athletes like it!!!  

When Ann Marie arrived she just needed a quick warmup. While she was warming up we continued to chat a little bit and her personality was amazing. You could tell that she has a strong passion for this sport and the community. Talk about enjoying being around another athlete. Could have talked to her all day. Since this was a photo session guess we couldn't chat all day. She did a quick warm up with the bar then got to cleaning and snatching. For these images I used my 24-70 2.8 Tamron G2. Love this lens.

Had to throw in a Jerk... Split Jerk might I add..... Love it!!!

Then we moved into some snatching.... All she needed was a couple practice reps and we were good to go. Wanted to catch a static hold right above the knee. Then followed up with some good old SNATCHIN'....

During these sessions as I speak with athletes I tend to get more of an idea of what movements athletes would look amazing doing. With Ann Marie I quickly grabbed some parallettes. She nailed this L Sit!!!!

While we were in the gymnasty game it was time to walk upside down.... For these I used my 70-200mm 2.8 Tamron G2.

Since Ann Marie's shoulders were nice and loose we moved over to the rig. We were able to knock out some good pull up and toes 2 bar. Love how graceful these athletes are. She was so on point with these. Went back and forth with my 24-70 and 70-200mm ... Hopefully you can tell the difference... Either way.. Dope Shot Alert... See below!!!!!

We had a few movements to knock out before finishing the session. We hit some wallballs, double unders and brought out the SKI ERG.... this would be my first official ski erg shot.... THANKS CFP!!!!!!

AND THEN THE ERG!!!

We finished on some ring dips elevated. Was pretty awesome to wrap up with this. 

It was an absolute pleasure working with Ann Marie today. She was a perfect representative for Crossfit Pineville. I know numerous athletes there and they all treat and receive me with so much love. I love that fact that this was my first time meeting Ann Marie and yet she knew so much of my work already and we had casual conversation as if we were friends prior. What I do realize is that this will happen again as I continue to interact with this amazing community. I want to thank CFP again for allowing me to shoot at their facility today. Want to thank my supporters for following me on this project. Tomorrow South Charlotte Crossfit is up.... STAY TUNED!!!! THANK YOU. 

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!! 3..2..1..Shoot!!!

Location: Crossfit S3

Nikon D750  24-70mm Tamron G2 2.8 ... 70-200mm Tamron G2 2.8  and 2 Einstein 640's Paul C Buff

      Here we are with inspiration athlete #3. This athlete would represent Crossfit S3. I have worked with S3 numerous times the past couple years. I have done their headshots and website images as well as covered AMRAP4AUTISM which is an amazing organization. I reached out to Becky Conneen  of S3 in regards to this project and she quickly had a name for me. This Athlete/Coaches name is Rachel Pohl. I have only captured Rachel once before during a class she was attending. However from that brief time I knew she was an amazing athlete. What I did not know is how amazing her story would be. To fill you in on her story, check out her responses to the questions...

1. How long have you been doing Crossfit? I started crossfit in 2013 after having my first child. 

2.What brought you to Crossfit? My whole life I had been a runner. For years throughout college, grad school, and afterwards I battled with an eating disorder, and even after I recovered I continue correlate my self worth and self esteem directly to my weight. Although I went to the gym regularly, I always stuck to the cardio machines and spent hours on the treadmill, elliptical or step machine. If I lifted weights, once every blue moon, it would be a 10 or 15lb dumbbell... the thought of lifting something heavier, or a barbell, never crossed my mind. I thought I was totally healthy and fit because I was skinny, running marathons regularly. But when my then-husband and I tried to get pregnant, I realized that was not the case. We were unable to, and it was eye-opening for me to realize that health went beyond being skinny and doing a lot of cardio, and involved much more than what someone looks like on the outside. I cut back on the running while we went through fertility treatments and we were finally able to get pregnant. I promised myself that after having the baby I would do things differently and figure out how I could truly be healthier. I researched local fitness facilities close to where I lived at that time in California, and found a Crossfit gym.
         My son was born in 2012, and I started Crossfit in 2013. I loved it from the start and never looked back. I learned to lift, got more in tune with my body and learned to listen to it. I got stronger, both physically and mentally, and my outlook on life changed. I began to value my body for what it could do - NOT just for what it looked like. I got my L1 coaching cert in October 2013, not intending to coach immediately but solely because I loved Crossfit so much and wanted to have more knowledge around it. The day after getting my cert, I had IVF and got pregnant with my daughter. I Crossfitted through my pregnancy. One morning, when I was 7 months pregnant, I woke up and knew something was wrong. My body just felt off, and I could not feel the baby moving at all. I went to my doctor, who sent me to the hospital. They found the baby was in distress, her heart rate was dropping, and they performed an emergency c-section. The doctors believe that if she would have been in there a half hour longer she would not have survived. I believe that Crossfit made me 100% more in tune with my body, enabled me to realize something was wrong that morning in 2014, and is a big part of the reason my daughter is still here.
       I started coaching in the summer of 2015. In 2017, I got my Crossfit kids certification and started teaching kids classes. Now, at ages 3 and 5, my kids come to the gym with me all the time. They are growing up watching their mom, along with men and women of all shapes and sizes, working out together and throwing heavy weight around. They watch me do workouts at home in my garage gym and participate in the kids class at the box or workouts at home themselves. They are growing up learning what I didn't learn until I was almost 30 years old - how to work to our healthiest selves, how to listen to our bodies, how to value our bodies for what they can do vs just what they look like, and how to be strong both mentally and physically. 

3. What do you enjoy the most about being at CFS3? I love the community. Since I joined the box in 2013, I have moved to the other side of town and have to travel a lot further to get there. But I do it, because I love the people, love the place. I can show up there feeling sad, stressed, tired... anything... and walk out feeling better. 

4. What would you tell others who are thinking about trying Crossfit? Just give it a try. Don't be intimidated... sometimes I think Crossfit gets a bad reputation and makes potential new members scared to come for the first time. But it's not like that, at least none of the boxes I have seen. People are kind and welcoming and WANT you there. The coaches want to help you to succeed and be the best you that you can be. Crossfit can be for everybody, and it can change your life. And don't be concerned about weight or what you look like. Focus on being healthy, on performing in the gym, on eating real, nutritious food. If that is your focus, the aesthetics will come.

5. What motivates you? At the end of the day, what matters to me is happiness. I have so many people and things in my life that make me happy every day. Not only is Crossfit one of those things, it improves my health and well being which allows me to enjoy all the other things that bring me happiness. When I have a workout in my day, it motivates me to make other good and healthy choices throughout the day. I feel great and feel happy, which motivates me to do the same thing tomorrow. And the next day. Until hopefully I'm a healthy 85-year-old playing with my great grand children!

C'mon how great are those responses. With every athlete that I come across and work with, each one has an awesome story behind them. This one wasn't any different. Through this process I have discovered sides of athletes that I would have never been exposed to. For that I am extremely grateful. Reading the story of what brought Rachel to Crossfit is so awesome. With receiving this information, I had a few ideas of how I wanted to direct this session. As I stated previously I have shot at S3 a few times so was fully aware of where I wanted to start. It was GO TIME!!!!!  

Rachel brought both of her kids with her and I was already aware she wanted to include them in a couple shots. How could I say no. They came into the box so excited and ready to go. We started with a handstand pic as you can see above. Then we went into some box jumps, squats.

Then wrapped it up with a run!!!!!

Once we had the kiddos all set it was time to move on to just Rachel. Since we already had the bar out from her squat pic we rolled right into some squats cleans and overhead squats. This Crossfit Mom is the truth. 100% athlete.

For this shoot I set up both Paul C Buff umbrellas to give a different look. Definitely more of just an isolation on her.

I didn't want to spend to much time with the barbell so we put the plates and bar up. Moved into some bodyweight/gymnastics movements. Rachel was so fluid with everything and made it very easy to capture. First up were some handstands.

Then we migrated over to the bar. Once again I asked if there was a ladder on site. THERE SURE WAS. Rachel requested a toes 2 bar shot from above.... #nailedit. 

