The UW trio cover shoot

Loaded with background info and the expectations of the upcoming basketball season, I wanted to produce a cover that incorporated the psychology of the "game-personalities" and the attitude-- namely: 'The Pac-10 is OURS" (cover); and, "If you wanna challenge the axiom....we WILL bring it" (feature shot).

As you may have guessed, Venoy and Isaiah were definitely up to the task. The personalities they had displayed on the court are not contrived--put the ball in play, and the intensity might be amplified. (Isaiah was a natural in front of the camera...required little directions. Venoy was true to Venoy--intense.) I loved my role, which was to temper the enthusiasm--or to channel it, rather. But, I'd say the freshman may have felt overshadowed. To my recollection, Abdul did not smile one time while I was shoot them as a group. So, I improvised. I decided I'd shoot them each separately and then construct a composite--this would be for the inside copy.

One thing that I definitely learned from shooting for the Mag...you've got to visualize the text--and you MUST PLAN AHEAD for the gutter. It's not rocket science, but lack of foresight will cause an editor to pop a cork (really).

The final product and the final cover of Sports Northwest Magazine.

Stay tuned.

The Freshman: Abdul Gaddy

As is usually the case, the unknown impinges upon the "creative vision"...

Since I had been exposed to Venoy Overton and Isaiah Thomas, I had a distinct vision for the cover-shot I wanted to produce--I would be able to incorporate the "unknown 3rd" easily. Nonetheless, a hurdle remained: how to incorporate Abdul Gaddy into the "feature spread" ...with some character.

What I needed was information, so I had to do a little "google search" on this Gaddy fella. Turns out (surprise, surprise), Abdul Gaddy was quite the prep-sensation. According to "the establishment" and a Seattle times article, Gaddy was the top basketball recruit in the state (averaging > 25 ppg), and Abdul's commitment to UW was regarded as quite the coup. Yet, the best piece of information to come from my googlings....I had actually covered Gaddy when Bellarmine prep (Gaddy's alma mater) played Bellevue HS (in the Holiday Hoop Fest at UW).

It is amazing how the mind works...I only had to see the picts to remember the player...

Bellarmine Prep's No. 3.... a tall guard, able to draw the defense-- able to DISH the ball. Yet, (not so surprising) able to score when not covered. (...suppose one must be able to punish a team for lackadaisical defense to setup the pass. ...call me "Holmes")

Nonetheless, I had it...the final component to produce both the cover and double-spread for the feature pict!

1 personality is tough enough.... Guard Dawg cover part 2.

As promised, I will continue the previous post and highlight the cover shoot I did (for SNM) with Venoy Overton, Isaiah Thomas, and Abdul Gaddy. As foreshadowed by the image in the previous post, the challenge of the (pre)shoot was trying to conceive a means to direct 3 different personalities (2 of which are LARGE personalities) to produce an image that was/would be mutually rewarding. (In the end, I wanted them to be vested.) Regardless, the idea/objective of the shoot was to create an image that highlighted the attitude/success experienced by the Huskies (in 2008-09 season) and the expectation/hype of a forthcoming "final four squad" in 2009-10.

I wanted to draw from the perception (of each player) that was rooted in their

2008-09 season (call it the "leg-work"). Since, I had been able to shoot court-side, for the 08/09 season, I had substantiated some distinct opinions about Venoy and Isaiah.

First up: The Senior, Venoy Overton.

Lessons/descriptors from 2008-2009:

Grit:

Venoy Overton came into the 08-09 season fulling a new role...and I would say he came into the season ready to prove he WOULD fill a vital roll on the team.

He came into the game, and he played hard.

His defensive vigor became the hallmark of his junior season.

He was voracious!

(which did get him into early foul trouble in the NCAA tournament, when faced with non-conference officiating)

He hustled in transition to get down-court and block shots.

And his efforts usually provided the emotional

spark needed to motivate his team at critical moments to transition game-momentum.

Stealing the ball...and taking it full-tilt to the bucket.

And, more than once, I watched Overton take a hard screen

--each time he seemed content to take it and DEAL it, as if to say, "Alright. You want some of this? Take it. ...and how did you like it? Bring it."

No. 1 brought it.

Up next: Isaiah Thomas....