The Sand Lot

I had tear in the corner of my eyes as I uploaded these images and watched the story of my son Konnor’s t-ball game unfold before me.  Even though I am literally seeing these games two days a week right now, the visual power of photographs once again took a hold on my emotions.

Konnor is my second child to go through t-ball.  I knew I wanted to take photos of his first year in baseball, just like I had done for my older son Kaleb’s team.  At the time I took these photos I was overly tired because I had just come from a paid shoot, on top of having worked a full teaching day.  I did not want to take any more photographs, period. 

The thought went through my head, “I’ve already done shoot before. I’m taking the same photos on the same field that I did with Kaleb’s team.  I’m just doing the same thing again.  I don’t want to do this. ”  I then stepped back and tried to take my own advice which I give my photography students when they complain that they can’t take any good photos on campus because they have already shoot there…………. “Everyone has taken a photo in front of the Disneyland castle.  If you looked through 50 different photo albums from their day at Disneyland, 99.99% would have the same shot and pose.  Your job this semester is to not take the typical Disneyland castle photo.  Take what is obvious and turn it into something different.”

So with a sore back and a less then joyful heart, I took my own advice and began to take photographs.  Now, as I sit to edit this post, my heart is filled with joy because I took the effort and pushed myself to take these images.  I want Konnor to know how excited I am for him and his baseball team.  I want to create beautiful memories for him.  I want to share these images with the other parents on the team, many of whom have never had their sons in baseball before.  I want to make even those without kids look past the MBA and see into the souls of these little men.

 I am soooooooooooo glad that I took the time to capture this INNOCENCE.  I have capitalized INNOCENCE and named this post after the movie The Sand Lot, because that is what I wanted to capture with these photos.  This innocence which will soon be lost with the hands of time.   The innocence which will still be there in many ways next year, but will still not be the same.  Kaleb who is two years older and is now playing at a higher level little league which has already lost this purity. Right now these little guys play because they love the game.  

Enjoy this story as it unfolds. 
These are our youth.
This is where my heart is.