While working with Rachel it was cool to see how we had some things in common. Over this process building relationships with these athletes has been amazing. Its makes the shoot go so much smoother and makes it really easy to transition into other movements. Speaking of that.. it was time for Pull Ups!!!!

Once completed with the rig we moved the GHD out to the middle of the floor. I requested for Rachel to let her hair down which would give a really cool effect. Boy do I love strobes. Freezing Everything!!!!

 Rachel is a fan of double unders and I warned her that doubles are always rough to shoot because if you catch an athlete when they land.... then their facial skin literally shoots towards the floor. Not a good look.. but  was determined to get a good one. I would say we nailed a few!!!!

 Cmon.. who doesnt love a good rope climb shot.... Love the lighting on these!!! Submitted my favorite to Crossfit main site.. so didn't include below.... FINGERS CROSSED!!!!

As time was cutting close we chose a few more movements to finish on. We grabbed and Kettlebell, Dumbell, Box and a Wallball!

THAT PULL THO!!!! 

I highly recommend to other photogs who are shooting athletes doing box jumps.... Pull out some strobes. So worth it!!!! #freezingtime

We wanted to return back to the wall and do some handstand work with shoulder taps. It required movement of my strobes but the lighting turned out excellent.

Then a good ol' wall ball shot..... 3..2..1.. TIME!!!!

Once again these athletes are not disappointing at all. Not only are they amazing athletes but they are great people. Yes Crossfit produces some amazing athletes, however it also produces and creates great friendships. Rachel continued to express how grateful she was for this opportunity and I couldn't have been more pleased to work with her. Crossfit S3 has become a second box family to me over the past couple years and the love they continue to show me is unreal.  I cant thank them enough for the continued support. If you see Rachel out and about or any of these athletes I am sharing with you.. BE SURE TO SAY HEY!!! These athletes were selected for a reason. Great people inside and out!!!

Next athlete up is from Crossfit Pineville to be followed by an athlete representing South Charlotte Crossfit. Stay Tuned!!!!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!! 3..2..1..Shoot!!!

Location: Crossfit Jane

Nikon D750  24-70mm Tamron G2 2.8 ... 70-200mm Tamron G2 2.8  and 2 Einstein 640's Paul C Buff

      Today we are right back at it with inspiration athlete #2. I have been fortunate to shoot this athlete at local comp Superfit Games before however not an isolated session. When I reached out to Jaime of CFJ, I knew she would send me a perfect candidate. She definitely delivered. Sara Joy is currently a coach at CFJ and described as one of the hardest workers at Crossfit Jane. She has 4 children all under the age of 9 which is amazing in itself. She trains 5 days a week, coaches and also responsible for CFJ's management system of Wodify. She has also received her L2 and CFGymnastics certification.  She currently runs the Janesdottirs program for teen girls. Crossfit Jane's motto is "Building better versions of ourselves"". Sara is a perfect example of that and I was stoked to have her as a part of this project!!!! As you all know from my previous blog Sara was sent the same questions....

1. How long have you been doing Crossfit?
2. What brought you to Crossfit?
3. What do you enjoy the most about being at CFJ?
4. What would you tell others who are thinking about trying Crossfit?
5. What motivates you?

Sara's responses were so on point. Loved every single one of them!!  Check her responses out below:

1. How long have you been doing Crossfit?

I started CrossFit in 2009 in my mom's garage.  Back then, I didn't do any of the barbell movements, mostly wallballs, box jumps, kettlebell swings, running, rowing, double unders, burpees....all the really metcon-like movements. I didn't start true CrossFit with a barbell and gymnastics until I joined CrossFit Jane in May 2014.

 

2. What brought you to Crossfit?

When I started in 2009, it was in the garage gym my brother build with his friends.  I had just had my first child and was new to Charlotte.  After months of being really curious, I decided to have my brother show me what was going on.  I was hooked from my very first workout.  I continued this on and off for a few years while we continued to have two more children.  In 2014, my daughters pre-school teacher found out I did CrossFit and insisted I come do a workout at her CrossFit gym.  Ironically, her CrossFit gym was walkable to my house.  CrossFit Jane was still operating out of Jaime and Brent's garage and they were practically my neighbors.  I had no idea who there were and that CrossFit was happening right around the corner.  I gave in to the teachers request and joined her.  Again, once I met Jaime and Brent and completed their fundamentals program, I was hooked and I've never looked back. 

 

3. What do you enjoy the most about being at CFJ?

The community!  There's no words to describe the community but it's amazing.  I've also made friends that have turned into family.  My brother eventually followed me from the garage gym to CFJ so it's been really special to grow closer to him while doing something I love.  My mom and brother's wife eventually joined so it's become a true family affair which is also so special.  Even though I am a coach, the coaching from the other coaches is also another great aspect of CFJ.  

 

4. What would you tell others who are thinking about trying Crossfit?

Just give it a try.  Forget anything you've heard about CrossFit and don't wait until you think you are in shape to start.  Be open to all that you can learn about yourself through CrossFit. 

 

5. What motivates you?

Getting better....One of the phrases we use around CFJ a lot is "building better versions of ourselves".  This is what CFJ has become for me.  I want to become a better athlete, coach, friend, wife, mother, family member.  I have learned more than I care to admit about myself through the process of becoming an athlete and coach.  It has helped me to improve almost every area of my life.  I love the process of learning and growing and CrossFit has allowed me to do that.  

After reading those responses you now see what I mean. Love that her entire family are now members of CFJ and the bond it has given them. As you read her response was very similar to the previous athlete in regards to " I NEED TO WAIT UNTIL I'M IN SHAPE" So for you athletes reading this and you hear someone give you that excuse... Please direct them to this blog!!! 

I arrived at CFJ early as usual in order to get my strobes setup. I have only shot at CFJ once before and that was for the 2017 Crossfit Open. I was familiar with the setup of the box however I haven't used my new Einsteins here yet. To my surprise when I arrived Crossfit Jane looked completely different. There were bay doors and the ceiling was removed. Luckily it didnt change my approach but the new improvements were awesome!!!!  Sara and I chatted for a bit while I set up and it was like we were members of the same box. Another reason why this community is the best!!!! 

We started with some barbell movements. First up were Thrusters. Sara's form was so good that it didnt take many attempts at all to nail the shot. Watching the way Sara moved with the barbell it was only right to fall right into some cleans. Typically I will start out with just some pulls but I requested for Sara to just go for it..... GO FOR IT SHE DID!!!  

We then moved into some Wallballs. I noticed a large industrial ladder in the corner so I put it to use. Absolutely loved this angle. It did require some movement of my strobes but I think it worked out well.

I wanted to give a different look and switched to my 70-200mm to capture Sara hitting some pullups. Nothing too fancy to the setup but very clean. Migrated over to the rower and some rope climbs. For this to be Sara's first shoot she nailed everything. 

OHHHH the squats and the depth..... #GetItSara #DATSQUATDOE

I knew that Sara loved bodyweight movements so we had to pull the boxes out!!! 

Threw a little chalk on the box for a different effect. Jamie.. DONT BE MAD.....HA.. I cleaned up...

We wrapped it up with some dumbell work which included cleans, overhead squat. Then topped it off with 2 final body movements.... Burpees and Pistols!!!

This project continues to be a success with the athletes i am working with. Chatting with Sara reminded me why athletes are drawn to Crossfit and the connection they make with their coaches. We had discussion about how your box becomes your family and truly changes lives. We spoke of members who have beaten cancer and how Crossfit creates an atmosphere that is full embrace and love.  Thank you Sara for sharing your story and for allowing me to be your first official photographer. Thanks to Jamie and Brent Smith for their support and allowing me to shoot in their facility. Appreciate my sticker swag and my new CFJ shirt. I will be sure to represent.  To my supporters who took the time to read about this experience.. THANK YOU.  Stay tuned for my next athlete who represents S3 Crossfit.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!! 3..2..1..Shoot!!!

