January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Mike Goodson (33) plows for yardage against Anthony Hargrove (69) while playing against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Well, this was the last game for the Carolina Panthers.  Since they did not make the playoffs, their season ended right here at the Bank of America Stadium.  They did win the game, but New Orleans did not play Drew Brees. It was not a real exciting game other than the fact that the Carolina Panthers won………………..But they did win, and that closed out the Season on a positive not.  The big issue of the day was the cold.  It did not get past 28 degrees all day long.  Some people can operate well in that cold, but for me, it is a true pain in rump.  Let me say, “I HATE the cold.”  All of these images were shot with either my Nikon D300, or my Nikon D2x.  I love the D300, and I like the D2x in certain situations……but I think that this will be the D2x’s last assignment.  It is time for an upgrade which will occur this year.  Nikon is making some FANTASTIC equipment, I do love the company.

This game was truly a game of the “run offense.”  Since Drew Brees was not playing, the Saints kept the ball on the ground.  And on the Panthers side, since Steve Smith is injured, they tended to keep the ball on the ground also.  The above image of Mike Goodson (33) somewhat sums up the feel of the game.  It was just real “smash mouth” football.  This image was shot with my D300, and a 300mm f2.8 lens.  I wish that it had better light in it, but it is what it is.

These next images are of running back Jonathan Stewart (28).  He broke 1000 yards rushing for the season during this game.  It seemed as if the ball was in his hands more than anyone during the whole game.

This next Image was shot with my D2x and my 500mm f4 lens.  I LOVE me 500, but you have to be careful with it when the laght starts to fade.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image of Jonathan Stewart (28) was also shot with my 500mm f4 and D2x.  The ISO was 250 shutter speed 1250 @ f6.3.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The next Image of Jonathan Stewart (28) was also shot with my 500mm lens.  This is guy is just so powerful, seemed as if it took the whole Saints defense to take him down.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) gets stopped by the Saints defense while playing against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I also used my 500mm lens in these next 2 images.  They are of the punters, which to me, are hard to get a good shot of.  I placed myself at the opposite end zone, and decided to try and catch them through the line of scrimage as the play developed.  The one of the Saints punter Thomas Morstead (6) did not thrill me as much as the one of the Panthers punter Jason Baker (7).  In the image of Jason Baker (7), you can see the ball.  In the one of Morstead, the ball is already gone………but I liked it anyway.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker (7) punts against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints punter Thomas Morstead (6) punts the ball against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I really only caught 2 pass plays the whole game, and one was not even a catch…….but I thought that it was still a very cool shot.  I vowed at the beginning of the Season to really work on the Passing Game. Looking back on it, I think that I did OK, but still have a ways to go before I am really happy.  I this next shot, I caught Jeff King just as he reeled the ball in after the catch.  I shot this with my 500mm f4 lens.  For some reason, I had put my D300 body on the lens……..so this was shot with my D300 and my 500mm f4.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Jeff King (47) catches the ball during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next Image, Robert Meachem (17) of New Orleans stretches out, but he just misses the ball.  I thought that it was a really neat shot, but probably not all that worthy from an Editorial point of view.  I shot this with my 300mm 2.8 lens and my D300 camera body.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Robert Meachem (17) stretches out but misses a pass while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 images are from the same sequence and play.  What I found interesting with them was the play on the light.  There is one part of Bank of America Stadium that was “pools” of light form in the late afternoon.  They are more towards the sides, and if you can catch someone in them, it makes a very good image.  I was fortunate to catch Devery Henderson (19) of the Saints in them.  Both of these were shot with my D300, my 300mm 2.8 lens, and the camera set at “Shutter Priority” for the operational mode.  I had the shutter speed set at 1000.  i think that they turned out nice.  The only thing that I wish could have been different is to catch Henderson catching the ball in the pool of light, but that was not to be.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devery Henderson (19) runs against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devery Henderson (19) runs against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image was also shot with my D300 and my 500mm f4 lens.  I shot it at shutter speed 1000, at f5.6.  The ISO was 250, and the exposure was straight up.  It is of Tracy Porter (22) chasing after a loose ball.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints cornerback Tracy Porter (22) chases after a loose ball while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

As I stated in the beginning of this, it was all about the running game on this day.  Here are some images from the running game.  All of the following were taken with my D300, and my 500mm lens.  I used Shutter Priority for most of the day as far as my operating mode.  These were all shot with Shutter Priority, and the exposure was straight up.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Dante Rosario (88) breaks away from Troy Evans (54) in the first half against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Mike Bell (21) breaks through the line for yardage while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Lynell Hamilton makes yardage against Dante Wesley (21) while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The following are some images of the quarterbacks in action.  Like I said, there wa not much passing, and when they did pass, it seemed if I was on the wrong side of the field……..just only able to get there backs.  Here is what I did get.

