Boerne Greyhounds vs McCollum Cowgirls Basketball

Some fast varsity basketball by San Antonio McCollum and the Boerne Greyhounds...

Check them all out at BoerneSportsPhotos.com

Pickle Ball Anyone?

Just got back from a week in Mexico. I hadn't expected to shoot much, but discovered what is a new sport for me, but something that's pretty popular down there.  A mix of tennis, badminton and whiffle ball on a small court...just wish I'd brought some different gear. Check it out.

The whole gallery is here:
http://www.ralphmawyerphotography.com/Travel/Mexico/Mexico-2012-Pickle-Ball/26738382_FbvRxm#!i=2249585562&k=jkSG65f

Diwali 2012 - San Antonio, Tx

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is the celebrated all over the world, but this event in San Antonio is one of the largest outside India and is the only celebration in the United States sponsored by a city.

Let's see, lots of color, dancing, costumes....hmmm wonder what we can find to photograph.

You can see the full gallery at Ralph Mawyer Photography.com

Semma Jolly time!
http://diwalisa.com

A bit of previous Indian culture I had the opportunity to photograph...  Aishwarya

Canyon Lake Hawks @ Boerne High School Greyhounds

A big Thursday night game for Boerne, as they had to win to move into the playoffs.  TV cameras everywhere as the game was being televised live by KRRT-35.  Which means I was tripping over wires and adding videographers to the list of folks on the sidelines.

No big deal, lots of great action...find it all here, at BoerneSportsPhotos.com and a select few on MaxPreps.com.

Kerrville @ Boerne-Champion Football

Well, it was a lot dryer Friday night than a couple of weeks ago when I was there.  Some great action, but I got sidetracked with Champion's track team's body paint...

Full gallery is at Ralph Mawyer Photography (aka BoerneSportsPhotos.com)

And yes, they did play football...hard.

TMI vs Regency School of Austin Volleyball Panorama

Finally got both the varsity and JV galleries online, then remembered I took this with my iPhone.  The panorama function is really cool in iOS and so easy to use.

The game galleries are at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com (aka www.BoerneSportsPhotos.com), but check this out, albeit in a small format than your IMAX theatre.

Boerne-Champion vs Marble Falls Football

You've probably read all the stories about the volume of passing yards these two quarterbacks generated last Thursday night in Boerne, Texas.

Mike Richardson, the Marble Falls quarterback threw for over 700 yards breaking the state record, followed closely by Champion's Kyle Poeske who threw for 595 yards, tying him for number 4 all-time mark in Texas.

When the Marines pay attention, you have to be doing something right (or very wrong).... Kyle was doing it right.

TMI vs St. Anthony Varsity Football...and a bit of JV Volleyball vs Hyde Park Baptist

I shot pretty regularly at TMI a few year ago, and they ended up using a number of my photos to enhance their fund raising efforts to improve their athletic fields and operations.  I didn't shoot last year for a number of reasons, but had an opening on Friday night and thought I'd see how the football team was doing after a year of rebuilding with an entirely new coaching staff.

Doing quite well, thank you. ;-)

TMI is different, it reminds me of my senior year in a similar academy quite a few years ago. Small school, lots of playing time for all the participants since the pool of players is relatively small. I think the neatest thing, is the intimacy of the game with the parents and no where else have I seen the team pretty much beat up on each other and then sincerely meet after the game on the field to hear the coaches sharing their thoughts with both teams.

Anyway, a great night, particularly as the rains held off.... check out the action at www.RalphMawyerPhotography.com (aka www.BoerneSportsPhotos.com).

Before the football game I had a chance to catch one of the TMI vs Holy Cross JV volleyball games. Shooting in the gym is a challenge due to the lighting, inability to use strobes and lots of orange walls and floors, but I captured a few nice shots.  Check them out in the volleyball gallery at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com.

Boerne High School vs Medina Valley Football and Holy Cross Volleyball

Busy weekend with Boerne taking on Medina Valley Friday night, followed by the Boerne girls taking on Holy Cross in volleyball.