Location: Crossfit Dilworth

Nikon D750  24-70mm Tamron G2 2.8 ... 70-200mm Tamron G2 2.8  and 2 Einstein 640's Paul C Buff

      Happy New Year Everyone!! To kick off the new year I wanted to start a project highlighting athletes from local boxes that show humility and continue to motivate others on a daily basis. We all fall in love with the community for that very reason. Regardless of skill level we all support and inspire one another. The point of this project was to have 1 athlete selected and to perform a photo shoot of them doing their favorite movements. I also included questions that each athlete would respond to, which in return gives a story about what drives them or brought them to Crossfit. Here are the questions...

1. How long have you been doing Crossfit?
2. What brought you to Crossfit?
3. What do you enjoy the most about being at CFD?
4. What would you tell others who are thinking about trying Crossfit?
5. What motivates you?

Crossfit Dilworth was first  up to participate. I would like to thank Brandon and Gracie of CFD for showing so much support this past year. The athlete selected was Jenna Sanders. I have not been fortunate enough to meet Jenna prior however from chatting with Gracie I knew she was a great pick. After reading her responses I became even more eager to work with her. Check her responses out below:

1. I’ve been doing CrossFit since December of 2015, so 3 years.

2. I was in the Army and was on a deployment and one of my Soldiers was Level 1 certified.  He would volunteer to coach classes at the make shift Crossfit gym we had set up.  I ran 6 days a week at the time and refused to lift weights after my days of college soccer, but he kept bugging me to come try one of his classes because I was always complaining about my body hurting somewhere from the constant running.  I gave in, went to one of his classes and was hooked.  Happy my running days are behind me :)

3. I’m continually amazed by the coaches at CFD.  Brandon and Gracie and the rest of the coaches are always so engaged with everyone in the gym no matter what level athlete they are working with. If you take one class at CFD you’ll immediately recognize they have created a special environment.  I also love that we have such a diverse/fun group of people.

4. Remember even the best athletes had to start somewhere. I thought I was in good shape when I started Crossfit and realized quickly that I needed to modify pretty much every exercise.  I hate when people tell me they need to get in better shape to try Crossfit.  Everyday you'll get better at something and its fun to look back at how far you’ve come.

5. Knowing life is short and nothing’s guaranteed so I want to give it everything I’ve got while I can.  A few years ago one of the senior officers I deployed with lost his leg in an explosion and I’ll never forget watching him workout.  He had a prosthetic leg and he would run laps around people who would walk because they didn’t want to put in the effort to run.  It’s like Dabo Swinney says “I will do what I can, when I can, so that when I can not, I will not, wish that I would have, when I could have.”
 

I am sure many athletes can relate to Jenna's responses. I especially love the mention of people saying they need to get in shape first. I hear that so often myself. Reading Jenna's responses gave me a pretty good idea as to what type of athlete I would be working with... HOWEVER.... Jenna was the REAL DEAL!!! Definitely from a sports background and Crossfit has been good to her!!! As you will see in these photos.

I arrived at CFD a bit early in order to get my lighting set up. I have shot there before so I already knew where to position everything.  We got started with some cleans, which didn't take long for her to warm up at all. We got right to it.

We then followed it up with some snatches. Talk about an aggressive pull!!!!!!

The great thing about working with Crossfit athletes is that they are typically pretty easy to talk to. Jenna and I spoke about where we were originally from and how the adjustment to Charlotte was. What I didn't know is that Jenna was leaving for Wodapalooza the next day to compete with a team from her previous residence. Not only that she then had to fly out of town for work a day or so after the competition. She was definitely staying busy. Well the shoot must go on....  

We moved into ring MU's and I only requested her to do a few kips at first. Then we changed to another set of rings to have her knock out some MU's.

Although a bar-muscle up would have been pretty cool I just wanted to capture a chest to bar pull from a high angle. I think it turned out well. Had to adjust my strobes a bit but still nailed it!!!

Gracie then kindly came over an notified me of some movements that Jenna was good at. We attacked them all.

AND WHO DOESN'T LOVE A DUMBELL SNATCH!!!!! Especially when someone is aggressive with it!!

The final option was between and bike or a rower. I chose the bike. So glad I did!!!

After working with Jenna I am so happy that I decided to start this project. Not only will I get some great images but will learn more about my community. Officially learning about Jenna's journey and her reason for becoming a Crossfit athlete shows the bond and similarities that we all share. Thank you Jenna for sharing your story and for allowing me to work with you. As always thank you to Gracie and Brandon of CFD for making me feel welcome and for the sticker swag and my new CFD baseball tee. To my supporters who took the time to read about this experience.. THANK YOU.  Stay tuned for my next athlete who represents Crossfit Jane.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!! 3..2..1..Shoot!!!

Location: Pittsburgh, PA 

Nikon D750 and D3s w/24-70mm Tamron, 50mm 1.4, 70-200mm Nikon   

      A couple of months ago I was fortunate enough to share an experience of a lifetime with a well deserving kid. Ryan has been diagnosed with a life altering condition with an adjustment disorder. Which causes him to isolate himself making is a struggle to make friends. Ryan is a huge Steelers fan and his dream was to meet Antonio Brown. Ryan's dream was first announced at the Beers and Burpees Crossfit Fundraiser. Dream on 3 is an amazing organization that makes dreams come true for kids living with life altering illnesses and conditions.  

Lets get to how amazing this trip was!! I had no idea what or how much to pack, considering we were flying to Pittsburgh and I knew it was going to be cold.  Last time I visited Pittsburgh although it was 20+ years ago, I was snowed in for a week. So that is literally all I could think about. Ryan's sendoff started at Applebees where all his friends and family gathered to send him off. Ryan walked in to an eruption of cheers. Meanwhile Ryan still had no idea exactly what was about to happen. 

As the crowd calmed down Ryan was presented with some amazing Steelers gear. This included Jerseys and a Fathead.

Beers and Burpees then informed Ryan we were heading to the airport straight from Applebees. Ryan was grinning ear to ear. During these moments I was shooting on my D750 and 24-70mm G2 Tamron. I was accompanied by an extremely talented videographer by the name of Brooks Quinn of Wheelhouse Media. I want to take a moment to thank Brooks for showing me the ropes while documenting my first dream experience. Greatly appreciated!!! After lunch, Ryan his mother Effie and sister Shamieka were greeted by a limo that would escort them to the airport. 

Applebees were such great host and treated everyone amazing. They even had their Steelers gear on!!! The atmosphere for this send off was perfect. 

Ryan was surrounded by friends and family the entire lunch. We were even visited by former Steelers kicker Jeff Reed.

Our trip to the airport and boarding process was pretty uneventful, until we realized it was their first time flying. This would literally be their first flight EVER!!! I told Ryan "Hey at least your first flight is to go hang with the Steelers". He then gave me a thumbs up!!!

When we arrived in Steelers nation it was time to get to the hotel and rest up for a looooong weekend of events. We stayed at the Omni William Penn Hotel which was gorgeous. This is the same hotel that the players stay the night before games. The great thing about this weekend was that it was Alumni weekend so a lot of past Steelers would be in attendance. You will realize that later with some of the photos. When we arrived at the hotel we received amazing treatment from check-in to checkout. We went got to our rooms there was a banner welcoming Ryan to Steelers nation... socks and other gear. They pulled out all the stops for this experience. 

Our Saturday would consist of touring the Steelers practice facility and also getting a chance meet Antonio Brown. What we didnt know is that Ryan would get pictures with numerous players. Which would include Hall of Famers Jerome Bettis and Mean Joe Green!!!  Crazy story alert....

While touring the facility we went to the outdoor practice field. However we got locked out and were unable to get back in. Then Effie, Ryan's mom yelled "Hey someone is coming"... Door opens and its Jerome Bettis!!!! 

