This Volleyball Photo Had Me Tearing Up.
It wasn’t the game-winning play, or the celebration that got me. It was what happened when she saw her dad.
I sat down to edit photos from the beach volleyball championship, and found myself right back on the sidelines as UTC clinched the win. The team’s energy was electric, with them hugging, screaming, and running to the bracket to slap their winning sticker on. But then I saw her: One of the seniors - an all-star - locking eyes with her dad. She immediately sprinted into his arms with tears pouring down her face, and he scooped her right up off the ground and shouted, “I’m SO proud of you!”
And while sitting at my screen to edit the photos like usual, I found myself choking up as I saw that image.
Because it’s exactly that kind of moment that makes my work so important to me: It’s not just the shot, but the feelings in it.
WHAT YOU MISS IF YOU ONLY LOOK FOR ACTION
It’s easy to focus on the big moments, like a game-winning play, but what lives on in a parent’s memory is often what happens immediately after that:
The handshake your child offers to the rival they’ve had for the last 4 years
The long hug from their coach who saw something in them early on
The quiet moment on the bench when they realize they’re leaving this behind
These are the moments I look for because they’re not staged, they’re not posed, and they contain so much more of the story.
WHY THIS MATTERS TO PARENTS & ATHLETES
If you’re a parent of a student athlete, you already know how fast it all goes. You’ve driven to every early morning tournament. Watched them fight through injuries. Seen them transform from unsure kids into leaders.
And that final season often hits harder than expected. So of course it deserves more than a snapshot.
That moment with the volleyball player and her dad is a photo they’ll have forever. And when life moves on, as it always does, they can go back to that exact second and feel it again.
WHAT A STUDENT ATHLETE SESSION CAN LOOK LIKE
As a photographer, I like to build my sessions around stories - not just sports. So here’s what working with me can include:
Live action coverage at games, matches, or tournaments
Quiet, intentional portraits that reflect an evolution, legacy, and pride
Emotional moments with family, teammates, or coaches
Candid behind-the-scenes of warmups, prep, or downtime
You absolutely can combine sports coverage with senior portraits, or build a full session around one final competition. Either way, it’s about more than just capturing some plays. It’s about capturing what this season has meant.
DON’T LET IT SLIP BY
As much as I wish we could, we both know we won’t get these moments back. But we can hold onto them.
So if you want something that shows who your kid is right now - at this end of one phase and the beginning of another - let’s talk.