Becoming a photographer is something I never imagined as a young lad. It kind of fell in my lap out of necessity. Teaching was hard in so many ways for my family. When I began in 1989, my yearly income was $14,500. One day my father-in-law suggested I learn how to become a photographer to supplement my income. When he started out he supported his family as a wedding photographer. My first camera was a Minolta XGM 35 mm film camera that he passed down to me. His guidance and encouragement would lead me to discover a gift deep within.
Never in a million years would I have ever predicted I would become a collegiate volleyball photographer. As I look back, I’m convinced me stepping into photography was God the potter, molding me, the clay.
2005 would mark my beginning as a volleyball photographer. One of my physics students at the time, Jessica, asked if I would take photos of them playing high school volleyball. Eighteen years latter we arrive here having taken millions of photos of VB athletes. Only by the divine hand of the Holy Spirit, have I blossomed into a passionate and gifted storyteller with camera in hand.
Every one of us was knitted in our mother’s womb by God’s loving hands. It is He who planted within us gifts to use in our lives to glorify our loving creator. Some people spend a lifetime trying to figure out their purpose, often feeling they are nothing special. No matter what is going on in your life right now, know God, who formed you, loves you. You are precious and He has given you talents, that combined with resolve to be exceptional, will show the Master’s hand at work in you.
How many people do you know who possess unexplainable abilities? In all the millions of photos I have taken I can count on one hand the number of times I saw an athlete pull off an amazing play leaving me in a state of awe! Now combine that with radiant zeal and skill and you have unearthed a rare jewel in life. Combing through thousands of photos from the fall scrimmage would reveal one such person, Maddie Shepston, who plays beach volleyball for the Sandy Lions.
Rewinding to the scrimmage we come upon a "second" of action that blew my mind! Maddie charged to dig up a ball placed skillfully by her opponent. The ball descended fast as Maddie ran to meet it. It was as if the ball had crossed her position as she moved diagonally away from the net. Putting her hands on the ball required an impossible raw move of genius.
Running as fast as she could, she launched into the air, while twisting around, to perfectly strike the ball with her forearms of rock. What made this so unique was her initial momentum was caring her slightly away from the net and sideways, yet she managed to stick the landing facing forward with her eyes wide open as if she had to see where the ball went. With tremendous core strength, she twisted her body around, rotating her waste over ninety degree while air born No doubt my thirty two years as a physics instructor gives me a deep appreciation for what she accomplished with her body.
Maddie was in the "zone." She made it look so easy, though accomplishing this move required gymnastics talent as she remained focused with complete awareness of her body alignment in a moment of mind numbing chaos. The best part was the joy on her face at the end. Pulling of that play required laser focus, resolve and exceptional gymnastics and sand ball abilities. Seeing this play was a first, and a magical moment of beauty and athleticism. This girl has gifts, serious gifts. There is no doubt God placed in her “off-the-chart” athletic talent. So amazing!
When I took this series of photos I actually didn’t realize what my camera captured. That is one of the reasons I love photography. It takes those moments in life that pass in a flash and brings stillness to them allowing rare looks at what often goes unnoticed.
Beauty + Power + Resolve + Audacity + Skill = Maddie! Go get em #1!
We are so thankful to Maddie joined the Sandy Lions, all the way from Arizona! We cannot wait to see her and all of the Lady Lions in action this season.
God makes beautiful things from dust!
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