We continued to tour the facility checking out the weight room and locker room. We then went to the indoor practice run through. During the practice all phones and cameras had to be down. During this time we met Joe Green who was extremely nice and asked why Ryan was wearing a hoodie since we were inside. Too funny. (you see there was no hoodie worn in the picture below)

  It was then the moment that Ryan had been waiting for....  TO MEET ANTONIO BROWN!!!! When Antonio walked up he gave Ryan dap and a hug. Extremely friendly and made the experience so worth it. He spoke positive words to Ryan about the importance of education and to strive for anything he wants.  AB then signed a jersey and to top it all off, took off his gloves from the previous game that he caught the game winning touchdown. He signed them and handed over to Ryan. UNREAL!!!  

After time with AB, Ryan was also able to chat it up with Big Ben and get his autograph. Ryan was able to get pictures with so many Steelers as you can see below. All the players were stoked to meet him and they all loved his hoodie!!  

After the facility we went to downtown Pittsburgh where I felt like ALL the Steelers fans were. If you needed any gear that was the place to be. It was cool because there were people who recognized Ryan from the news back in Charlotte for his sendoff and they wanted a picture with him.

We then went back to the hotel and got a quick recharge before going to dinner at the AMAZING Eddie V's Prime Seafood. They opened their restaurant early to allow us our own personal time. The food was delicious. Top shelf seafood and steak!!! This was also a first time experience for Ryan to have seafood.

The night wasn't over because we had tickets to sit right on the ice for the Penguins game!! Unfortunately I was unable to bring my camera into the arena but I will tell you that there is nothing like sitting on the ice at a hockey game. Ryan was so excited to be so close to the action and also received a signed Penguins jersey hand delivered by their mascot. 

After that long day it was time to go and rest up. Sunday would be the finale which would be a full day of tailgating and a Primetime Sunday Night Football game at Heinz Field. We got the the stadium early and had lunch at Jerome Bettis' restaurant. We even got to eat in his VIP room where a lot of his equipment/gear worn in games was displayed.

While waiting for the gates to open we waited in a tailgating area and watched football on numerous big TVs... not a bad way to relax. When it was time to access pregame Brooks and I walked to the media entrance and we got checked in. We met Ryan at the gate and instantly went on the field for pregame. The photos explain the experience!!!

For the game we were in the club level with our own seating area. It was a little difficult to capture Ryan's reactions, however when that game winning field goal was made... I NAILED IT!!!! Terrible towel and all!!

I can't speak enough on how incredible this experience was. Ryan showed appreciation during every moment and couldn't have happened to a better kid. To be a part of this organization is humbling on so many levels. Being a photographer is a blessing but being associated with causes and experiences like this make it so worth it to keep shooting and share my craft. I want to thank Dream on 3 and Beers and Burpees for allowing me to document Ryan's dream. Look forward to working with you again in the future.  

3...2...1...GO!!!!

www.beersandburpees.com    www.dreamon3.org

IG @beers_and_burpees           @dream_on_3

BAW Photography IG: @baw3_photo

Location: Sophia's Lounge 

Nikon D750 w/ 24-70mm Tamron and Paul C Buff Einstein with beauty dish   

      Thought this would be a great time to blog on my maternity session with Stephanie. Why.. after 2 months have passed?? Because congrats are in order for the birth of Stephanie and John's baby girl Navie.  When Stephanie contacted me in regards to a maternity session, I knew she had something in mind but was unaware of what direction exactly. She wanted to do more of a glam/non traditional maternity shoot. I was instantly on board. Yes because her idea was amazing but also Stephanie is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met.  She mentioned Sophia's Lounge which is located in Uptown Charlotte. I have never shot at this location but after looking up some Google images I was beyond stoked.  Stephanie was able to book a time with Sophia's Lounge and we were set to go.  

I had recently just received my new Paul C Buff Einstein strobe and Boom arm which I knew would be perfect for this session. They were calling for rain that day although it was not raining when I arrived. Parking was insane though, Fortunately I was able to park in front of the hotel and unload gear. Sophia's Lounge was amazing. Definitely different than any other location I have ever shot in. I started setting up in the back corner where they had a really cool couch/lounge setup. 

There were a couple other locations to cover with just Stephanie before John and Dunkin arrived. There was a really cool living room area with a fireplace and pictures all over the wall. Probably not your typical living room style but made great for pictures. Stephanie was amazing!!!

Stephanie's dress was perfect and added so much class to the session. Then again I wasnt surprised at all be cause Stephanie always comes correct. As we were finishing up the solo portion, John and Dunkin arrived. John arrived with swag as he always does and Dunkin came with a dope bow tie on. Which I then found out that they custom order.. CLASSIC. We started this part of the session in front of this large portrait. Who was in the portrait I have no idea.. but it looked really cool so we ran with it.

  We stayed in rotation and moved to another couch. As you can see there we numerous areas setup and they all had a different feel/look to them. Which allowed the session to move smoothly.

Stephanie and John were complete naturals in front of the camera. Rarely did I need  adjust their position. Throughout the entire session we carried on conversation and everything was super natural. There are times when you book a client that has 19k+ followers that makes you say... "Bruce.. you better deliver"  I was beyond satisfied with how this session turned out. A lot of it goes to how comfortable it was hanging out with Stephanie and John. I'm grateful when I can work with people starting as clients but then gain friends.

I want to thank Stephanie and John again for trusting me with their vision. Also a massive congrats to your new addition. To all my followers and supporters, be sure to check out Stephanie on IG @stephaniemelish  (Speaker, Author and Certified Business Coach).... Recently added title.. MOM!!!!

BAW Photography IG: @baw3_photo

Location: Crossfit Charlotte  

Nikon D750 and D3s w/24-70mm Tamron  and 70-200mm Nikon   

      This  past weekend I was fortunate enough to be a part of such a rewarding event. Dream on 3 Foundation and Beers and Burpees team up to bring the Crossfit Community together to raise money to help make dreams come true for children. These children get granted amazing wishes to create personal experiences with their favorite athletes, sporting event or sports team. I was extremely bummed last year when I was unable to cover the event. I made sure this year I would be available. I would be teaming up with two other great photographers in shifts to cover the entire event.

Gant Maginnis Photography @grantmaginnis

Vibrant Photography @myvibrantphotos

Be sure to check both of them out. 

First I want to say thanks to Mike Dascal and Brandon Lindsey for reaching out to me in regards to covering the event. I have always been eager to shoot at Crossfit Charlotte, so this was a win win. There was also a large group of athletes from my home box of Crossfit Harrisburg that were competing. My shift of coverage was 130 - 330pm. I knew it was going to be a hot one and had to make sure I stayed hydrated (NOT WITH BEER). Upon arrival there were so many cars in the parking lot. Had absolutely no idea where to park... However I lucked out with a good spot up front. 

I was greeted by the wonderful volunteers at the registration table who provided me with a shirt and a secure area to place my gear. While walking through the box it was great to see so many familiar faces from the area competing. Although my shift didn't start until 1:30pm, there were a couple members from CFH going at 1 so I started a bit early. The WOD consisted of..

Drink a Cup of Beer

1st round of Workout:  250m run, 25 Wall Balls (Modification = Air Squats), 25 Box Jumps (Mod = Box Step Ups), 25 Pullups (Mod = Jumping Pullups or Pushups) and 25 Burpees.

Drink a Cup of Beer

2nd round of Workout: same as above.

Drink a Cup of Beer

3rd round of Workout: same as above.

Drink a Cup of Beer

Time Cap of 20 minutes.

ADAPTIVE DIVISION (2:30PM HEAT):

Adaptive Athletes - Register under the "Regular Division" and choose the 230pm Heat Time which consists of Adaptive Athletes & non-Adaptive Athletes.

Same rules as above for drinking and sharing of exercises, however, drinking is optional.

