In the past, I’ve captured the tedious repetition of training, and what makes those who are good, great. I’ve focused on the action and artistry in high stakes environments, capturing how athletes move during competition. Now, [E]motion Studies is about humanizing the athletes. By materializing those “opponents” through the combination of sports portraiture and post production techniques, my goal is to to frame moments of vulnerability, a crack on the hero’s armor. These photographs are meant to embody the mental opponents that are not staring at them across the field or the court, but can be much harder to defeat. [E]motion Studies introduces the final phase of a nine month journey exploring multiple sports at different levels, finally breaking the surface and searching for a deeper, more meaningful read into sports photography.
TUNNEL VISION
Highlights the athlete's ability to block all the noise and focus on the task they have to accomplish. It's the moment where they know that there is nothing that can be done to stop them.
SPIRALING
Reflects the moment when athletes feel the most helpless: they're far enough in the game to know they are about to lose and have no strength or energy to focus to try and save themselves. They start to lose themelves in their head and the game may as well be over.
FAMILIAR ABYSS
What happens between takeoff and landing turns into a complete blur after countless reps. It is about the choices athletes face every single day, how they know the outcome, they know they are about to fall, yet they are so obsessed with trying to win that they set that fear aside and go on with it anyways.
PRESSURE
Meant to represent the internal pressure athletes put on themselves, Athletes tend to put a weight on their shoulders that is often unnecessary, making games feel like a dreadful experience because of the high and sometimes unreal expectations they set for themselves.
