Leap frog with Jaguars

"Running back Bernard Pierce #30 of the Baltimore Ravens leaps over cornerback Kevin Rutland #22 of the Jacksonville Jaguars and as his teammate linebacker Julian Stanford #57 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during the third quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on August 23, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Ravens won, 48-17."

Sports photography is as much a mental game as it is a physical game - much to the game itself for the athletes playing them.

The physical aspect of shooting a football game can be demanding, especially if there is bad weather. Running up and down the sidelines with 20-some-pounds of gear, only hoping to slide to your knees to get in front of the play before the next snap. Rinse, wash, repeat - it's a long game - despite being young or old.

Then there are the mental aspects of covering a sport. You're always looking for something different. Whether it's a feature or the right angle on a peak action frame - you're always thinking too much of your editors, the readers, the story, and your own take by playing the "what if" game. What if I was there on the field. What if I shot it with this lens, and the list goes on.

When covering a game alone, it's difficult to cover every big play and touchdown, and even though you're nearly perfect on documenting them all, the images are most of the times messy, cluttered and cropped heavily, if their not on your side of the field. You question your positioning, whether or not they're important to the overall story and if they resonate to readers.

In short, it's a constant juggle, battle. But sometimes you end up in the right spot on the field at the right time and have to be ready. Much like the above image of Bernard Pierce of the Baltimore Ravens leaping over a pair of Jaguar defenders.

Images like these are most times small victories that keep you plugging along in a long physically demanding day filled with head games. But in my mind, there is nothing better than a challenging day that keeps you on your toes and pushing yourself to be better.