MU Women’s Basketball vs. Texas – Pan American

MU freshman Erika Chapman dances with the Golden Girls during a time-out at the women's basketball game against Texas - Pan American on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009 at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo.
MU freshman Erika Chapman dances with the Golden Girls during a time-out at the women's basketball game against Texas - Pan American on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009 at the Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. | Canon 1D IIn and 16-35mm f/2.8 L II lens @ 23mm; exposed 1/400 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 800.

On Thursday I went over to the Mizzou Arena with Stephanie Hinkle to photograph the University of Missouri’s women’s basketball team demolish Texas – Pan American 83-34.  I haven’t photographed basketball much, but have found that I can at least find the occasional feature photo even if my action images haven’t yet developed to the point where I’d like to have them.

Missouri's Bailey Gee attempts to drive past Texas-Pan American's Sherrell Davis during the first period of the game against at the Mizzou Arena on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009 in Columbia, Mo.  Missouri won the game 83-34.
Missouri's Bailey Gee attempts to drive past Texas-Pan American's Sherrell Davis during the first period of the game. | Canon 7D and 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens @ 70mm; exposed 1/800 sec. @ f/4, ISO 3200.

Golden Girls.
Golden Girls Time-Out. | Canon 7D and 70-200mm f/4 L IS lens @ 176mm; exposed 1/400 sec. @ f/4, ISO 2000.

Hickman Women’s Basketball defeats Helias

I haven’t photographed much basketball before, so I didn’t exactly know what I was doing when I went to photograph Hickman High School’s women’s basketball team play Helias High School.  I have no doubt that I am at the bottom rung of the totem pole, but even so, I had fun.  Especially when Hickman’s junior guard Aqua Corpening dove down to the floor after shooting for a two-pointer with only a minute left to the game.  Just as she’s about to hit the hardwood floor, the ball starts to go through the net.

Hickman junior guard Aqua Corpening dives to the floor after shooting a two-pointer in the fourth period of the game against Helias High School on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 in Columbia, Mo.  The Kewpies defeated the Crusaders 53-48.
Hickman junior guard Aqua Corpening dives to the floor after shooting a two-pointer in the fourth period of the game against Helias High School on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 in Columbia, Mo. The Kewpies defeated the Crusaders 53-48. | Canon 1D IIn and 16-35mm f/2.8L II lens @ 16mm; exposed 1/320 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 1250.

I also thought that the way that the Helias team was swarming around the same player, Aqua Corpening, was fun in this image:

Aqua Corpening, junior guard for the Hickman Kewpies, prepares to attempt a two-point shot during the fourth period of the game against the Helias Crusaders on Dec. 3, 2009 in Columbia, Mo.
Aqua Corpening, junior guard for the Hickman Kewpies, prepares to attempt a two-point shot during the fourth period of the game against the Helias Crusaders on Dec. 3, 2009 in Columbia, Mo. | Canon 1D IIn and 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 38mm; exposed 1/320 sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 1250.

Usually I’m told to find a good sports feature in addition to the usual sports action.  Most of the time I can find interesting people in the crowd, but I had forgotten that a better opportunity would come at half time, when people can go out onto the court and shoot baskets themselves:

Jackson Kespohl, 6, aims for the basketball hoop during half-time at the Hickman High School vs. Helias women's basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 in Columbia, Mo. | Canon 7D and 70-200mm f/4L IS lens @ 81mm; exposed 1/400 @ f/4, ISO 3200.
Jackson Kespohl, 6, aims for the basketball hoop during half-time at the Hickman High School vs. Helias women's basketball game on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 in Columbia, Mo. | Canon 7D and 70-200mm f/4L IS lens @ 81mm; exposed 1/400 @ f/4, ISO 3200.

Boone Life: Come to CoMo for Bike Polo

This weekend I attended the Seventh Midwest Bike Polo Champeenships hosted for the first time in Columbia, Mo. by COMOPOLO and wrote a story and crafted a multimedia slideshow for the Missourian, which published the video and the accompanying story online earlier today.

Boone Life: Come to CoMo for Bike Polo from David Kennedy on Vimeo.

Outtakes from the Missourian

David Champlin of the "Big Mo" drum crew, who lead the MIZ-ZOU cheers at football games, celebrates the Missouri Tigers' victory over the Furman Paladins with the Golden Girls at the end zone of Faurot Field on Saturday, September 19, 2009 in Columbia, Mo.  The Tigers defeated the Paladins 52-12.
David Champlin of the "Big Mo" drum crew, who lead the MIZ-ZOU cheers at football games, celebrates the Missouri Tigers' victory over the Furman Paladins with the Golden Girls at the end zone of Faurot Field on Saturday, September 19, 2009 in Columbia, Mo. The Tigers defeated the Paladins 52-12. / Canon 1D Mark IIN and 16-35mm f/2.8 II L lens @ 16mm; exposed 1/400 sec. @ f/8, ISO 800.

This weekend I photographed a college football game–Missouri Tigers versus the Furman Paladins–along with John Schreiber, for the Columbia Missourian.  It was only my third or fourth time photographing football, and my first college game, so it was a little different.  I was also using a Canon 600mm f/4 L IS lens from CPS, which made things extra different.  But it was a lot of fun, and there’s a web gallery here.

While at the game, I was assigned to get a feature photo of the crew of “Big Mo,” an over-sized drum on a trike that is used to lead cheers of “MIZ–ZOU” at the games, as well as run up and down the end zone with the cheerleaders after a touch down.  At the end of the game, David Champlin started dancing with the Golden Girls, who are a more “sparkly” version of the cheerleaders.  The result was the photo above.  Sadly, it will never find its way into the Missourian, so I’m posting it here for all to see.  I suppose it’s better this way.

Secondly, I thought I would post this portrait of Anthony Fitzgerald and Arnold Cromwell, two custodians–one from Hickman High School, the other from Rock Bridge High School–to be featured in this week’s VOX Magazine in the “On-The-Job” section.  I was happy with the final select, but also felt that the image  below worked fairly well.  I do wish I had some more time with them to get a moment between the two, but at the very least I feel that this was a respectful presentation of the two men.

Anthony Fitzgerald, left, a Hickman High School custodian, and Arnold Cromwell, right, a custodian from Rock Bridge High School, stand in the hallways of Hickman High on Monday, September 21, 2009 in Columbia, Mo.  Despite the two schools' athletic rivalries, neither Fitzgerald or Cromwell take it too seriously.
Anthony Fitzgerald, left, a Hickman High School custodian, and Arnold Cromwell, right, a custodian from Rock Bridge High School, stand in the hallways of Hickman High on Monday, September 21, 2009 in Columbia, Mo. Despite the two schools' athletic rivalries, neither Fitzgerald or Cromwell take it too seriously. / Canon 5D II and 70-200mm f/4L IS lens @ 75mm; exposed 1/160 sec. @ f/8, ISO 800.