Portrait of the day – Darron Thomas at the Moshofsky Athletic Center
Darron Thomas at the Moshofsky Athletic Center
I’ve mentioned before that many of my favorite shots are taken outside of the assigned photo shoot; either during a break or when we’re done for the day. Once again, this was the case when 1859 Magazine assigned me to shoot Darron Thomas, quarterback for the University of Oregon Ducks, for the magazine’s quarterly Athlete Profile. Because Darron is in pre-season training his time is very tight, so I’d be given fifteen minutes to work with him and it had to be on campus.
The look for 1859′s Athlete Profile is in-studio with a seamless background, so the on-location requirement is a little challenging. Fortunately all my lights and my background fit into a dedicated trailer and I can duplicate my in-studio setup anywhere that I have enough room. I was given space inside the Moshofsky Center, a blimp-sized hangar containing a state-of-the-art practice field, and when Darron arrived we squeezed a variety of studio shots into the time allotted.
As Darron was ready to leave I moved my lights out away from the studio setup and took ninety seconds to make a handful of shots, of which this was my favorite. To the world Darron is defined by his hands and what they are able to accomplish out on the field. Away from the stadium lights one is struck by Darron’s easy, relaxed smile. In less than two minutes we were able to make an image that brought the public and the private together and, I hope, give you a glimpse of a Darron Thomas you may not have known.