Here are 2 images of Mark Brunell (11).  Both were shot with my 500mm lens on Shutter Priority.  The shutter speed was 1000.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Mark Brunell (11) hands off to running back Lynell Hamilton (30) while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Mark Brunell (11) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Here are 2 images of Matt Moore (3) in action.  These were both shot with my D300 and my 300mm lens.  Both on Shutter Priority with the exposure straight up.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Moore (3) hands of to Brad Hoover (45) while playing against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Moore (3) against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I posted these next 2 Images with my take.  I just consider these “gritty” football images.  The one below was shot with my 500mm lens……the thing that I liked about it was the Reggie Busch (25) from the Saints is just “stonewalled” by the Panthers secondary.  I thought that it was just a good football shot.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Busch (25) is stopped by Panthers safety Chris Harris (43) linebacker Na'il Diggs (53) and linebacker Jon Beason (52) while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image was shot with my 80mm~200mm lens and my D300.  The reason that I included it was that it was a goal line stand.  The Panthers stopped the Saints right in their tracks at the goal line.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Lynell Hamilton (30) is stopped at the goal line while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next images are of some of the emotions that I caught after a play.  I have vowed to work on catching these moments more.  I have gotten better, but still have a ways to go.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back wide Dwayne Jarrett (80) celebrates with Jeff King (47) after scoring a touchdown during then first half against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Na'il Diggs (53) celebrates after making a tackle against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers defensive end Everette Brown (91) gets a congratulations from Charles Johnson (95) during the first half against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Being that it was the last game of the Season for Carolina, I wanted to get some of the guys coming off of the field.  The light was very nice on one part of the field, so I tried to catch as many players as I could walking through it.  I shot these with my 17mm~35mm lens.  I used my D300 camera body.

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Na'il Diggs (53) walks off the field after winning against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

January 3, 2010; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason (52) walks off the field after winning against the New Orleans Saints at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 23 to 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Well, that is a wrap for the 2009 Panthers NFL Season.  I really wish that they had made the play-offs, but there is always next year.  I have worked very hard at Football this year, and I think that I have made some strides in it.  I plan on shooting more college as well as the NFL next season.  I am really looking forward to it.

Well, for now, it is on to the NBA……and Motorsports is just around the corner.

Thaks for reading!

Sam

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; The Carolina Panthers rally against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I love football, and I love the Panthers.  I grew up in Washington DC, so I grew up loving the Washington Redskins.  I gotta tell ya, both of those Teams (and I still love my Redskins) are hard to be Fans of.  You just NEVER know what to expect out of either one of them.  After watching the Redskins for years, you would think that I would have learned how to deal with this, but the Panthers still keep me guessing every time I watch them play.  It always make for an interesting time every time I have the pleasure of covering them.  Keeps me on my toes……………But I am glad to say that this week they won.  The game was truly a physical game, but it really came down to a game of field goals.  As images go, I was very pleased to come away with what I did.  I work very hard to shoot football, and it is not often that I am pleased with my results, but I think that I did OK this week.  The above shot was taken at the start of the game.  I shot it with my 300mm f2.8 lens, and it really seemed to catch the spirit of the day, the Panthers were not going to be denied.

Like I said, the game was a very physical game (not that football is not anything but physical) but this one really seemed to be a battle of the “grunts.”  Below are some of the images that I captured that seemed to drive it home…..at least for me.  I shot all of these with my Nikon D300 Camera Body.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason (52) returns an interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 16 to 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In the above image, Linebacker Jon Beason nailed an interception.  I missed the catch, but I did get this from the return.  I hate that I missed the catch, because after all, that was the real “Editorial Moment,” but I missed it and this is what I caught.  I think it does pretty well to serve the purpose that it was intended.  This was shot with my 70mm~200mm lens, shutter speed 1250, at f2.8.

I think that this next image speaks for itself.  This just seemed to be the kind of day it was for both teams…….a real scrap.  This image was shot with my 300mm f2.8 lens.  It was shot a shutter speed 1250 at f2.8.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Carnell Williams (24) gets away from Carolina Panthers saftey Charles Godfrey (30) while playing the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 16 to 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Like I said before, this seemed to be a game of inches as well as field goals.  There was only one touchdown scored the whole game, the rest of the time it seemed as if it was a “war” just to move the ball a few inches.  One example of this that I caught was a Quarterback sneak performed by Tampa Bay Quarterback Josh Freeman (5).  I shot this image at the goal line with my 70mm~200mm lens.  I shot it at a shutter speed of 1000 at f4.  I do not think that this image would have worked as nice if you could not see the ball as well as you can.  Quarterback sneaks usually do not make for great images, but I got lucky with this one.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) takes the ball forward on a quarterback sneak play against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 16 to 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Sometimes you get an image that really did not turn out the way you may have planned it…….but it works anyway.  The next is one such image.  I ment to capture Jonathan Stewart (28) with the ball, but the image really ended up showing the intensity of the defensive player Quincy Black (58).  I thought that it worked out well as an image of Quincy.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Quincy Black (58) tackles Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) while playing against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 16 Tampa Bay 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 images I believe show the flow of how the game went.  Like I stated before, this really was a game of inches……………not much in the way of “spectacular” plays. This next image was shot with my 300mm lens.  It was shot at shutter speed 1250 at f2.8.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image was shot with my 70mm~200mm lens at shutter speed 1250, at f2.8.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Derrick Ward (28) drives forward against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Like I said earlier, this was a game of field goals.  This is one that I posted, nothing special, but it tells the story of what went on as far as scoring during the game.  The reason that I am partial to this one is the fact that I caught the ball right off of the kick.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers kicker Johns Kasey (4) scores against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 16 to 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image is one that I have tried to capture for some time now.  It is of Jonathan Stewart (28) straight up the middle of the line in a draw play.  The hole opened up, and there he went.  I just like this shot, I thought that it worked well.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) finds a hole for yardage against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 16 Tampa Bay 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The passing game was not all that exciting.  I shot more “almost” catches than I did real catches.  But at least I was on top of it when I hade to be.  Here are some examples.

