Best of 2014 | Sports

"German Meraz attempts to hit Rau'shee Warren in their bantamweights match at the DC Armory on January 25, 2014 in Washington, DC."

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As the year ends, I am proud and humbled by the opportunities presented in 2014.

Much like last year, the days, weeks and months I spent shooting once again revolved heavily around the world of sports. From local venues - and spanning across the country to California and Texas - and Florida more than six times - it has been an amazing journey.

It certainly hasn’t been easy, each assignment presents new challenges, but the inspiration I feed off of from each team I work with makes them exciting to tackle.

I cannot go without thanking all of my clients for keeping me moving each week to document compelling subjects in ideal locations. Each and every opportunity is cherished - and I thank everyone for allowing me to be their eyes by trusting my skills no matter what the story.

My clients trust my abilities to not only photograph athletes and the worlds they play and live in, but to also enjoy the often overlooked relationships of building deeper bonds with teammates I work alongside - both photographers and editors.

As always, a deep gratitude, and thank you, to everyone at Getty Images for keeping my vision looking for the extraordinary. It goes without saying they continually keep my cameras active for which I am forever indebted. Most, if not all, of the images in this gallery have been documented when apart of the Getty team.

Without mentioning each and everyone of you - thank you.

As always, I'm excited and looking forward to another full-year of health, happiness and shooting in 2015 - and wish each and everyone of you the same.

More Than Football

"Free safety Ryan Clark #25 of the Washington Redskins tears up during the national anthem before playing the Philadelphia Eagles at FedExField on December 20, 2014 in Landover, Maryland."

It's quite rare to see pregame emotions from superstar athlete.

Shooting for Getty Images, as the national anthem was starting to be sung, I worked my way down the sideline and found myself behind two Washington Redskins players before kick-off against the Philadelphia Eagles.

One of those players was free safety Ryan Clark. The two were just on the outside edge of the bench and I debated whether or not I'd be able to get closer and in front of them by stepping on the field, but I decided to play by the rules and stay behind the yellow lines.

I didn't really attempt to make any pictures at first because I could only see the back of the heads of the two players. But I grabbed my lens and pointed in the direction of Clark thinking in anything could happen in terms of pyrotechnics or something related.

As Clark turned near the end of the anthem, I could see a tear streaming down his face and a small grimace. It was obvious he was visuablly moved by something.

No one likes to document sadness, but it's our job as photographers to document what we witness. I still don't know what brought on emotion, and it could literally be about anything.

Yet it's always a positive reminder to myself and viewers that these superstar athletes are no different from ourselves and are indeed human.

On One Knee

"Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., #89 of the Baltimore Ravens prays with teammates and players from the Jacksonville Jaguars after the conclusion of an NFL game at M&T Bank Stadium on December 14, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland."

As much as games stay the same, there is always something that makes each one different.

Week fifteen had come to an end in Baltimore, and when time expired, the Baltimore Ravens came out victorious over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Paired up with a teammate with Getty Images, we had small game plan for the post game scrum. It was a typical post game with lots of players congregating on the field.

When I started to make my way off the field, I saw Steve Smith Sr., of the Baltimore Ravens remove his helmet.  I instantly noticed a large cross with wings on the back of his neck.

Having photographed the combined team prayer time and time again, I had never noticed Smith's tattoo.

It was rare moment where I pictured an image in my head that then unfolded in front of my lens. It made for different picture of a routine image.

I'll certainly revisit this image next time I document a Ravens game.

Rammed Over

"Strong safety Phillip Thomas #41 of the Washington Redskins is stiff armed by wide receiver Stedman Bailey #12 of the St. Louis Rams in the third quarter of a game at FedExField on December 7, 2014 in Landover, Maryland."

In speaking to a handful of students recently, I made sure to tell them to never discredit the skill of being consistent.

We all want to document the biggest, flashest images that anyone has ever seen. We want to stand apart from the rest of the pack and have the most compelling pictures in our portfolio.

But the reality is that those pictures don't always present themselves. 

In planning to set yourself up for success, you need to make sure the daily images are on par each and every day. By doing so, you're preparing to be ready and focused for those incredible moments.

I'll be the first to say it's not always easy being consistent. Every day is challenging in its own right - whether directly related to the assignment or not. Yet remembering to focus on the fundamentals and be ready for anything can only be positive.

While this image certainly isn't anything ground breaking, it was solid for the day and told the story of the day.

Booted to the Teeth

"Strong safety Matt Elam #26 of the Baltimore Ravens is kicked by wide receiver Eddie Royal #11 of the San Diego Chargers as they collide in the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 30, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland."

Shooting through the play and making sure to review images in detail can always benefit a photographer.

Covering the game for Getty Images, as the San Diego Chargers took on the Baltimore Ravens early in the game, a rare moment happened.

As the quarterback released the ball, I panned up-field to a completion by wide receiver Eddie Royal of the San Diego Chargers. It was a quick pass and I was focusing on leveling out my camera as I was blocked by a referee for a split second.

Once I located the receiver, although not composed perfectly, I kept on the shutter as he bounced onto his back. I wanted to go vertical in the frame because I was way to tight for the vertical position of both players. As I kept shooting, Royal's cleat unintentionally found it's way to the face of strong safety Matt Elam of the Baltimore Ravens.

It wasn't until there was a break in play that I went through to review an tag images for the editor that I realized what had happen. A bad picture full frame, a moment in a portion of the frame made for a unique image.

Being diligent about being an in camera editor not only helps discover these types of moments, but also helps on and off site editors discover them, too.