Double L Photography: Screw Them...They Didn't Get This Shot.

Some names have been changed to protect me from being slanderous.....

I had an amazing opportunity last weekend to photograph a varsity high school football game on an NFL field. I'd been in the stadium before, but never on the field or in the locker rooms.

The fact that the game fell on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend was....well....kinda' sucky. We had a date with the beach and this forced us to put it off by about 18 hours. I know that doesn't sound like a long time, but Lord help anyone who tries to come between my beloved and his beach walks.

Just don't. Don't even try it.

But, because he loves me more than beach walking, and he knew what an incredible chance this was for me, he bought a couple of tickets and drove me down to Seahawk Stadium early Saturday morning. I can't call it The Clink, and since it's not Qwest Field anymore, I have no choice but to refer to it by the name of the team that plays there.

Clink.

Anyway.....It wasn't until after the game that I got a chance to talk to Prince Charming, and, can I just tell you? He was PISSED!

"Did you hear that!? The whole time over the loud speaker!?"

"What? No. I was on the field. I couldn't hear it. What was it?"

"The whole time they're announcing over the loud speaker about Whosits Photography taking the pictures of today's game and if you're interested in purchasing any pictures just visit WhositsPhotography.com. I mean...what are we even doing here!?!"

I'm not an attorney. I don't think well on my feet. My great debating skills end at "Uhhhhhhh....I don't know," which was all I could say.

"Uhhhhhhh............"

"How many parents do you think will go there to buy pictures instead of to you!?"

"................I don't know."

But I kept thinking about it. I mean, if the high school athletic association that sponsored the event was advertising another photographer, that guy must be lucky enough to have some kind of mondo contract with the athletic association meriting such loud speaker advertising.

Right?

But....I kept thinking about it. I'm the one who's great with the comebacks an hour after the discussion is over.

And you know what? Here's my comeback.

I know where I was on that field. And I know who was around me. I know what shots I got and what I had to share. And let me tell you...

When this guy named Chris, a senior who turned out for football for the first time this year, put on his gear for the first time, and walked through that tunnel for his first varsity game, playing it on an NFL field....I was the one walking with him.

When the newly appointed captains joined hands and walked to the center of the field for the first coin toss of this season....No one else was there snapping their faces but me.

I was the only photographer in the locker room when the guys were getting ready, putting on their eye black and checking themselves in the mirror.

Or having their helmets adjusted and getting flirty with the camera.

No one else. It was just me.

When the coach gave a sideline interview during the warmup. Got it.

When the fans went crazy over a play that Whosits Photography was shooting, I pointed my lens at the fans. They like to see themselves, too.

The Drill Team?

The coach who was trying to look serious, but was really just giddy with excitement, and I made him show me his smiley face....and he did....'cause I'm his older sister and he always has to do what I say?

The concentrating face during the timeout talk on the field ? All me.

When, during the game, one of the brotherhood was seriously injured and had to be carried out on a stretcher in an ambulance, I told their story as they saw it unfolding in front of them.