These next 2 images are from the same series.  it was Kellen Winslow of Tampa against Charles Godfrey of the Panthers.  I really like the image where you can see the one eye of Kellen.  These images were shot with my 300mm lens, shutter speed 1000, f4.  I think the image with the eye lends itself to more “intensity” than the other.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Charles Godfrey (30) breaks up a pass against theTampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Charles Godfrey (30) breaks up a pass against theTampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Kellen Winslow at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image was shot with my 300mm lens with my 1.4 converter on it.  It was shot at shutter speed 1000, at f4.  It was under exposed by 2/3′s of a stop, but it worked out well.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Chris Harris (43) and Panthers cornerback C.J. Willison (27) break up a pass to Tampa Bay wide receiver Antonio Bryant (89) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image was a catch.  It is Steve Smith, and he never ceases to amaze me on high he can leap in the air.  I shot this with my 300 2.8 at a shutter speed of 1000, and at f2.8. It was somewhat backlite, which allowed me to saturate the colors just a tick, I think that it turned out very well.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) goes up for the catch against Tampa Bay corner back Derrick Roberson (29) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 16 to 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 5 images are some of the images that I sent with my final take to US Presswire.  I really like the one of Jonathan Stewart with the fog behind him.  I think that this image would be a very good “feature” image if someone were to write a story on him.  Maybe not an “opener” but certainly something that could be used.  I think that it is somewhat different, and that is why I really like it.

The other images or moments from the game.  I thibnk that they are just good “solid” images.

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Sabby Piscitelli (21) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 16 Tampa Bay 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) hands off to Carnell Williams (24) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 16 Tampa Bay 6. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 6, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman (5) takes the field against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Thnaks for reading!

Sam

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Richard Marshall (31) makes an interception against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 28 Atlanta 19. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The Panthers played really well this game.  I was happy to see them win.  It was a great day to shoot, the light was just about perfect.  I really did not feel as if I was hitting on all that I could have, I feel that I could have done better than what I did.  I did get some cool stuff, I just don’t think that I could have done as well as I maybe should have………………I shot the above image after an interception.  I did get the actual catch, but the run back was very interesting.  Richard Marshall was doing just about anything that he could to gain yardage.  I love this shot.  I caught him jumping to get past some defenders.  I shot this with my 300mm f2.8.  I shot it at a shutter speed of 1250, at f3.2.  The ISO was 800, and the exposure was straight up.

This next image is of Jason Snelling attempting to catch a pass.  I really don’t know how I got this other than just hitting it right. I just thought that it was a great image when you look at the concentration in his eyes.  I had to work with it in Photoshop.  I shot it on Shutter Priority, and caught it in the shadow part of the field.  The exposure was short of a real Fuck-up, but I was able to bring it back in PhotoShop.  This image was shot with my 70mm~200mm lens.  Shutter Speed was 1000, and it was shot at f4.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Jason Snelling (44) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final Score Carolina 28 Atlanta 19. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

As I have said many times before, the passing game (at least to me) is the hardest thing to shoot in Football.  I really wanted to try something different, so I went up top for part of the second quarter.  Here is a shot I got of Steve Smith catching a pass for a touchdown.  I shot this with my 500mm lens, shutter speed 1600, and at f4.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) scores a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, I was walking from one part of the field to another.  I was walking behind the Falcons bench when I was this bag of equipment sitting on the ground.  I just really liked the way the light was hitting it.  I shot this with  my 17mm~35mm lens.  I shot it at shutter speed 500, at f3.2.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Falcons equipment against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 28 Atlanta 19. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In these following images, I tried to get some of the Key players of the Panthers coming out through the smoke during the pre game show.  These guys all have something going on with them.  Delhomme has been the subject of much controversy lately here in Charlotte, DeAngilo Williams has suffered some injuries this season, and Steve Smith is always the topic of conversation.  All of these images were shot at f5 with a shutter speed of 1000.  the ISO was 200.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, I really do not know what Matt Ryan is doing, I just thought that it looked cool.  I shot this with my 300mm lens, my 1.4 converter, shutter speed 1000, f6.3, and the ISO @ 200.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 images are of the same run.  Late in the afternoon, the Bank of America Stadium has “pools” of light that gather towards the northern end zone. If the time of day is right, and the sun is shining, it can make for some interesting images.  Both of these were shot at shutter speed 1250, f5, ISO 400, and I was over eposed by 1/3 of a stop.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Jason Snelling (44) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 28 Atlanta 19. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Atlanta Falcons running back Jason Snelling (44) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final Score Carolina 28 Atlanta 19. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Sometimes you just need a good Tackle Image.  I thought that this one might do it.  It was shot with my 300mm lens, shutter speed 1250 at f6.3.  I thought that it rally said “football” when I saw it.

