Over the years, I always had a camera for still photography (always a Canon of one form or another) as well as another for video (first, Sony, then Canon). When the Panasonic Lumix GH1 interchangeable-lens mirrorless camera became available in 2009, I decided that it offered the best solution for me as a hybrid camera for both stills and (full HD) video. Since purchasing that first GH1, I have invested a fair amount in lenses for the Micro Four Thirds System as well as newer Lumix GH models.
In recent years, family and friends have made increasing requests for photos, which has motivated me to invest more of my time and energy into improving my photography skills, through both study and more intentional practice. One of my nieces asked me to photograph her wedding, which I did in January, 2020 with a Lumix GH5 and a Leica DG 12-60 mm/f2.8-4.0 lens. She seemed pretty happy with the photos and a couple years later, another niece asked me to take her engagement photos.
Good to know: The size of the Micro Four Thirds System sensor (18 mm x 13.5 mm) gives it a crop factor of 2.0 compared to a full-frame sensor (full-frame matches the size of traditional 35 mm film at 36 mm x 24 mm), which means that the 12-60 mm Leica lens produces an equivalent horizontal field of view to a 24-120 mm lens on a camera with a full-frame sensor (or, as it’s more often called, a full-frame camera).
As a father of five sons, I began spending a lot of time pacing up and down the sideline at football games taking photos and (more often) capturing video. When my third son was a junior in high school, I was invited to be a sideline photographer for the school’s varsity football team. I’m so glad I accepted the invitation! I had the privilege of photographing the team (and capturing some video) all the way through a 5A high school state championship (we won for the 2nd year in a row!) and a trip to the 6A semifinals the following year.
Let me add, here, that it was such a fun opportunity to photograph the team at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City for semifinal and championship games. I studied at rival school Brigham Young University, in Provo, but I have managed to keep a measure of respect and appreciation for the U of U, since that’s where my dad graduated from medical school.
I’m now taking photos of the varsity football team for a third year, as well as a younger son’s team, and having a lot of fun doing it. For a long time, I looked forward to acquiring a full-frame mirrorless camera and, since I have always appreciated how easy it seems to capture good images with Canon cameras, I’m now shooting with a Canon R6 Mark II and a Sigma 70-200 mm f2.8 sports lens. I’m very happy with this setup (though I look forward to acquiring some Canon L-series lenses in the future). As an added bonus, people reach out to me to let me know how much they love the photos! I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the community.
You can see all the Lehi High School Football photos on their Flickr page. Many of the 2022, 2023, and 2024 season photos are mine.
