The side lines at sporting events have looked a little bit different this year.
Student photographers who are not affiliated with student publications have been shooting photos as a hobby, a way to make money and a way to show others what they look like.
“I thought it would be fun,” senior Luke Jordan said. “What does everyone want to look back and see after the game because I know whenever I’m doing sports, I have no idea what I look like … but looking back, I want to see how I perform and see what everyone around me does.”
Some have different stories on how they started this passion, but a few of these new photographers have similar starts.
Jordan has just started shooting pictures at sporting events this year, but has had a digital camera for as long as he can remember.
Senior Landon Rossi, who started shooting pictures during football season last year, says he was interested after watching SHS alum Britain Givens last year as Givens was taking pictures at events.
“Last year, I kind of saw him taking pictures, and I just kind of found an interest in just taking pictures,” Rossi said.
Both of these photographers have plans to use this as a side hobby because their future plans are set on other things.
Rossi doesn’t want to major in any form of photography in college, but instead is planning to keep it as a side hustle and a hobby.
Like many other photographers, Rossi and Jordan have made some money on the photos they take for sports and other events outside of school.
“The most I have ever made off an event is about $600 from a wedding,” Rossi said. “For sports, I normally charge $20 for photos and $40 dollars for mix-tapes and if you want both, it’s $50.”
Athletes who have their pictures taken at the games have their own opinions on what they think about these photographers at the events.
As Jordan says, some athletes like seeing what they look like during the games and like seeing what others see.
“I think Luke is good at taking photos,” sophomore D’Anthony Moore said. “I mostly, sometimes, ask Luke for pics.”
These photographers who have started this as a new hobby have helped show other students around SHS that this is something that they take seriously, care about and something that helps them have fun.
“It’s not the paints and the brushes that makes the artist, it’s his artwork,” Jordan said.