3 Rounds - 20 minute cap

250m Wheeled Sprint/Row/Arms Only Row (Both partners)

25 Seated Wall Balls/Wall Balls to a Box/Weighted Squats

25 Burpees to a Box/Floor to Box Transfers (20/12)/Push Ups to Plates or Box

25 Ring Rows/Pull Ups to Anchored Bar/Seated Ring Dips/Seated Box Dips

25 Step Ups/Step Ups to Alternate Heights/Chair Transfers/Floor to box Transfers

* Questions/Clarifications - Contact Dr. Amanda Kloo at Project Momentum Fitness:  [email protected]

KIDS "BROWNIES AND BURPEES" DIVISION:

The workout is 3 Rounds of the following:  Eat a Brownie, 250 yard run, 20 lunges, 20 jumping jacks, 20 sit-ups and 20 burpees. 

I was excited to cover the adaptive athlete heat.. 1. Because it awesome and crazy motivating.. 2. Because I was looking forward to capturing Erika Bogan of Crossfit Vitality putting in work. Every heat was pretty crowded so I had to stay moving and try to capture as many athletes as I could. I was able to shoot pretty wide (24-70mm) to cover the entire atmosphere of the event. I threw the 70-200mm on my D750 so I would be able to shoot across the box and get pretty tight for those solo shots.

There were some epic moments captured which included 1 arm burpees... 1 arm rows... Rowing and Pullups in wheelchairs... the list goes on. If you have never been motivated or pushed before, I highly recommend you witness an adaptive athlete put in some work. 

 The biggest moment was what we all were there for. That was to make a dream come true for a deserving child. The gym was completely cleared out while he was escorted in. The scene was set like he was getting a tour of the gym. Little did he know there were over 1k people outside the bay doors ready to cheer for him. When the doors were raised the crowd erupted. I was able to catch that moment. Check it out. 

 Once the cheering calmed down Mike Dascal took the mic and informed the recipient that his dream to meet Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers was coming true. He will be flown out to hang with Antonio and the team and attend a game. Such an awesome moment to witness. Oh yes.. and he would be doing the workout as well.. good thing he brought shorts. 

I have covered numerous events, as I am sure you all are aware. However this one was very special. The turnout for this event was insane. All for charity and for the children. I am convinced that there is no other community like the Crossfit community. Being able to be a part of it makes my job worth it. I enjoy what I do and events like this allows my passion to grow even more.

I look forward to working with Dream on 3 Foundation in the future so standby for that announcement!!!! Thank you to Crossfit Charlotte for being a great host and providing such a great atmosphere for Beers and Burpees.  I want to thank all the volunteers and my fellow photographers for the hard work.

To all the athletes who gave me hugs and fist bumps showing support.. THANK YOU.. You all know who you are!!! Im sure we will continue to cross paths. Be Blessed Everyone.... and be sure to standby for that announcement.....

3...2...1...GO!!!!

www.beersandburpees.com    www.dreamon3.org

IG @beers_and_burpees           @dream_on_3

BAW Photography IG: @baw3_photo

Nikon D750 and D800 w/24-70mm Tamron  and 70-200mm Nikon   Alien Bees 800, Pro Studio 300 Strobe 

      As many of you already know I have covered a few events for Girls Gone RX. This one however would be one of the most enjoyable to shoot. Why do you ask??? Because Crossfit Harrisburg is my home box and where I currently coach. When Lindsey (Owner of GGRX) was looking for boxes to host events I quickly volunteered CFH. I knew that my box would be able to draw a big crowd and crush the fundraising numbers. Boy was I right!!!!  

First off HUGE CREDIT to Nikki Kral who promoted this event to the fullest and stayed on social media daily. I strongly believe the massive turnout was due to her promotion, so KUDOS to you Nikki. I just may have you take over my Instagram account!!

 Also big shout out to Frankie Richardson for owning the greatest box and hosting a smoothly operated event. Not to mention being on the microphone all day!!! Dope job Frankie!!!

There were multiple reasons I was looking forward to covering this GGRX...

Yes of course its my home box.

Multiple athletes who I coach all signed up for the event

Majority of the athletes who were doing the comp from other boxes, I personally knew from other events

Since I have done so many shoots at this gym before the setup time was super quick!!!

The first event consisted of a power clean complex. These ladies were tossing around some weight. As always I was double fisting with my D750 and for the first time my D800 would be put to the test. Was not disappointed at all.

The focus and determination in all these athletes eyes was so cool to witness. Pretty sure we all experienced some PR faces and moments!!!

As you can see used my strobes with the D800. Love the effect it gave. As time went on I decided to take the strobes down completely and strictly use natural light. Very happy with my decision. It was such a large group that the strobes eventually became pointless unless the team were located in certain spots.

There were multiple events which consisted from everything to box jumps...thrusters..toes 2 bar...double unders...rope climbs... wall balls...sand bag carry... and bike. With so many movements to cover I stayed on the move.

 The atmosphere was so positive the entire day. Not only were the athletes hype but so were the supporters. There were plenty of vendors as well as the fire dept showing their support. The kids absolutely LOVED it!!!

SO MUCH PINK!!!! Yup I know.... FOR A GREAT CAUSE!!!! #CANCERSUCKS #COMPETEFORACURE

There then came a point where it just became tough but yet motivating to watch. To all the athletes who participated, you know exactly what event I am speaking of. IT ALL INVOLVED A SANDBAG. This was when I saw most "PAIN FACES" ever. Please enjoy!!!

But best believe where there are pain faces, there are plenty moments of joy and celebration!!!

 The sandbag run was extremely fun to shoot however there was a moment I will ALWAYS remember. I will explain that later. For now here are so cool shots of the 800m run!!!

 Now for the moment I was referring to. First off let me say.. we all know Crossfit is not easy. Crossfit can put you in an uncomfortable zone really easily. How you adapt and push through that moment is what its all about. That moment is also the huge reason why I love to shoot Crossfit competitions. This athlete pictured below entered that zone. I know for a fact she dug deeper than she ever has to finish this 800m run under the time cap. Did I mention that every single person outside was yelling and cheering for her. Sometime as a photographer when moments like this happen I tend to get caught up with the crowd and forget what I am there to do. However I did capture her final run!!!! Much respect.... Much respect!!! 

I personally want to thank all the athletes who allowed me to capture them during this event. Your hard work and determination the entire day was truly a motivation. Thanks for being awesome!!!!

I do know I missed one team photo, so Dee, Debbie and Sandy my apologies. I think I had an issue rounding you ladies up. Definitely not intentional. #9AMCrew

I want to thank GGRX for having me cover this event and look forward to many more. Special thanks to my home box for as always being a great host and looking forward to next year, Lord willing. Blessed to be a part of such a great cause and cant wait to share images from the next one!!!! Would like to personally thank Lindsey for trusting me with her brand and allowing me to spend time with my community!!!  Be blessed everyone!!!!

3...2...1...GO!!!!

www.girlsgonerx.com 

Full Gallery: http://www.bawphoto.net/p163670055

IG @girlsgonerx

BAW Photography IG: @baw3_photo

Location: Crossfit Vitality

Nikon D750 and D800  24-70mm 2.8 and 35mm 1.4 Sigma Art

      On April 13th 2017, there was a tragic loss of an entire family. The Gilley Family was on their way to visit family members in Ohio and were struck by a tractor trailer.  

David (48) Christine (42) Grace (13) and Jack (10)

I knew the Gilley Family through Concord Church of Christ. I was introduced to Christine first through Crossfit. I knew she was a competitor and she loved her Crossfit Family. My wife and I typically were seated near the entire family during Sunday service. They were an extremely nice family and I was very sad to hear of this loss. Knowing that they were members of Crossfit Vitality, I instantly reached out to Steve Pinkerton to see if they would have an honorary workout. Steve quickly responded and provided me the time. As unfortunate of a situation this was, it was an honor to be a part of how the Crossfit community quickly pulls together to honor a loss.

I arrived at CFV about an hour prior to the first heat. I had never been to the facility before so I needed to scope and determine want I wanted to shoot with. First let me tell you about this facility.. INSANE!!!!! Probably by far one of the nicest boxes I have ever been in. Plenty of open space .... EVERYWHERE!!! I decided that I would use the 35mm on my D800 and a 24-70mm on my D750. It was nice to see familiar faces from the community from different boxes all coming together to honor the Gilleys. Athletes started gathering together.. signing up for heats and warming up.