I thought that this next image of Jason Baker was somewhat unique.  I never seem to get good shots of Punters or Kickers.  To me, it is somewhat of a “let down” play.  you either did not get a chance to get the 1st down, or you are settling for 3 points instead of 6.  When I saw this shot, I liked it.  It is just a different angle of the kick that you do not see often.  Seeing the ball in the play is what makes it for me.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker (7) against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 28 Atlanta 19. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These final 2 images are just images from my take that I liked.  Both were posted to US Presswire.  I do not know if they were used are not, but I personally just liked them.  The one of Delhomme and Deangelo Williams was shot with my 70mm~200mm lens.  The other of the Teams praying was shot with my 10mm~17mm Fisheye.

November 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) hands off to running back DeAngelo Williams (34) against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 28 Atlanta 19. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Thanks for taking time to read.  I will soon be shooting the NBA…..I look forward to that.  I hope that you check back and let me know how I doing at that.

Thanks,

Sam

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers safety Charles Godfrey (30) and corner back Dante Wesley (21) celebrate against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17 Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Carolina finally won!!!  I am so happy!  It had to happen, if they had not won, shooting the rest of the season would be like getting a tooth pulled every time I would have had to show up at the stadium.  I think that they are a much better Team than what they have been playing like, it just seems as if it has taken them some time to really find and turn up the intensity…………Like I wrote in my last post, shooting Football is hard for me.  I really don’t consider myself a “great” football shooter, it is something that I really have to work at all the time, and really put a lot of thought into when I am off the field.  I have been trying to shoot other things other than the “plays” themselves, and this is what I came up with from this game.  I was really happy to see them win, and I think that helped in my outlook while shooting.  All of these were shot with my Nikon D300.  I love the camera, but I am excited to see the D300s come out.  Can’t wait to try one.

In the image below, I wanted to show the Breast Cancer Awareness logo on the goal post.  I would have preferred to be more in front of it, but security was all over me as it was.  This was shot with my 10mm~17mm fisheye lens.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins tackle Chris Samuels warms up during pre game against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

It was Breast Cancer Awareness day at the Stadium, so I wanted to try and pop off some images that showed that.  Something that was different, but still had the “NFL” flavor to it.  Here are 2 images that were published:

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; The Carolina Panthers bench has pink gatorade towels in order to bring awareness to breast cancer against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers DeAngelo Williams (34) wears pink in order to bring awareness to breast cancer against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I sometimes tend not to get as much “celebration” or “let down” moments as I should.  I really have made it a priority to get these kinds of things.  These images sell bigtime, especially if it is a player that is a marque name, or a Team that is really on top or in the dumper. I tend to forget about these moments after the play happens.  I attribute that to racing……….the only time there is really any kind of celebration is in Victory Lane, and you are looking for it there.  But here, I really have to step up the plan on this.  Here are some images that I shot

This image below is of Dante Rosario after he missed a pass. I shot this with my 70mm~200mm lens, f2.8 at 1250 of a second.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Dante Rosario (89) against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17 Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This nect shot is of Coach Fox on the sidelines.  I really have to concentrate on Coaches.  They are big sellers.  I just get lazy and forget about them since it is really hard to see them on the sidelines.  This image was shot with my 300mm lens at f4.  The shutter speed was 500

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I love this next image.  I know what the criticism is going to be already………..the players blend into the background.  I agree with that somewhat, but when I looked at it on the computer screen blown up big, I just really did not get that effect too much.  I just love how high they are in the air, and it just seems as if the are suspended there.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Dante Rosario (88) and wide receiver Steve Smith (89) celebrate after a touchdown against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17 Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next shot is of Steve Smith after he caught a pass for the 2 point conversion.  He did not get all crazy with the celebration like normal………just clean and simple.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) celebrates after a touchdown against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17 Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In these next images, I was really just trying to capture something different.  In the shot of Steve Smith coming out of the tunnel, he knelt down and was telling the crowd to “hush up.”  Kind of a strange thing to do……but it made a very cool shot.  I really liked it.  This was shot with my 300mm lens across the field at f5.6.  The shutter speed was 250.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In the next image, John Kasey was leading some of the players in prayer after the game.  It was very interesting moment.  One that I was not expecting, but was able to capture it anyway.  I shot this with my 10mm~17mm fisheye…….I held the camera over the players and shot it.  I got lucky on it.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Both Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins players gather for a prayer after the game against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17 Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next Image, I wanted to get the Redskins taking the field.  I have shot this image of the opposing Team often taking the field, but it really has never been a shot that has thrilled me.  This one is different.  I was able to get the quarterback Jason Campbell (17) coming out.  That is way I chose to publish it on US Presswire

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell (17) takes the field against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image is of Albert Haynesworth (92) of the Redskins.  He got shook up on a play and was slightly injured.  Normally, I can NEVER get a good shot of a player that has been injured, but I think that I did OK with this one.  You can see his face, and that is what I really like about it.  Most of the time I get an image of a bunch of guys huddled up around the player.  That does no one any good……only good for the “delete” button.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (92) is injured against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I vowed to work on my passing game, so here it is.  It is something that I have to CONTINUALLY work on and think about.  Both of these images were shot with my 500mm lens.  They are from the same series. I really nailed it this time.  I am proud of them.  Believe me, I am still going to continue to work on it……….I have a long way to go!

