I’ve been thinking often, lately, on what makes me tick. What makes me wake up in the morning and want to persevere. Personal growth. It’s just where I am right now and I’m quite fine with that. I started reflecting back on some of my favorite moments in my career and Media Day 2016 with the Houston Rockets stays at the top of the charts. It goes like this.

I arrived on site at 8:23A and immediately began to test my lighting. I just had to be ready. My role was to photograph what would be the newly announced black jerseys for the season, on a black background, with dramatic lighting.

I think light is one of the most fun things to work with. It’s subjective, and that’s what I find very enticing. The idea that “it could be done better” only goes so far before you hit the creative, artistic approach to lighting that really gives a shoot its wings. So I shot, and tested, and moved and did it all over again. I was looking for something very specific and I gave those settings hell. I had to be ready for James Harden and Trevor Ariza when they came through those doors.

8:23A turned into 9:45A. Lunch time came and went, and I sat there in that dark room, waiting for my moment to succeed. Another hour crept by. I psyched myself out and started to think my lights wouldn’t fire how I wanted at the time that I would need them to pull through for me, so I went through even more rounds of testing.

Then some of the magic minds came by as they made the rounds, testing things, gauging heights, checking to see if I was doing alright. I jumped up and waved them over to practice.

Ultimately, the boss showed up with the infamous “Don’t fuck this up” look. Haha, it’s awesome. Talk about what makes you want to persevere! He walked through different angles, to see how the light was dropping off, and where the shadows  would lay down. His art direction is of the highest degree and it sure does make collaborating a positive experience.

I got fixated on my favorite part of photography, the clarity. I wanted to capture every single dimple on that basketball, push around a little perspective and see if I could find my money shot.

The moment of truth, and the men of the hour. At 2:42, Trevor showed up and we started to shoot. Harden walked in behind him and by 2:47 they had disappeared through another door, off to another shoot. I love being put under the gun, to see what I’m made of, you know. It sucks when you fail, but man it’s awesome when you get something right. I waited hours for 5 minutes of game time and I captured some of my most personally-rewarding images to date. Man I love taking pictures!