 The workout consisted of the following... #CWG

Steve gathered everyone together to speak on the Gilley Family and cover the WOD and standards. Everyone was at full attention getting ready to attack this workout.

There was a powerful moment when everyone had their heads bowed in prayer. There are plenty of things I have captured, however this was definitely one of the best!!!

The ladies of CFV honored Christine by wearing headbands, which was her trademark. Such a great picture.

 The WOD consisted of pretty much every movement possible... Rowing.. Deadlift...Cleans..Shoulder Press..Snatches....OHS and WallBalls.

The heats were pretty large so I had to keep moving. Once the first heat finished rowing and moved to barbell work, it was time for the next heat to begin. It was very organized so I was able to stay focused. All the athletes were crushing the row. Switching out with teammates to hurry and get to the barbell.

While athletes were rowing I was able to smiles and intensity all at the same time.

After the row it was time to move that barbell. Since there were so many athletes I had to make sure I didn't move into anybody's path. Since the box was so massive I was able to roam pretty freely. What photographer doesn't love to capture athletes tossing around some weight??

As time went on there were athletes rowing... moving barbell and doing wallballs at the same time. My goal was to make sure I got at least one shot of every athlete. Thank goodness for shooting with 2 bodies... this allowed me to get different perspectives no matter what movement was being performed.

Had to sneak in a baby shot!!!!

The last heat was wrapping up so it was full of wallballs and some snatches.....

Though this was a tragic situation that brought everyone together, it was amazing to see how the Crossfit community comes together. This also shows how much we all need to cherish every moment we have. Life can be over in an instant and we all need to take advantage of everyday. Just to know that the Gilley Family was simply taking a trip to see family and yet never made it shows how quickly life can be taken away from us. Be sure to tell your family and friends that you love them. Share laughs .. Share smiles..and Share experiences.

I want to thank Crossfit Vitality for allowing me to cover the workout. I also want to thank my continued supporters for following my work and continuing to spread the word about my services. I want to also send my prayers to friends and family of the Gilleys.  Be blessed everyone..... 

FULL GALLERY: http://www.bawphoto.net/p870413965

http://www.crossfitvitality.com/

Location: Crossfit Steele Creek

Nikon D750  85mm and D600 50mm with Alien Bees Strobes

      Week 3 of the Open brought 17.3!!! Crossfit Steele Creek has become like a second home box to me. I have shot numerous events there and  have become friends with many of the members. Such a great group of athletes and even better people!!! Im pretty sure that majority of photographers were excited to cover this workout because it consisted of SNATCHES!!! I have followed CFSC for a while and I know that plenty of the athletes love Olympic Lifting and I was stoked that they requested my services.  First let me say they started the workout with a celebration like no other... I would like to explain however the photos below should explain...

All the athletes were briefed and they quickly got started snatching. There were a lot of athletes going at once and since this was on a Saturday I knew from other boxes that typically 8 mins would be the cut off for most athletes. However there were plenty who went beyond.  The workout is listed below....  

Prior to 8:00, complete:
3 rounds of:
    6 chest-to-bar pull-ups
    6 squat snatches, 95 lb.
Then, 3 rounds of:
    7 chest-to-bar pull-ups
    5 squat snatches, 135 lb.
*Prior to 12:00, complete 3 rounds of:
    8 chest-to-bar pull-ups
    4 squat snatches, 185 lb.
*Prior to 16:00, complete 3 rounds of:
    9 chest-to-bar pull-ups
    3 squat snatches, 225 lb.
*Prior to 20:00, complete 3 rounds of:
    10 chest-to-bar pull-ups
    2 squat snatches, 245 lb.
Prior to 24:00, complete 3 rounds of:
    11 chest-to-bar pull-ups
    1 squat snatch 265 lb.

*If all reps are completed, time cap extends by 4 minutes.

There were some ladies tossing around some weight and knocking out some pull-ups... Chest to bar at that!!!!

Of course I didn't forget about the fellas!!!! Showing how its done!!!!

During any event your always going to see something where athletes show there are no excuses... Here are multiple mothers to be knocking out the scaled version for 17.3!!! Yup... and your excuse is what again???

There was a Mimosa stand set up for athletes to partake in after the WOD. Think Im kidding??? Take a look...

There were some fire breathers giving some strong performances. There were also a few people that I met whom were new to Crossfit. I expressed to them how awesome CFSC was and how welcoming all their members are.  The atmosphere was great the entire time. Athletes rooting and cheering for each other.

Always dope catching athletes knocking out some Chest 2 Bar pull-ups!!!! 

CFSC is a massive facility so they were able to spread out across the entire floor. Had to use the 70-200mm in order to cover the floor.

 Overall the experience shooting at CFSC was a pleasure as always. There are multiple members/athletes who support BAW Photography 100%. Covering the event didn't feel like a job but more of providing my services for friends. The greatest thing about the Crossfit community is the appreciation they show to everyone. I was provided beverages and continually asked if there was anything that I needed. If I am available I will shoot at CFSC ANYTIME!!!!

T

 There were also some great signs that were being held up as motivation.. check a few out!!!

OH.. and here is the athlete who "PAID FOR THIS"

There were a couple heats left that consisted of some heavy hitters.... Definitely a great way to wrap up. I highly recommend if your in the Steele Creek area to swing through. You wont be disappointed. Up next is 17.4 at South Charlotte Crossfit......GONNA BE LEGIT!!! Stay Tuned!!!!

Be blessed everyone

http://www.crossfitsteelecreek.com/

Location: Crossfit Harrisburg

Nikon D750  85mm and D600 50mm with Alien Bees Strobes

      Week 2 of the Open is here and its time for 17.2!!! Super excited for week 2 since it was at my home box of Crossfit Harrisburg. Wouldn't be right if I didn't cover the hometeam. 17.2 was LEGIT. It consisted of multiple movements and I knew the images would turn out insane. I decided to shoot more prime lenses with this event because everthing would be very fast. I would keep my 70-200mm one one body and alternate with my 50mm and 85mm. 17.2 consisted of....  

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
2 rounds of:
  50-ft. weighted walking lunge
  16 toes-to-bars
  8 power cleans
Then, 2 rounds of:
  50-ft. weighted walking lunge
  16 bar muscle-ups
  8 power cleans
Etc., alternating between toes-to-bars and bar muscle-ups every 2 rounds.

Men use 50-lb. dumbbells

Women 35-lb

Since I was shooting at a box I was familiar with I didnt need much prep time. I was more excited to see athletes I haven't seen in a while due to my schedule. Once the workout was announced there were athletes that I was looking forward to seeing for 2 reasons...

1. I know they crush bar muscle ups

2. I know some will get there first bar MU ever!!! Yes that happened as I'm sure it did all over the world...

Frankie (owner of CFH) gave a briefing showing the athletes all the standards for each movement.

After a few athletes asked their questions is was time to go. The setup was organized so I had plenty of room to move around. There was plenty opportunity capture different views of lunges. It was also cool to see the different methods athletes used to carry the DB's. Check it out!!

Then of course the female athletes were putting work in... SUPER IMPRESSIVE!! Was grateful that Metcon Magazine highlighted a photo of Meredith. Pretty cool!!!

There are some great athletes at CFH and I am glad I was able to spend some time capturing them!!!!

 Those of you who follow my work, know I love to shoot Toes 2 Bar. CFH didn't disappoint. Even loved seeing the scaled athletes perform knee ups. Knowing that there were athletes who didn't do the Open last year and now are here knocking out 17.2 was awesome!!!

 Now onto the bar muscle ups and pull ups.... The greatest part about these 2 movements was that I caught people Hitting MU's....Fighting for MU's.... Hitting PU's and Fighting for PU's.. !!!

Then we had these!!!! #nailedit

While the athletes were performing power cleans with DB's it was crazy how fast they were cycling them. Had to move fast to make sure I caught as many athletes as possible. Love how they turned out.

