When I was asked to submit paperwork for Miami Heat practice credentials last week, little did I know how amazing of an opportunity the week would bring. Sure I knew this was the Miami Heat - a professional NBA team that has captured seven division titles and won the 2006 NBA finals - but this was just a simple practice session right? Yes that might be so, but this was their "spring" training and I had a upfront and center pass to watch it all happen.
So what makes this team so special? If you ask most people, they would say Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James. The three paired together for the first time on the same team courts excitement and anticipation for what the new season will bring. I, for one, find myself more curious about the team since photographing them three times during the duration of the week. It all started Monday night with their arrival ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base:
LeBron James - deemed the most popular player of the team - slaps hands of the fans that appeared on the base for their arrival (above image, published in the Eglin Dispatch). Fans cheer and take pictures of the team as they stand on the stage at the welcome ceremony:
LeBron James talks to a fan as he is leaving the hangar during the welcome ceremony at Eglin:
Wednesday Practice:
My first opportunity to photograph the team arrived. The media gathered outside of the base around 9:30 a.m. and was bused onto the base where we waited in a designated room before our 30-minute coverage opportunity around noon. Then it was time. As I walked into the dimly, semi-naturally lit gymnasium, the sounds of basketballs hitting the gravel coupled with the vision of the players bouncing them around the court struck the excitement and anticipation in me to get straight to work photographing the event. Here is LeBron James guarding Juwan Howard:
LeBron James dribbling toward the basket:
Friday Practice:
I received another chance to photograph the Heat on Friday. With the reporter's angle focusing on two former University of Florida players, I shifted my focus to those two players as well as an other interesting moments I could capture. After practice, I had to rush to secure a spot as the media flocked to the players for interviews. Here is a shot of Dwyane Wade with his legit smile:
LeBron James goes for a basket:
Mike Miller, one of the two former UF players, runs a play during practice:
Really tall Chris Bosh smiles as he talks with the media:
These two were hardly seen apart (except during practice time) and joked back and forth. Here Wade (right) laughs at James when he refuses to tell Wade what he was supposed to tell him because "of the cameras" (as quoted by Wade):
Taking pictures these three days for the paper was epic. Not only did my confidence increase, but I grew in knowledge with my camera equipment. I found ways to utilize and work the dim gym, no-flash policy, to my advantage. Surrounded by a sea of photographers and videographers from local publications and TV networks to the AP and ESPN, I found I fit in right at home. Now all I need is more opportunities like this, and with my internship at the Daily News being so fruitful, I definitely see more to come in the future.
Friday Night Football:
Friday night football was hosted by Crestview this week and visited by Navarre. In a game that was considered "evenly matched", Navarre came out with a boom and defeated the Bulldogs 42-0. The main thing I saw that Crestview lacked in the game was heart. I weaved in between the players and coaches during the game and saw very little spark or motivation on their behalf. Maybe that is where they can start to fix their issues. Photography-wise I worked off my progress from the week before and captured a few nice images again this week. The images above and below were published:
Video from the game:
Thus ends one of the best weeks at this internship. Until next time!
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