Lots of photos at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com (or www.BoerneSportsPhotos.com).

Game action selects may also be found on Maxpreps.com, but someone needs to get the roster loaded for the teams.  It really improves player visibility.

Since it's so hard to capture the intensity of the linesmen, I thought we'd lead off with this:

And sometimes the light is just perfect....

Boerne Varsity Volleyball

Boerne-Champion vs New Braunfels Varsity Football

First official game of the season and I think everyone, the teams, the officials and definitely me were trying to get back in the groove.  Champion was passing left and right all night and dominated New Braunfels, but as usual there is always great action no matter who's winning or losing...which is the really great thing about my job.  The one thing I noticed was the game was definitely longer as the clock stops more often with incomplete passes.

Lots more photos at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com or (aka www.BoerneSportsPhotos.com)

Boerne High School vs La Vernia Football

A bit of warmup for both teams and me.  Boerne High School Greyhounds worked out against the La Vernia Bears.  I guess it's different looking through the camera, I can't tell if it's a scrimmage or a regular game....all I see is action and wanting to crop into the intensity of the play.

To browse the complete game gallery, just click to ralphmawyerphotography.com or BoerneSportsPhotos.com.

University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) - Pre-Season Scrimmage

The Cardinals are two weeks away from the start of their new football season. It's coming on five years since the program was established and with the recent coaching change and improved morale of the team, it should be another great year....and even better if UTSA would play them. They historically have played hard teams in their NCAA Div II league and this year will be no different as they go up against NCAA Div 1 AA #1 ranked Sam Houston State.

All the seniors that started the program and have served as it's foundation will be graduating this year, but will do so knowing that UIW has been accepted as a NCAA Division I team in the Southland Conference, beginning July 2013.

If you get a chance, check out a home game. While they don't have the media budget UTSA has they play some intense football.

Additional photo from the scrimmage may be found at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com.

Additional photos from the scrimmage may be found at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com.

THSCA All-Star Football Game - Alamodome

I had a chance to shoot the Texas High School Coaches Assn (THSCA) All-Star game last Tuesday in the Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas.  Fox Sports was doing a live broadcast, but they didn't have all the lights on since I understand they only do that for Hi-Def games, e.g., Spurs, etc.

It was a good test for my new Nikon D4 and 200-400mm/f4 lens.  The 200-400mm is soft at full extension, but it stills performed well and I was able to maintain 1/640 shutter speeds at f4, on a lens with so much glass it's effectively a T-5 to T5.6, for you photo geeks out there.

For folks that just like cool photos, check them out at RalphMawyerPhotography.com (aka BoerneSportsPhotos.com)

South Padre Island Birding

I spent a few hot and muggy days down at South Padre.  I really hadn't planned on shooting much, but came across the SPI Birding and Nature Center with some cool residents.

San Antonio Botanical Gardens, Indian Style

I've always wanted to shoot an Indian wedding or similar event, as the clothes and colors are so vibrant.

It wasn't quite a wedding, but I did get a chance to do a behind the scenes (BTS) session of Aishwarya Rajan Babu being photographed by John Vega, assisted by Kelly.  As Aishwarya would say, Semma Jolly time!

Texas 7 on 7 Football - Boerne-Champion - Warren - Cedar Creek & Johnson High Schools

Just when I thought it was going to be August before I could shoot some football, someone brought the 7 on 7 leagues to my attention. Thousands of Texas high schoolers play this and I was able to shoot the qualifying games of the Central Catholic 7 on 7 State Qualifying Tournament (SQT) at the University of Incarnate Word stadium...such a great facility. (Tournament Director is Carl Padilla)

These are fast 20 minute halves with no running or linesman, mostly just pass plays and their defensive counterpart on the half a football field.  I felt like I was shooting a mix of baseball and basket ball on a big court, since you never know where the ball is going to go and it's much quicker than and tighter than regular football.  Still got some great action and more than a few nice portraits.

