Best of 2015 | Sports

"Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, is involved in an on-track incident following the checkered flag during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 6, 2015 in Daytona Beach, Florida."

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As the year ends, I am humbled by the opportunities presented in 2015 by Getty Images.

This year, my career changed dramatically as I joined Getty Images full-time and my wife and I also welcomed our son, Peyton.

Those two changes welcomed challenges we both wanted, needed and love. While still covering news and features, those days dwindled into the single digits, while my days shooting sports skyrocketed into the hundreds.

My travels continued in the United States with old friends, teammates - yet also found myself in new countries and documenting new sports, with new friends, teammates.

No different from any other year, I've cherished each and every opportunity. Getting to meet and work alongside teammates I've long admired is humbling and refreshing - that goes without saying my comrades at home continually do the same each week.

In addition, I learned from the challenging days and nights all thanks to my teammates, family - photographers, editors and tech support and everyone in-between. I have nothing but the deepest gratitude and respect for the help from the team where our end goal is the same - providing nothing but the best imagery in the world.

Thank you to all of you. Truly.

With that all said, I feel ashamed to be sharing my own favorites when I should be showcasing the work of the entire company. Without my teammates, I am nothing. Without their support and talents these images would not exist in front of my very own lens.

Yet I've done this for many years and it's a great exercise looking back at the year.

Lastly, I'm excited and looking forward to another full-year of health, happiness and shooting in 2016 - and wish each and everyone of you the same.

Focus

"Strong safety Bacarri Rambo #30 of the Buffalo Bills has a moment to himself as he and teammates take the field before playing the Washington Redskins at FedExField on December 20, 2015 in Landover, Maryland."

The seconds leading up to kick-off everyone needs a moment to themselves - this includes photographers, fans and players.

No matter what form of preparing for a big game one chooses - they must focus on the end result before the game even begins.

It's very easy as a photographer to feel the energy of the crowd and player introductions - becoming overly excited. I find this to be an interference to my focus, so I tend to close my eyes and take a moment to try and drown out all distractions.

Bacarri Rambo of the Buffalo Bills had a similar moment as he and his teammates walked onto the field to play the Washington Redskins.

This picture made me realize that I too needed to calm my emotions as I sprinted around the feel and tunnel for pregame.

Clipped

"Lucky Whitehead #13 of the Dallas Cowboys is knocked out of bounds by punter Tress Way #5 of the Washington Redskins during a kick return in the first quarter at FedExField on December 7, 2015 in Landover, Maryland."

Some games start slow and others begin fast- yet neither are perfect in the mind of the photographer.

If a game starts slow, you hit the shutter a lot hoping to have compelling images before halftime.

If the game begins with big plays, you hope the mayhem continues so that the great pictures keep unfolding in front of you.

But nothing is ever scripted in sports - one can never predict the flow or intensity of the game.

As the Dallas Cowboys played the Washington Redskins last week, a couple big plays started the game - but scoring was left up to the kickers.

Photographers were continually waiting for the big touchdown to determine a winner. Yet the real sea-saw battle of scoring in the end zone didn't happen until late in the fourth quarter.

In the end, the game driven by field goals, ended on a field goal, proving that no two games are ever alike.

One Hand Only

"Wide receiver Odell Beckham #13 of the New York Giants scores a fourth quarter touchdown past cornerback Will Blackmon #41 of the Washington Redskins at FedExField on November 29, 2015 in Landover, Maryland."

If you've heard of the name Odell Beckham - you've certainly heard the hype surrounding his 2014 one-handed catch.

In little words as possible, it was a super-human catch by a tremendous athlete. And as a photographer, you think of the catch whenever you photograph any game.

Why? Because it was a regular season game, in which Beckham's team, the New York Giants, lost. Yet the catch made headlines everywhere. And more importantly, the video and still images were used all over the world.

It goes to show that at any given game, at any given moment, the next big play could unfold right in front of your lens.

Last Sunday, while still an amazing athletic performance, Beckham tried to one-up his last season's catch against the Washington Redskins.

Not nearly as viral, it still made for a stunning picture and restored that notion in every photographers head to be ready at all times - whether it's Beckham - or another superstar.