Gymdogs over WVU

Senior Cassidy McComb, center, joins her teammates in a premeet ritual as Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum.

It seems like I haven't photographed the University of Georgia Gymdogs since their national championship of 2008. While thats not entirely true, I think it was one or 2 meets of the 12 home meets they have since then. So I was a little rusty.



One of the biggest lessons I've learned about sports photography is to be where someone else isn't. For whatever reason, the Gymnastics team seems to bring out a large contingent of photographers, most whom I've never seen before, and none of which are shooting for a newspaper or large media outlet... yet are all male and shooting with prosumer cameras and kit lenses. How they get passes, I have no idea.

I like to show the artistry of the events and shoot things with long glass. I want to show the crowd and get things that most everyone else doesn't. There's no point to getting the same photo as the guy next to you, even if they are working for some website you've never heard of.

Kat Ding reaches for the lower of the uneven parallel bars as Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum. Ding scored a 9.950, posting the high score of the meet.

Senior Cassidy McComb does a back flip on the balance beam as Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum.

Noel Couch flies through the air on the vault as Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum.

Hilary Mauro touches the vault with her fingertips as Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum.

Christa Tanella flies through the air on the floor exercise as Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum.

Shayla Worley performs on the balance beam as Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum.

Hilary Mauro jumps in the air during a premeet ritual before Georgia beats West Virginia University in a NCAA Women's Gymnastics meet on Monday, January 17, 2011 in Athens, Ga at Stegeman Coliseum.