Photography is different for all people. For some, it’s lying in a field capturing the stunning beauty of nature’s finest creatures. For others, it’s experiencing the highs and lows of being under Friday night lights with a camera. This is the exact thrill that photographers like Drake Warner and Sawyer Russel live for.
Drake Warner, a student at Pennridge High School, posts his captures on his Instagram page titled “Shotbydrakee” However he did not always focus on football. He started photography in 2022
after he won a drone in a raffle at his church. He enjoyed drone photography enough to purchase a camera on Amazon to take his new hobby a step further. The Sony A6400 was his first camera and started by taking pictures of cars. It then transitioned into something more, “I was at a point in life where I didn’t have a hobby, but it turned into something bigger for me.” Football is Warner’s favorite because of the fans. He started this past football season in 2023 and stated that he “loves the vibes.” Additionally, he claimed that “The players add a lot of personality to it and a lot of people like it too. It isn’t just for me though, it’s for others to see how cool it is.” He also recommended for beginners to take pictures of what they love. “Don’t do things just because people tell you to, that’s the number one way you get disinterested.”
Sawyer Russel, a student at Pennridge High School runs an Instagram account titled SawyersMedia. On the account, he posts his captures of various sporting events. Russel began photography in 2022 after buying his first camera on Facebook marketplace. He experienced photography for the first time at the football home opener of the 2022 season. He had no previous experience shooting footage before that game. It was not until after the game that he decided to create his Instagram page to post his work. His best experience, however, was getting the chance to shoot footage at Liberty University. He received a media pass through connections he made in the field. He stated “It was super cool to experience the atmosphere. The shots I was able to get made it one for the books.” He emphasized that the most important thing is to put yourself out there and post as much as possible. He also recommended to “try a variety of sports to build up your portfolio. Those free gigs got me paid gigs, so do you what you want for free and build those skills.”
However, both also noted that photography is not cheap. Professional cameras can range from $3,000 to $10,000 or more. Russel recommended never buying new cameras because it’s too expensive. “80% of used cameras have great quality; there’s not much of a difference.” The biggest hurdle you make is ultimately the price of buying equipment. Russel stated, “It’s easy, all you have to do is commit to it.”