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers defends the pass against Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers defends the pass against Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image is one that I took with my 300mm next to the end zone.  I has just walked out of the tunnel from the Media Room after posting some images, and the play started to develop right in front of me.  I slung my camera body up, aimed and fired.  This is what I got.  Jeff King (47) is actually in the end zone in this shot.  I did not like it at first, but I received compliments on it from other shooters……so you be the judge.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Jeff King (47) catches a pass for a touchdown against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Final score Carolina 20 and Washington 17 Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, Julis Peppers (90) to me really stands out.  He is the defensive player with his arms outstretched tackling Clinton Portis (26).  I really got lucky with this one.  Julis Peppers has been the subject of much controversy here in Charlotte.  He is getting paid 1 Million dollars a game………….That’s right……..1 Million.  His performance on the field has been less than “par” according to some……….so this image is good from a “sales” point of view.  Besides that, I just thought that it was a cool image.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis (26) is stopped by defensive end Julis Peppers (90) for a safety against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, I was really worried about the outcome of the game.  This shot was taken early on, and the Panthers did not score.  In this series of downs, they kept trying to get DeAngelo Williams (34) up over the top and into the end zone.  As you can see, it was basically useless.  this is as close as he came before they had to settle for a field goal.  This image was shot with my 70mm~200mm at f2.8.  The shutter speed was 1250.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) is stoped at the goal line against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheShapeImage.com

I just liked this next image.  I missed the reception, but I stilled liked it anyway.  Dante Rosario (88) had a good game this day, so it was also important that I include images of him.  This is one of the better that I took.  This was shot with my 70mm~200mm at f4.  The shutter speed was 1000.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Dante Rosario (88) against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

My editor keeps on me to stay on top of images of quarterbacks.  They are always good sellers……….but you want to try and get something that is a little different with them.  I get tons of shots of them throwing the ball, so I want to do something different. Here are some of the shots that I published from the game.  The image below was shot between the legs of a line judge with my 70mm~200mm lens.  It was shot at f4 with a shutter speed of 1000.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell (17) and his offense lines up against the Carolina Panthers at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next shot of Jake seemed to just tell the story of how people have hammered him for not taking enough “charge” of the offense. With the Victory, I liked this, because it seemed as if Jake had finally got his “command” back.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next image, I opted to publish something that was play action instead of the typical “pass” pose.  I think it worked out pretty well.

Oct. 11, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhome (17) against the Washington Redskins at the Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Well, that is it for now.  My next game is November 15th against the Falcons.  It will be all about auto racing for the next couple of weeks.  As always, thanks for reading

Sam

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Ellis Hobbs (31) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final Score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This was the opening game for the Carolina Panthers.  The day was beautiful for Photography, but that is about all you could say.  The Panthers got beat 38 to 10……they seem to need a lot of work to get themselves to where they really need to be in order to be competitive.  But this is not about the Panthers playing skills, it is about the photography of the day.  I really did not feel too much on top of my game today.  Maybe it was because of the Panthers poor playing, I do not know.  But I did get some decent stuff from the day.  Please take a look.  Thanks!

I have really been trying to work on more “conceptual” type images.  I just feel like shooting players that are hitting and running into each other is just not taking my photography to a new level.  I think that it is important to try and capture the “essence” of a sport.  The things that go on around it to make it what it is.  It is real hard for me to do this.  I seem to get caught up in trying to document the play action so much, that I forget to try and expand my vision to other things.  This takes thought for me.  I am NOT one of the “super creative” types that it comes easy for, it is work for me……..real hard work.  Please take a look at what I got and let me know what you think.  All of these images were shot using my Nikon D300.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; A Philadelphia Eagles player signs a fan's hat before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final Score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I saw this Image as the players were taking the field to warm up.  I actually shot it with my 500mm f4 lens from inside the Stadium tunnel looking out.  I hand held the lens (here is a shock to most…..I ALWAYS hand hold my 500 f4.  I hate monopods!)  and shot it at shutter speed 1250.  I could have never pulled it off otherwise.  I thought that this image was a fair image.  It left room for text in the upper left hand corner, and I liked the colors of it.

These next 3 were of players coming out of the Stadium Tunnel right before the game.  I love to catch these guys in the smoke………it is just a cool shot.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Julius Peppers (90) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Defensive End Tyler Brayton (96) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image was a crop from the image above.  It turned out to be just a bit more than 8 megs when opened in Photoshop.  Big enough to do a lot of things with.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Defensive End Tyler Brayton (96) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

All of the above images were shot at F13 and a shutter speed of 400.  The ISO was 200.

This next image is of Jason Baker who is the Team Punter for the Panthers.  Jason is a deeply Religious person, and I almost felt an intrusion on shooting this shot.  I have shot it before, but I really liked the way the light came in around the floor this time.  I do not think that I will shoot this again this season……there is really no need in the intrusion when he is trying to have a private moment.  I shot this with my 17mm~35mm lens, f2.8 and the shutter speed was 40th of a second.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker (7) takes a moment to pray before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.co