 Being able to shoot and cheer at my home box was so much fun. Of course I would have rather been able to participate but hopefully these images count as my participation. As I was leaving and packing up I received thanks from every athlete that I passed. For that it makes me even more honored to me to be a member of such a great box and community. I also want to thank all of you for taking the time to read about my experience covering 17.2. I covered 17.3 at Crossfit Steele Creek so be on standby for that write up.

Be blessed everyone

http://www.crossfitharrisburg.com/

Location: Crossfit 77

Nikon D750  70-200mm and D600 50mm with Alien Bees Strobes

      Happy Crossfit Open Everyone!!! This year I decided to link up with numerous local boxes and cover their athletes crushing the Open.  17.1  was booked by Crossfit 77. When I first moved here from Northern VA I entered a competition hosted by CF77, however it was a completely different facility. I have followed CF77 for a while on IG and was aware of their outdoor setup. I was hoping that they would utilize that part of their facility for 17.1. Dave Castro announced the workout which consisted of...

Workout 17.1
For time:
10 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
20 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
30 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
40 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
50 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs

Men use 50-lb. dumbbell and 24-in. box

Women 35-lb DB and 20-in. box

Time cap: 20 minutes

I don't have many images of athletes performing DB snatches so I was very excited for this WOD. When I arrived at the facility I was stoked to see everything setup outdoors. The only decision I had to make was to use strobes or not. For a start time of 5:30pm we were good on light however I knew that I would lose sunlight very quickly. I set my strobes up and fired them off my D750. I would shoot natural light with my D600. I got there a little early so I started testing my settings with a group of athletes knocking out 17.1. The weather was amazing which made the evening perfect.

 Since there were only 2 movements I knew there wouldn't be to many angles to shoot from. CF77 was generous enough to let me use a ladder so that I would be able to shoot over the crowd and get some different viewpoints. There was plenty of room to roam walk around which was great.

After some testing and getting some great shots, it was then time for Friday Night Lights. Ken Crowder had everyone come together and discuss the standards of the workout. It was so great to see so many people coming together to perform the Crossfit Open 2017. So many different fitness levels and a variety of age groups covered. There was a great moment where an athlete asked "OK Ken so what if we arent doing the Open Workout?" Ken responded with .. "Everyone is doing the Open Workout".... HAMMER DROPPED!!!   Once all the standards were covered it was GO TIME!!!!!

Judges Briefing...

The first heat was underway and the lighting was still great. I went back and forth shooting with both bodies. The great thing about 20 min workouts is that there is plenty of time to capture every athlete.

Around the 8-10 min mark it started to get very intense. Crowd started to grow and the atmosphere became more electric. Huge reason why I love shooting Crossfit comps.

 Once the second heat started I realized I would be fighting light. It was time to bump up the ISO on both cameras and let these Nikons go to work.

Below is one of my favorite images of the night... A Coach and Athlete's love for each other!!!!

By the time the final heat started it was very dark. I attached my on camera flash on my D750 also for some additional light. Love how they turned out.

These athletes were crushing 17.1. Remember that athlete I referenced earlier who asked about not doing the Open workout? Well here she is below!!!!

This heat finished it with a bang. Numerous athletes were sprinting at the end to finish under the time cap. It was impressive to watch.

Overall 17.1 was a blast to cover. CF77 showed me so much love and I will for sure schedule a drop in to come and WOD at their facility. With 17.2 just being announced last night, I will be covering at my home box of Crossfit Harrisburg tonight. I plan to blog about each open event I cover so please stay tuned for 17.2 write up. I want to thank the Crossfit community and CF77 for having me and it was a pleasure.

Be blessed everyone

http://www.crossfit77.com/

Location: Freedom Park, Charlotte NC

Nikon D750  70-200mm and 85mm 

      Good Afternoon everyone! It has been a great year so far but definitely wanted to take the time and get back to sharing my experiences with you. Many of you read about my senior session with Abi, well this one will include Abi and her big sister Jennifer. Jennifer reached out to me a few weeks after seeing Abi's portraits. She stated that she wanted to get some pictures done for her parents as a Christmas gift. I was more than excited for my images to be delivered as holiday gifts. There were going to be 2 challenges I would face. 

1. I am close with their parents and speak to them periodically in regards to future bookings.

2. I had a session scheduled with their Mom the following week at their home. So I needed to make sure I kept things quiet. Also to make sure not to mention that I have met Jennifer. I was not going to be blamed for ruining this surprise.

     Jennifer and I coordinated a date and decided on Freedom Park as our location. If you are a photographer in Charlotte then you are aware of this spot. The weather was  clear skies with moderate temperatures. We were set to go!!!!

I arrived at Freedom Park and met with Jennifer and Abi right at the entrance. I always like to walk to the opposite end and then work backwards so we finish by our cars. There is a large pond which pretty much spans the entire park and towards the side was a bridge that I wanted to take advantage of. Working with these two was so much fun because they interacted with each other like best friends. I didn't need to tell them to smile once.

We then made our way over to the bridge. Only issue is sometimes you have to pause and let people pass. It was well worth it!!!

 While walking I noticed that the stone bridge that crosses over the pond was available. I have learned from past sessions that if that spot is free then you need to grab it ASAP. That's exactly what we did.

We laughed and had great conversation all throughout the session. Considering I had already worked with Abi, I figured it would be another great day. They were both up for anything I suggested and their relationship showed through every picture. I knew that their parents were going to love these!!!!!

The last image above was super fun because when I asked who was stronger and could hold the other on their back, Abi quickly replied "ME"!!! So that's what happened as you can see. Abi holding her big sister on her back. Look at those smiles.

We wrapped it up with me asking if there was any ideas they had for a pose. Jennifer stated she wanted one of them laying down with their heads going opposite directions. I think we nailed it!!!!

I have been fortunate enough to work with positive oriented people. Jennifer and Abi allowed that trend to continue. I was pleased when Jennifer notified me that she received the prints and LOVED the quality. I always recommend that my clients order directly from my vendor because the quality and clarity is exceptional. Earlier I mentioned that I had a session with their mother the following week. The great part about that is she mentioned numerous times that she wanted to schedule portraits for her daughters because she doesn't have any. I was smiling so big inside because she had plenty images coming her way. I look forward to hopefully working with Jennifer and Abi again. When I received the biggest thanks from Shelly(their mother) on Christmas day, Thanking me for the photos... it made it all worth it. Another reason why I love doing what I do. I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read about my experience with these loving sisters. Hope everyone has a great day!!!!!

Location: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Nikon D750  70-200mm and 50mm 

      Good Evening everyone!!! You guess it... Senior session.... however this one is a college graduate. I was super excited when Megan asked if I was available for her senior portraits. Megan is an athlete at Crossfit Harrisburg and a Computer Science major at UNCC. Anyone who has met Megan knows she is a positive person and a great athlete at the box. Those of you who follow my work have seen Megan from my Break Parallel sessions. She has also made Crossfit Main site with a photo from another CFH photographer @pfrog. I already knew that she was super comfortable in front of the camera so I knew this session would go smoothly. We decided on shooting around the campus mid afternoon. She also informed me that her parents would be joining us and would also like get some pictures with them. I was looking forward to meeting her parents since she has become a huge part of the Crossfit Harrisburg Family.

We met right outside the campus and I followed her to our first location. There was plenty of sunlight  and it was clear of students as well. We pretty much had the area to ourselves. We initially started at a bench that had some great lighting.

I always love when there is a bench around because it allows an individual to sit down and relax. The great thing about this session is the consistent conversation I had with Megan's parents. They were so down to earth and a pleasure to be around. I could tell where Megan gets it all from... we laughed and joked almost through every pose. There were  steps at the entrance and I wanted to utilize to the fullest. Here is what we got!!!!!

When shooting portraits I love long walkways/sidewalks that have greenery or shade almost like a tunnel effect. This makes a great look when the sun comes through the trees providing great backlight. I love the way the sun reflecting off Megan's hair for this portion.

