SECOND LOOK ALEXANDER VAIL P ride FRANKLIN HS E L K G R O V E , C A L IF O RNI A
ABOUT THE GEAR: Sony A7iii and Tamron 24-75 2.8 at f3.2, 1/400th, ISO320, and 50mm in continuous mode.
On the sidelines at a football game, surrounded by people and action — that’s where yearbook photographers learn and practice their craft. But in many cases, memory cards are filled with almost-great catches, near misses and grainy images, especially once the sun goes down. “This shot is really just a good example of giving photos a second chance,” Alexander Vail said. “Reviewing it in camera, I didn’t think it was anything special, but in post I was able to give it some new life with this crop and make something eyecatching for our opening.” “I’d been shooting the student section of the football game for a little while, and I already had my exposure dialed. I had to keep up with the changing lighting as the sun set, but I was on top of it when this moment occurred,” the senior photo editor at Franklin High School said. “I saw, from maybe 30 feet down the track, the whole cheer team getting ready to throw this one girl. I wasn’t actually in a great position for the shot, but I didn’t want to miss it. I essentially zoomed as tight as needed, shooting vertically to capture the whole team and flyer.” Still, Vail didn’t see the moment until later. “In Lightroom, I realized that this is a much better photo cropped as you see it here. It sacrifices quite a bit of resolution, but it’s still large enough for the book.”