I was really trying to pull something different with this next shot.  I shot this at a 30th of a second at f22.  I shot several frames during a punt return, and for the most it really did not work out.  But this one seemed to work.  I was wanting to just capture the speed at which Mike Goodson runs.  I really do not know if this will have any editorial value at all, but I really did like it.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Running Back Mike Goodson (33) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, I really wanted to get Donovan McNabb all by himself, but I wanted to leave room for text in the image.  I shot this from up in the Stadium, I think that it worked.  I was thinking “feature” when I shot it.  Probably not as strong as I would have liked, but I still think it works.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (5) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final Score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I just thought this next shot of Chris Clemons was just different looking.  Almost “evil” in a weird sort of way.  This was shot with my 500mm lens at f4, shutter speed 1000.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Philadelphia Eagles aDefensive End Chris Clemons (91) gainst the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final Score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, I was trying to capture the Team as some of them were “rallying” before the tart of the game.  The truth of this shot it that a TV Camera man got in the way when I took it, so I had to do a somewhat “funky” crop on it.  I would have gotton more of the whole group in if it were not for TV……but it is what it is.  This was shot with my 500mm f4, at shutter speed 1000.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; The Carolina Panthers Defense rallies before the start of the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, I wanted to get a prospective from the quarterback’s point of view on what it looks like to have someone “rush” at you.  This was shot with my 500mm f4, at the shutter speed of 1250 of a second.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (5) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final Score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I have vowed to myself to really work on my “passing game” this year.  In my opinion, that is what separates a good football shooter from a great football shooter.  I struggle with the passing game……I admit it.  This is what I got from this game.  Not great shots……but to my defense, there really was not much going on as far as spectacular passing in this game.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Wide Receiver Steve Smith (89) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Wide Receiver Steve Smith (89) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The next 2 images of Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams are in my opinion just good play action images.

The one of Jonathan Stewart (28) was shot with my 500mm lens, and the one of DeAngelo Williams (34) was shot with my 70mm~200mm lens.  Both were shot at shutter speed 1000.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These last 2 images just struck me.  I think that the one of Jake Delhomme struck me because I have never really seen an angle like this before.  Not saying that people have not done it before, I have just really never seen it.  I shot it with my 500mm f4 lens.  The portrait of Tackle Jeff Otah just had a nice feeling to it.  It seems “gritty” in a way.  The shot seemed to reflect the “mood” of the day.  This was the 4th loss in a row for the Panthers.  Although the previous 3 had been pre-season, a loss is a loss.  I think that it was starting to settle in as he looked at the scoreboard.

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) and Running Back Jonathan Stewart (28) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Sept. 13, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers tackle Jeff Otah (79) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Philadelphia 38 and Carolina 10. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Well, that is it for this game.  Look for more this week from the NHRA event at zMax Dragway.

Thanks for taking the time to look.

Sam

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers mascot outside the stadium against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Well, as far as I am concerned…….fall is here.  Even though it is just a Pre-Season game, it is the first real game of the Season for me.  The Panthers did not look so well, but here again, they really did not play too many of their Top Play Makers.  The suffered a loss of 17 to 13, but hey, there is always next week.  It is only Pre-Season!  The above image of the stone Panther was taken with my D300 and my 70mm~200mm lens.  I shot at shutter speed 250 @ f20, this under exposed it by 2 stops.  I thought it looked pretty cool.

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers mascot outside the stadium against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Here is another image of the Panther outside of the Stadium.  I took this with Bank of America in mind.  It never hurts to throw the Sponsor Logo in when possible.  This was shot at with my 17mm~35mm at f250.  I over exposed it a stop and it worked out pretty good.

I like to get the players warming up before the game.  These images are always good for “Features” so it is always good to concentrate on the pre game warm up.  I wanted something different.  The Players all ran over and hit the Goal Post.  I just put my camera up to my hip and shot.  I used the auto focus and it turned out.

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Defensive Tackle Lorenzo Williams (94) warms up during pre game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I got this next shot of Decori Birmingham as he was warming up.  I thought that it was cool because it was just him hunkered down with the ball.  Here again, I was thinking “Commercial Application” when I shot it.

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Runningback Decori Birmingham (24) against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 Images I shot during Player Introductions.  I was wanting to get the smoke all around the player, but yet still let the viewer know who the player was.  I shot sevevral, but these are really the only ones that worked out.  I shot both at ISO 2000, shutter speed 200 @ f10.

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers linebacker Na'il Diggs (53) against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers Cornerback Chris Gamble (20) during pre game against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image is of the Ravens Rallying before the game.  It was shot at shutter speed 1000 @ f3.2.  I used my 300mm lens

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Baltimore Ravens against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In the next 2 Images, I was able to catch the NFL Logo in the image.  I wish that I could say that I planned it that way……..but I really did not.  Like I said before, it is always good to catch a Logo in the image.  Editors, as well as the sanctioning body likes to see this.

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker (7) against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 Images are of the Ravens Running Back Willis McGahee busting through the Panthers Defense to gain yardage.  I wish that I could have caught him more “in the hole” with the ball showing, but it was not to be.  I did catch him in the hole, but you really could not see the ball very good.  I opted for the images where you could see the ball.

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee (23) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee (23) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In these next two images, I was looking for something different in a Quarterback Image.  I wanted something to stand out…..something different.  In the Image of Joe Flacco (5), I really like the fact that the Panther Defensive player is closing in on him fast.  With the image of Jake Delhomme, I wanted something different.  Jake is a big guy and can be a very commanding presence on the field.  I wanted to show this.  I really don’t know if the image succeeded in this or not, but what the hell……I liked the image.  Both of these images were shot with my D300, and my 300mm 2.8 lens.  They were shot at ISO 2000, shutter speed 1000, and f 3.2

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco (5) against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I thought the next images were good images for Feature Stories.  I am somewhat unhappy with the Dwayne Jarrett image (80) because he is a wide receiver.  I would have liked to have photographed him catching the ball……but it was not to be.  Anyway, I thought that it could be used somewhere in a article if someone wrote a story about him.  The others were taken in mind as feature images.  They were all shot with my D300.  The ISO was 2000, the shutter speed was 1000, and all were at f3.2.

