Week 15: A Photographer’s Season Finale at the 4A State Championship
After crisscrossing New Mexico and Arizona for 28 games, countless miles, and an untold number of shutter clicks, the final football game of the season has arrived. Today, the 4A State Championship Finals take center stage at Bloomfield High School, where the Bobcats host St Pius X in a clash for the coveted title. It’s game number 29 for me, and I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up the season.
A Season to Remember
This year has been a whirlwind of action, stories, and miles traveled. From the windswept mesas of Rough Rock to the bright lights of Farmington, each stop along the journey added a unique chapter to my football season. Though I came just shy of my personal goal of covering 30 games, I feel a deep sense of accomplishment for all that I’ve experienced and shared.
Out of the 28 games I covered, 11 stories were published online, and I believe 20 made it to print in the Navajo Times. The coaches I interviewed, the athletes I watched, and the stories I told created a tapestry of football that I’m proud to have captured. Along the way, I gained invaluable experience in football photography—an art that goes beyond capturing action and finds its soul in the emotion and scenery surrounding the game.
Capturing More Than the Game
One of my favorite aspects of this journey has been photographing the breathtaking evening skies framing many of the fields. Whether it was the golden glow at Monument Valley or the deep bands of colorful mesas that stretched over Laguna Acoma, the scenery often felt like a second story being told in the same frame. Each photo became a memory, a snapshot of time that lives on beyond the final whistle.
As I reflect on the season, I’m grateful for the schools that welcomed me: Chinle, Ganado, Holbrook, Winslow, Window Rock, Laguna Acoma, Gallup, Los Lunas, Española, Bloomfield, Farmington, Navajo Prep, Crownpoint, and many more. Every location had its own story to tell, and I was honored to be a part of it.
The Big Day: All Eyes on Bloomfield
For today’s championship, I’ll be running two cameras:
Nikon Z6II paired with the NIKKOR 200-500mm F/5.6 VR lens for those distant, tight-action shots.
Nikon Z50 with a Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 lens to capture close-ups and sideline drama.
My son Truman, my trusted photography partner, will be using a Nikon Z6II equipped with the razor-sharp 70-200mm F/2.8 S lens adapted with a 2.0x teleconverter. His contributions have been invaluable throughout the season, and his growth as a photographer is evident with every shot he takes.
Please note: The photos from this championship game will be published by XL Sports Photography, the official photographer of NMAA State Championship games. You can view the images on their website once they are uploaded.
Looking Ahead
As I head to Bloomfield for one last game, I can’t help but think about next year. There will be new stories to tell, new teams to follow, and, of course, new photos to take. Football season might be ending, but the anticipation for what’s to come has already begun. I’ve learned so much about the craft of photography, from timing the perfect action shot to capturing the emotions on the sidelines. I can’t wait to see what 2025 brings.
Thank you to everyone who made this season possible—the coaches, the athletes, the schools, and, most of all, the fans who shared in this journey. See you all on the sidelines again soon. For now, it’s time to focus, aim, and capture the 4A State Championship. See you in Bloomfield!