There was one thing I wanted to make sure we did and that was get Megan in front of her Major building. It wasn't a far drive however we were definitely getting our steps in. Should have worn my FitBit..HA. When we got to her building it was covered in shade. Definitely not the best lighting situation. Luckily I had my off camera flash and wireless triggers. Allowed me to get the shot I wanted and also was able to utilize my 50mm  to include some signage. Check it out.....

It was then time to migrate to the entrance of campus where the infamous UNCC sign was located. The goal was to get Megan up with the sign sitting/standing. I knew she wouldn't have a problem getting up there.

1. Because she is an athlete

2. Because is have seen here crush WODs at CFH

3. She has like 10 brothers so I am pretty sure there is nothing she couldn't do....

When we arrived at the sign... just as I thought she took off her heels and jumped up there with ease. Needless to say the images came out great!!!!!!

We even got Mom and Dad in the mix!!!!

After we finished dodging traffic at the entrance to get those images, Megan stated she wanted a "throwing cap" image. There was a large open field with plenty of light that would work perfect.

 It was then time for a wardrobe change. I did not realize there were so many locations to shoot on this campus. We finished up at a pond with a fountain. It was a perfect place to finish up. We were starting to lose sunlight so we had to move quickly. Megan was open to any and every pose that I had in mind. She stayed smiling and clearly loved to be in front of the camera. Makes my job really easy!!!!

Megan was super fun and full of laughter and smiles. Its been absolutely great meeting and working with her on numerous occasions. I can promise that you will see more of here in the near future. I was honored to shoot her as a college grad and cant wait to work with her again!!!! If she approaches life and her studies the way she approaches workouts then WATCH OUT WORLD.... Megan is coming!!!!!

I want to thank her again for having me and I wish her nothing but the best in her future!!!  As always thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read this. Take care and be blessed everyone!!!!!!

Location: McDowell Nature Center and Preserve

Nikon D750 and D600  70-200mm and 85mm  

      Good Evening everyone!!! Sorry for the flood of blog post but it was time to catch up and share these experiences. As I mentioned on a previous post, senior portraits are extremely popular this time of year. This would be another Crossfit connection via Crossfit Steele Creek. I know Tim and Shelly from numerous events such as SuperFit and Cleans for a Cure. We have become good friends over the last year, so when Shelly reached out for senior portraits for their daughter Abi I quickly agreed!!! We talked for a bit about setting up a schedule and choosing a location due to Abi's work schedule but we got set for a weekday afternoon session. Shelly recommended Mcdowell Nature Preserve and I was all for it.

I arrived about 30 minutes early so I could drive around and scout locations. The only issue is that since I have never been there before... how would I tell Shelly, Tim and Abi where to find me???? Well that's where the Ranger came in.. Yes.. the Ranger. Once the Ranger directed them to me, Abi and I went on our own to start shooting. Meeting her for the first time was a great experience. She was very cheerful and open which allowed us to click pretty quickly. I wanted to start by the water and there was also a pretty cool dock.

I saw a nice dirt trail that I wanted to capture Abi but the only problem is everyone was walking the trail. Which meant we had to wait for people to pass every now and then but the wait was worth it. With photography patience is very key!!!!

We then started looking for another location. Abi assisted finding this one. It was very shaded however it wasn't anything my D750 couldn't handle. We had to work around some rocks and bolders but Abi owned it. She did a great job and she kept smiling. Such a positive spirit!!!

While walking around I discovered a couple benches that turned out pretty cool. We were starting to lose light so we had to move quickly. After a while I didn't even need to pose Abi anymore. When I asked her to sit or stand somewhere, she just fell into place. See for yourself.

Time was winding down literally because our Ranger friend pulled up on us and announced that they would be closing soon. Which meant we had about 15 minutes. I chose 2 last spots to wrap the session up and even ended with a fun jumping image.

I cant say enough how much the Crossfit community supports me whether its family, lifestyle or engagement sessions. Its always a pleasure working with students heading out into the real world with so much ahead of them. Abi is going to do some great things and glad to say I was a part of capturing this time in her life. As always thank you so much for taking time out of your day to read this. Take care and be blessed everyone!!!!!!

Location: Crossfit Harrisburg

Nikon D750  70-200mm and 24-85mm with Alien Bees Strobes

      Good Evening All!!! When I started shooting  Athletes I never thought at some point I would be an exclusive provider of content for a Crossfit related company. Many people have asked me how did I get involved with Break Parallel and how did I get the opportunity to work with them. Well here is the story.... Cliff Notes Version....

The initial contact was made almost a year ago by Paul Peterson who was interested in having me shoot his hook grip product. We discussed for a week or so and the contact completely stopped. Being honest here, I thought  the interest in my work died down because it wasn't up to par and he decided elsewhere.  Fast forward to this year Paul reached out again and said "Bruce I haven't forgot about you and I actually will be in your area and wanted to talk a bit". Of course I was super excited for this discussion. Paul came for a drop in that I was coaching and we had a chat afterwards.

The conversation consisted of Paul stating he loved my work and wanted to know I was interested in providing photos for  Break Parallel and Break Parallel store..... I'll give you one guess as to what I said!!!  We discussed the details as to what he was looking for and also made him aware I would have no problem getting athletes together for our first shoot. Of course I started with my home box of Crossfit Harrisburg. I received box of Break Parallel gear for all my athletes to wear. At this point I felt LEGIT!!!!

I selected around 5 athletes from my box to work with and we set a schedule. Frankie who owns CFH is super cool and had no issue with me using the box. My goal of this shoot was to show athletes putting in work while wearing break parallel gear. I mixed in a bit of portfolio type images but majority involved movements. I reached out to the athletes and asked what their favorite movements were and tried to work around those request. I appreciate the athletes at my box for not hesitating one bit to help me make this happen. Then again why would I be surprised by the the support of the Crossfit community!!! 

Break Parallel continued to check in with me during the session to see how everything was going and the best part is that he gave me complete creative control. Of course I asked if there were any MUST HAVES and Paul said "Do your thing"

I didn't want this blog entry to be about my experience with this shoot, but more on the fact that hard work and consistency will get noticed. The support I have received from my wife... family and community and pushed me to keep shooting . I try my best to provide good content and display my own style.

I am super stoked to see how far this relationship with Break Parallel goes. I am sure some you have already seen some recent work I did with 3x Regional athlete Darian Nay.... which will have its own blog entry (COMING SOON) However this was an example of Break Parallel making this happen for BAW Photography!!!!!!

To all the other local boxes in the area stay tuned because I plan on making my way to you as well!!!!!

To all of you who have followed me on this journey THANK YOU..... To all of you who have shared.... reposted...tagged.... ANY OF MY WORK..... THANK YOU!!! God has been so good to me and grateful for all these opportunities. Cant wait to share more work!!!! 

Be blessed everyone

www.breakparallel.com

Location: NODA

Nikon D750  70-200mm and 85mm

      Good Evening everyone!!! Always a great feeling when a family reaches out wanting some professional photos. As the holidays approach there is a demand for those everlasting Christmas cards. I was contacted by Kala who I know from Crossfit Harrisburg (seeing a pattern here) about wanting photos of her boyfriend and adorable Ava. Kala is an extremely busy woman so once we found a date we had to stick with it. We decided on NODA as a location, which I was stoked for because I always wanted to have a session there. NODA definitely didnt dissappoint.

I arrived about 45min early to walk around and determine where I wanted to start. There were so many brick walls... alleys and cool architecture so it was like a playground for photographers. Since I had already walked around a bit, when they arrived I was ready to go. We then started walking down towards a brick wall that I just had to use.  I even got a solo pic of Ava. Love it!!!

Ava had such a big smile a was a team player. We then started to migrate up the street a bit and stopped at a few benches as well as cool mural wall. The sun was a bit harsh but it all still worked out. I wanted to make sure I included some images of just Kala and James as well. While I took those Ava did a great job of helping me position them.  Told you she was a team player!!!!  

Across the street was a really cool but small fire station. There was a fireman outside so I kindly asked if it was ok to use the station. He had no problem at all. Here is what we got!!!!