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett (80) pushes away from safety Lardarius Webb (21) of the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive back Lardarius Webb (21) returns a punt against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score Baltimopre 17 Carolina 13. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Mike Goodson (33) against the Baltimore Ravens at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

August 29, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Baltimore Ravens defeat the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Final score 17 to 13. Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Look for images from this Thursday’s game.  That is the next one for me.

Thanks for looking.

Sam

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Training equipment awaits the Carolina Panthers during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I went down to the Panther’s Trainng camp on Friday.  It was a 9:10am Practice, so I had to get up at 4:30am………not my favorite time of day to do at all.  But I really wanted to cover it because I am excited about the Team this year.  So here it is, please check it out.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Footballs await the Carolina Panthers during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I shot this image early in the morning before the Team had taken to the field.  I loved the way the sun hit the balls.  This was shot with my D300 at f 7.1 @250.  I under exposed it 2/3′s a stop.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers Quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) signs Autographs before training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I wanted to get a shot of Jake Delhomme signing autographs…..but I wanted something different.  I just got behind him and shot this.  I think that it works.  I wish that there were more people in the image, but that is what I had to work with.  I shot this with my D300 at f 5.6 @640.  I exposed straight up, and used my 10~17mm Fisheye lens.  The lens was at 17mm.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; A Helmet awaits the Carolina Panthers during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Again, I shot this in the Early Morning before the Team had taken to the Field.  just liked the way the sun hit it.  It was shot with my D300 and my 300mm f 2.8 Lens.  The exposure was straight up at f 6.3 at 320.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; The Carolina Panthers Defensive Squad warms up during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Here again, I was trying to get a feel that this was camp…..and these guys warm up just like anyone else.  I really is something to watch.  They all walk down the entire field a stretch as they go.  This was shot with my D300 and my 70~200mm Lens.  The exposure was f 11 at 320 and was straight up.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; The Carolina Panthers Offensive Squad during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This was a drill where the Offensive line would line up, set, and spring to hit the Line Dummies.  The would push the whole sled down the entire field in a matter of less than a minute.  This was shot with my D300 and my 70~200mm Lens.  The Lens was @ 170mm, and the exposure was f16 @125.  I shot the exposure straight up.

These next Images are of Running Back Practice.  They just run these guys over and around all kind of obstacles.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; The Carolina Panthers running backs DeAngelo Williams (34) and Decori Brimingham (24)during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The above image was shot with my D300, my 300mm Lens with my 1.4 extender on it.  The total focal length was 420mm.  It was shot at f 4.5 @320.  The exposure was straight up.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; The Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This image was shot with my D300 and my 300mm Lens with my 1.4 extender on it for a total focal length of 420mm.  It was shit at f 5.6 @320.  The exposure was straight up.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jamall Lee (22) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This image was shot with my D300 and my 300mm f2.8 Lens.  The exposure was f 4.5 @1250.  It was shot straight up.

It seems as if it is very hard to get Jake Delhomme throwing the ball.  Everytime he goes to pass, the coaches put him down at the end of the field where they do not allow Media.  This is not always the case, but it sure seemed as if it was today.  I did not get much, but here is what I did get.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers Quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.theSharpeImage.com

This image was shot with my D300 and my 300mm Lens.  The exposure was shot straight up.  It was shot at f 5 @1250.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers Quarterback Jake Delhomme (17) hands off to running back DeAngelo Williams (34) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This image was shot with my D300 and my 300mm Lens.  The exposure was straight up.  The exposure was f5 @1250

This next set of images is of the Carolina Panthers Pass Receivers.  I had to shoot them with Big Glass accross to the other side of the field.  It was somewhat tuff because you had to nail them between coaches standing on the field.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith (89) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This images was shot with my D300 and my 300mm with my 1.4 extender on it.  It was a total of 420mm.  It was shot straight up on the exposure: f 5.6 @1000

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Kenneth Moore (81) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This image was shot with my D300 and my 300mm Lens with the 1.4 extender on it…..total focal length, 420mm.  The exposure was straight up: f 5.6 @1000

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Larry Beavers (16) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This image was shot with my D300 and my 300mm lens with the 1.4 extender on it.  Again, the exposure was straight up:  f 5.6 @1000

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; The Carolina Panthers Defensive Squad during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The above image is of the Defensive Line practicing.  The lined up smacked into each other about a half a dozen times…..made me hurt to watch it.  This image was taken with my D300 and my 300mm Lens.  The exposure was straight up: f 5.6 @1000

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers Running Back Decori Brimingham (24) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

At one point they bring both Squads together and run plays………the above image is from that drill.  This was shot with my D300 and my 300mm Lens with the 1.4 extender on it.  The exposure is straight up: f 6.3 @1250

Line Backer Jon Beason has been suffering a hamstring injury.  The Team had him over on another field running against the resistance of a bungee cord……the image below is of this drill.  It was shot with my D300 and my 300mm <ens with the 1,4 extender on it.  I under exposed the image by 1/3: f 6.3 @1000

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers Line Backer Jon Beason (52) pulls against a bungee cord to work his hamstring injury during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The next image is of DeAngilo Williams taking a break under a trainning tent.  I shot this with my D300 and my 300mm with the 1.4 extender on it.  It was over exposed by 1 full stop: f4.5 @500.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers Running Back DeAngelo (34) takes a break during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 Images are of the Defensive Squad.  These guys are really working hard this year.  The level of intensity is really high………I hope that they can carry it the full distance of the Season.

