Title: The Softer Side
Taken: March 7, 2015 in Kingston, Rhode Island.
Shot with: Nikon D-3S camera body,
Nikon 80-200mm Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 zoom lens.
Shot at: 105 mm, 1/250 sec at f / 3.5, ISO 6400
Sometimes a photo just speaks to you.
Even if it's not the greatest moment or the sharpest action shot, every photographer has a handful of pictures that catch their eye and have a special significance even if it's not readily apparent to the viewer at first glance.
For me, that's exactly how I feel about this photo.
On March 7th, the University of Rhode Island held their final home game of the season and, as is customary, celebrated the careers of their senior athletes.
Standing on the court during player introductions, I knew I was looking for that moment of emotion that someone was bound to have. It happens every single time a team celebrates a senior night-type event and this was going to be no exception.
Given that it was college basketball, though, I knew I might only have a second before these "hardened" grown men toughen up and get back to putting on their tough game faces.
And I was exactly right.
The moment above looks like a simple hug to an outside observer but, shooting it, I could see in both player's eyes that this was the culmination of four years of working together. This was a moment where they were thanking each other and, in a way, saying goodbye.
That blue light you see cast upon their jerseys is coming from the video screen above as a clip of all these players accomplished played in front of a packed house.
And while we eventually got to the action, and URI won convincingly, this one photo sums up that game, and that moment in time, better than any action photo ever could.
And that's why I love photography.