Football Fridays: Central vs. Linden

Well I feel officially back in the photo saddle after an almost complete hiatus these past months since I left the Athens Banner-Herald. Besides some portraits and a few football practice photos my gear and photo skills have been collecting dust. High school football is back in session and my first game freelancing for The Tuscaloosa News was the Central Falcons vs. the Linden Patriots. As I prepared for the game I pre-wrote basic cutlines, studied mugs of the head coaches so I'd know who I was shooting, got my gear dust free and ready to go. The one pre-game ritual I forgot was checking the forecast and the one thing I didn't take was my rain gear. It was only minutes into the 1st quarter when the first little tell-tale drops fell and an intensely beautiful stormy sky spread overhead. I couldn't help but miss a couple plays to photograph it. Within 3 minutes into the 2nd quarter the game was delayed for weather. Luckily I'd gotten some decent pics early and the game was setting up to be a blow out so I took off in the pouring rain to my car. Maybe if I hadn't already gotten enough pictures I would have been freaking out or frustrated. All I know is that I felt pretty exhilarated as I the rain soaked me to the bone on my flight from Falcon Stadium.

The Linden Patriots beat the Central Falcons 46-0.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- The Central Falcons wait to take the field before facing the Linden Patriots at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- The Central High School cheerleaders pep up the crowd right before kickoff at the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Linden's Kendarius Fritts (5) runs the ball in the first quarter of the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Linden's Kendarius Fritts (5) is pursued by Central's Justin Gorman (23) in the first quarter at the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Linden's Julian Little (1) scores a touchdown as Central's Willie McNeal (45) brings him down in the first quarter at the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Central head coach Dennis Conner looks on from the sidelines early in the 2nd quarter of the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Central's Kelvin Williams (1) is stopped by Linden's Kevon Rembert (40) and several other defenders in the 1st quarter at the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Central's Keivondre Watford (3) grabs the facemask of Linden's Jalen Lewis (15) in the first quarter of the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- The Central High School cheerleaders do a cheer on the sidelines at the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Central's Keivondre Watford (3) breaks the tackle of Linden's Anthony Robinson (10) in the first quarter of the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- Linden's Kendarius Fritts (5) gets tripped up in the first quarter at the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.


08-27-10 -- Tuscaloosa, Ala. -- A storm brews in the sky above the the Central vs. Linden football game at Falcon Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Friday Aug. 27, 2010.

Storm Glory

I haven't been on a storm photo adventure since last summer in Athens. Last week around 9 o'clock at night I saw the flashes through my window as the thunder rolls crept closer. I decided to hit up the night looking for a spot to shoot lightning from. I have never shot a storm in Tuscaloosa so I just headed to some of the parking decks I was familiar with on the University of Alabama campus. I wanted a view of the stadium or coliseum, but there just wasn't one. There was however a lone cupola in the distance that was lit up against a dark tree line. I set up my tripod, composed my shot, and found my exposure. I think this one was 20 seconds with an f-stop of around 13. It took 2 hours before the lightning popped in my little segment of the sky. During that time I took in a gorgeous storm like a blockbuster on the front row. When I left I was happy just to have gotten one shot I liked. Not many other things in photography thrill me like capturing a little piece of nature's glory.


Lightning forms a web across the sky above the cupola of the Sigma Nu Fraternity House on the University of Alabama campus as a line of thunderstorms rolls in from the south Monday July 26, 2010, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.