Aug 7, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; The Carolina Panthers Defensive Squad during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The above image was shot with my D300 and my 10~17mm Lens.  The lens was at 17mm.  It was under exposed by 12/3′s of a stop: f 5.0 @1000

This final Image shows the Spirit of the Team  They are really determined this year…..lets hope good things come!

This image was shot with my D300 and my 300mm Lens with the 1,4 extender on it.  It was under exposed by 1/3 of a stop: f 5.6 @1000

Thanks for looking at my Images.

Peace,

Sam

The 2009 Carolina Panther's warm up during Training Camp

I love Football.  I grew up right outside of Washington DC, so when I was brought home for the Hospital, my Mom had me wrapped in a Burgandy and Gold blanket.  Needless to say that I love the Redskins, but I also love my hometown team……..The Carolina Panthers.  I had a chance to start to shoot the NFL about 4 years ago, and needless to say, I jumped at the chance.  It was a nice departure from racing, plus it gave me a chance to spread out into other Sports.  The other great thing about it, is the fact that I do not have to travel far to shoot games, just 20 mintues and I am at the stadium.  I love it!

This is the first time that I have ever shot a Training Camp, and I felt some frustration while doing it.  It seems as if the Panthers Organization is very strict on where they will let photographers go during the actual practice sessions.  It became a trick to get any kind of images at all.  I felt as if I was missing something, but since this was my first camp, I decided not to push the issue.  I am excited about the upcoming Season.  There are onle 3 home games that conflict with my racing schedule, and one of the races I think I can shoot on Saturday Night, get back from Richmond and still shoot the Sunday game.  Well, here is what I got from camp.  Please tale a look and let me know what you think.

Peace, Sam

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Mushin Muhammad signs autographs before training camp. Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Mushin Mahammad came out and signed autographs early before the start of the practice.  I wanted to do something different with the shot, so I shot it from down below, and left room at the top for an editor to write text in.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart signs autographs before training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith signs autographs before training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Both Jonathan Stewart and Steve Smith came out and signed autographs before the practice session.  I shot these vertical with the thought in mind to use more of a feature image.  The same goes for the shot of Jake Delhomme below.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme signs autographs before training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Julius Peppers (Defensive End) created a big stink in Charlotte on whether he was going to sign again with the Panthers or not.  He eventually did sign, but I don’t think that the negotiations were pleasent for either side.  This image just seemed to capture the mood of the whole ordeal.  I really liked the way the afternoon light worked out on it.

This next shot is of Julius Peppers getting his wrist tapped after a play.  The Team seemed to take extra care to look him over during the practice sessions

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panther Julius Peppers gets worked on during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Jake Delhomme is one of my favorite Quarterbacks in all of NFL.  He is a big guy that is really able to move around in the pocket and on the field.  He has a real “Commanding Presence” when he takes control.  For some reason in the shot below, he just looked as if he wanted to be someplace.  Kinda like the first day back at school

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme has a "moment" during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

He looks better in this shot

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Like I said, the PR Staff really did not want us to get to close to get shots.  But I did get a shot of all 4 Quarterbacks working out.  I thought that it was interesting, and from an editorial stand point, it shows all 4 in case there is ever an issue between them.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterbacks Matt Moore (3) Hunter Cantwell (14) Jake Delhomme (17) and Josh McCown (12) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The feeling for the most part towards the end of the day seemed relaxed.  I believe that the Organization has confidence going into the year.  I believe this next shot demonstrates this

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterbacks Hunter Cantwell (14) and Matt Moore (3) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 Images are about all I got of Quarterback action……….it just sucks that I really could not get a good position on the QB’s while they were throwing.  Maybe things will work out better on Friday.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

It seemed as if Jonathan Stewart spent a lot of time on the stationary bike.  I tried to capture this with a “Training Camp” feel to it.  That is why I used the wide angle lens.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers Jonathan Stewart (28) during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The next shot was really the only good shot I got of a wide receiver in action.  I plan on getting Steve Smith on Friday, he was just not to be had in action today.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide reciever Marcus Monk during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I shot the next picture of Jason Baker drinking from a portaiable fountain that the Team uses on the field.  I have never really seen anything like it.  Good, clean running water for them to drink from.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers punter Jason Baker takes a drink of water during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

The next 3 Images are really I all was able to take of Steve Smith on the field.  I really wish that I could have got him catching a pass, but it was just not to be today.  What an amazing athlette!  I really enjoy watching him play.  He really enjoys the game…..I think that he would play for free if he had to.  I look forward to photographing him this year.

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Aug 3, 2009; Spartanburg, SC, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith during training camp at Wofford College. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Thanks for looking.  I will be back at Camp this coming Friday.  Please look for a post.

C-ya.

Sam