FOTOBALL: UGA practices of the past

Yesterday kicked off the 2009 football season with the first fall practice and today I'm kicking off my month long FOTOBALL BLOGATHAN. Leading up to the first Georgia football weekend of the season I'll be sharing football related photos I've taken of high school and college.

First up, since I didn't shoot stills of practice yesterday I'm presenting Georgia Bulldogs practice pics from the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

In 2007 the Bulldogs narrowly missed playing for the National Championship due in large part to an early season loss to South Carolina. They ended the year with an 11-2 record and a No. 2 ranking after winning in the Sugar Bowl. In 2008 they started with a pre-season ranking of No. 1, but played in the Capital One Bowl instead of for the title. They finished in the No. 13 spot with a 10-3 record.

----- First day of practice 2007 -----

UGA fullback Shuan Chapas, left, and other players run drills at the team's first practice of the season Saturday Aug. 4, 2007.


UGA defensive players work on blocking at practice Saturday Aug. 4, 2007.


T.J. Gartrell reaches to make a catch during receiver drills Saturday.


Dedicated fan Brian Patton peers over a wall of the Woodruff Practice Fields Complex to watch the University of Georgia football players at their first practice Saturday.


Defensive end Jarious Wynn does blocking drills with defensive end Andrew Gully Saturday.


UGA football player Asher Allen rests during a break from the team's first practice of the season Saturday.


Massaquoi makes a catch during receiver drills at Georgia's first practice for the season Saturday.


UGA football player Michael Moore has tattoos of a panther on one arm and praying hands on the other.


University of Georgia football players enjoy a break from their first practice of the season Saturday Aug. 4, 2007, at Woodruff Practice Fields Complex.


NeDerris Ward and Akeem Dent have a playful fight during Georgia's practice Saturday Aug. 4, 2007.


----- First day of practice 2008 -----


Georgia QB Matthew Stafford, right, hands off the ball to Knowshon Moreno at the Bulldogs' first practice for the season Monday, August 4, 2008, at the Woodruff practice fields on campus.


Georgia's A.J. Green makes a catch during the Bulldogs' first day of practice Monday, August 4, 2008, at the Georgia practice fields.


Georgia's Knowshon Moreno runs the ball at practice Monday, Aug. 4, 2008.


Georgia backup QB Joe Cox at the Bulldogs' first practice Monday, August, 4, 2008, at the Wooddruff practice fields on campus.


Georgia wide-receiver Walter Hill makes a catch during practice Monday at the Woodruff practice fields.


Georgia's Michael Moore, right, is tackled by Bryan Evans after making a catch at practice Monday at the Woodruff practice fields.


Georgia QB Matthew Stafford, center, flanked by coach Mark Richt, left, and offensive coordinator Mike Bobo,right, at the Bulldogs' first practice Monday, August, 4, 2008, at the Wooddruff practice fields on campus.


Georgia's Michael Moore makes a catch during the Bulldogs' first practice for the season Monday at the Woodruff practice fields.


Georgia coach Mark Richt talks to his team at the Bulldogs' first practice Monday, August, 4, 2008, at the Wooddruff practice fields on campus.


University of Georgia running back Knowshon Moreno and teammates take a brief break from the Bulldogs' first practice Monday, August, 4, 2008, at the Wooddruff practice fields on campus.

Georgia Bulldogs practice reel

It is a rare occasion that I will volunteer to shoot video over stills. Today was one of those days. I've shot the Georgia Bulldogs' first day of practice 2 years straight. It is a wondrous day for the Georgia fans peering over the practice field wall, however, for the media it is a day of waiting, sweating, and ass busting. This year I decided it was time to pass the buck and also do something different by trading in my 3 Nikon camera bodies for a single video camera. It was so great! It was much easier than lugging all that gear. Oh, and did I mention that videographers are only allowed to be there the first 3o minutes?? Yes, while the still photographers stay 3 hours in the August heat trying to hit a list of targets, those lucky videographers work fast and hard and take off to edit. I remembered how grueling the last two years of shooting practice were, so much so, that I drove and picked up my co-worker who was doing the stills and brought her gatorade. Never underestimate the power of gatorade.

leftovers: transexual fish, say what?!

Today to satisfy your visual appetite I offer a few leftovers from July.  

Sometimes you get a photo request that grabs your attention. Mid-July I got one slugged "Transexual Fish." It turned out to be an interesting story but not as captivating visually as it sounded. I guess I imagined a species of fish living their lives dressing as the opposite sex because they were never comfortable in their own scales. As it turned out they are typical little fish who instead live their lives in tanks being researched.   

University of Georgia graduate student Kristen Kollock holds a fish used for research Thursday July 16, 2009, at the Whitehall Forest research labs. Kollock is working with UGA scientist Robert Bringolf to research how hormones and hormone-mimicking chemicals may be affecting their reproduction and development in the Oconee and other rivers.

University scientist Robert Bringolf looks at tanks containing fish used for research Thursday July 16, 2009,  at the Whitehall Forest research labs.

 

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University of Georgia graduate student Patrick Webb catalogues information about a Loblolly Pine with a GPS and data logger Tuesday July 14, 2009, in the Founders Memorial Park on campus. UGA will use his information in a plan being developed to reforest the campus.

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Environmental Engineer Jeffery Knight talks about an under construction sewer treatment plant during a tour given by the Athens-Clarke Public Utilities Department Thursday July 16, 2009.

The Athens-Clarke Commission, members of the media, and others participate in a tour of an under construction sewer treatment plant given by the Athens-Clarke Public Utilities Department Thursday July 16, 2009

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Javian Watkins, 2, left, looks out the window as people arrive for a tour of the newly renovated Winterville Elementary School Thursday July 23, 2009, in Winterville.

Students, parents, and staff take a tour of the newly renovated Winterville Elementary School Thursday July 23, 2009, in Winterville.



Natalia Lupa, 5, holds her stuffed frog while waiting with her parents Frank Lupa, left, and Magda Lupa, right, to tour the newly renovated Winterville Elementary School Thursday July 23, 2009, in Winterville.