Check them out on RalphMawyerPhotography.com or BoerneSportsPhotos.com

Boerne-Champion vs Lake Travis Region IV-4A Baseball Final

Excellent game at Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio, close innings to the very end...

Check out the gallery at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com.

Col. Ralph Mawyer Sr., USMC, Retired. (Dec'd)

A Virginia farm boy, then World War II, then a Forward Air Controller and Pilot in Korea dodging MIGs in a Corsair (F4U), followed by jets in Vietnam, retiring just short of 30 years.  Not a bad legacy...

Nine battle stars, the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star.

Boerne-Champion vs Alamo Heights Baseball 4A Quarter Finals

Boerne-Champion Chargers (Boerne, Texas) closed out the Alamo Heights Mulls in the 2012 4A baseball quarter finals.  Beautiful day, good field action and some really nice candid portraits.

University of Incarnate Word (UIW) Red & Black Game

A the end of each football Spring Training season UIW holds their Red vs Black intra-team scrimmage. This year under the leadership of their new head coach, Larry Kennan, the teams held a draft to provide for a more competitive game.  It's fun to shoot football in the spring, but the real thing starts with August pre-season training.  The third game of next season will be a real highlight under Coach Kennan as the team will be playing in Dallas Cowboys stadium on September 14th....and UTSA still refuses to scrimmage. ;-)

For a few more photos, check out the gallery at RalphMawyerPhotography.com

Incarnate Word Football Spring Training

With the University of Incarnate Word (UIW) in San Antonio in the midst of spring training it gave me a chance to work on my photo technique on players that move a bit faster than high school teams...and start getting excited for the fall.


Check it out the entire gallery...

Boerne ISD Relays - Track & Field

A long day with choices like this... boys, girls, varsity, JV, shot put, discus, pole vault, high jump, long jump triple jump and sixteen flavors for running.  Yeah, I got some shots...700+ you can see at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com (aka www.BoerneSportsPhotos.com )

It was a great day.

Boerne-Champion vs McCollum Basketball District Playoffs

Boerne-Champion stayed close to McCollum all night, but the Cowboys were fast and made few errors.  Shooting in Paul Taylor Field House was new for me, but the lights were great and I got a chance to shoot a bit from the railing above the basket for a different point of view.

Check out all the photos at RalphMawyerPhotography.com, aka BoerneSportsPhotos.com.

Boerne-Champion Baseball & Basketball

A bit of a double-header on Tuesday. Shot a bit of early season baseball with Boerne-Champion scrimmaging against San Antonio Antonian.  Then went inside to capture the Boerne-Champion girls varsity in an out-of-district game against Roosevelt.  Different sports, different lighting, different approaches...but still great action.


Both galleries may be seen at RalphMawyerPhotography.com.

NISD Girls Soccer Showcase - Churchill vs East Central

More soccer in the daytime...love these games.  This was one of the early games in the Northside Independent School District's Girls Soccer Showcase with the Churchill Chargers vs East Central.

The complete gallery may be seen at RalphMawyerPhotography.com

TMI Soccer vs John Paul II (Corpus Christi)

Sports in daylight, not at night, not in a gym, not in the Alamodome, but actually out in the sun. Yes, it can be contrasty, but TMI has a great facility and it was a beautiful day.... now if I could just get TMI to play in their wonderful orange shirts. ;-)

Here's a sample of the intensity of the game.  You can see the entire gallery at www.ralphmawyerphotography.com

The value of memories...

While I often wonder why I continue to spend so much time and money shooting sports on spec, often to hear that a $6 print is just too much to pay for a great action photo of someone's child that may never occur again, that probably looks even better at 8x10 or larger, I run across something like this.... I just wish I could be as articulate with my customers in explaining the value of memories...

**********

With most professional photographers having to deal with the fact that everyone has a camera and the resulting commoditization of the industry, this letter from a customer to her photographer is not only poignant, but also insightful:

http://fototails.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/a-letter-on-my-doorstep-portraits-are-more-than-paper/

Don't forget the read the follow-up post:
http://fototails.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/a-letter-on-my-door-step-the-follow-up/