the one with the Homecoming Game, 2016

Lubbock Cooper Pirates played Weatherford Friday night for Homecoming.  We won!  And it was a great night seeing old faces and new ones!  I love being a part of that community and building friendships and gaining new ones.  It's great to be a Pirate!

But first, let's talk gear.  Because, as much as I love the emotional side of photography and documenting life, I love the nuts and bolts of gear talk as well.  I know that it's the photographer that makes the shot, but golly those tools sure help!

I'm a member of Canon Professional Services, and they have a loan program where you can test out gear before buying it.  I've always wanted to photograph a game with a REAL sports lens.  You know the ones.  You see them in the end zone when the guys are replaying the touchdown and there's guys with shooter's vests and BIG lenses mounted on pods.  These lenses are HUGE and heavy, but they produce such beautiful images, crisp and sharp and oh so yummy!  I just had to try one.  Well, it arrived the day of the game and after all the pre-game festivities, It being the Canon 300 mm 2.8 IS.  I test drove that sucker.  It was instant love and admiration and fear and panic all rolled into one.  Love for the beautiful images I was seeing on the back of my camera and admiration for just how dang close it was getting me to the action!  But fear, because I was forced to not chase the action but to anticipate it and hello!  Could I do that?  Would my pictures still be OK?  And then panic upon realizing they were OK and OMGEEEE!  How could I ever afford this lens?  FYI, it retails for around 6-7K.  

She performed beautifully and I added her to my "Christmas Wish" so when I sit on Santa's knee, I'm prepared.  I've pulled quite a few shots here to share with you and the blogging world.  Just scroll down past all the pretty girls.  I hope you enjoy!

Love does,
Kristin

the one where Jacey is crowned queen!

I may have gotten a bit carried away with all these HOCO pictures.  I mean come on!  There's over 70 posted in the blog post.  I think I have a problem and coming out of denial is the first step, right?  If you are a bride and you stumbled upon my website, please understand, I LOVE my Cooper Pirates, OK?  I just do.  So they will be here a lot and I won't apologize.  Just click the "the photos" button to the left and you'll find all the pretty wedding pictures.  You will.  I promise. 

Now back to the HOCO Show!  

They crowned the HOCO Queen and King at the pep rally this year.  It was really cool, having the football boys there to witness and by crowing the king at the pep rally, we actually got pictures of both together.  That was cool.  However, and this is a HUGE however as I don't know how hard it is to organize an event like this and keep people happy.  I really missed seeing and photographing the parent's reactions.  I've always enjoyed that part of the event and usually there's so much emotion and pride.  AND, later, pregame, it's like the emotion was simply removed because, HELLO!  Everyone knew who got queen.  

But, I understand that this is a huge thing to put on and organize for our school.  It is not easy, one bit.  And either way, it was fabulous all the same.  So, off my soap box, on to the pretty pictures.

Don't forget!  Click the "down with LCP" to view many more fabulous images from HOCO 2016!!!

Love Does,
Kristin

the one where we "light up the night" 2016

We kicked off Homecoming Week last night with "Light up the Night" at Cooper.  I love photographing these kind of events because you get a little bit of everything, plus it gets you totally in the mood for some football!  Last night proved no exception!  The rain stayed away until after and everyone seemed to have such a good time celebrating our Pirate Nation!  

See you at the game!

Kristin

the one with the #showdownacrosstown

They were calling it the "showdown across town".  In fact, they had a Hashtag for the vent!  And when I was driving up, I even saw planes hovering above advertising because HELLO!  This is where everyone wanted to be Friday night!  Everyone wanted to watch the Lubbock Cooper Pirates play sportsball against the Frenship Tigers!  And I was one of those "everyones".  

So much excitement!!! You could feel the energy in the parking lot!  Crazy!!!  And I loved it!!!  The band was there, the key people were there and the sidelines were packed with photographers.  We all wanted a chance to document this game.  Even this Lubbock Wedding Photographer couldn't stay away!  

I got to see my good friend, LuAnn Curry with Curry Photography.  Her husband, Randy works the business with her and anytime I'm at a sporting event with Frenship, I get to hug her neck!  I so wish I would have remembered to take a selfie with her!  I hate that I forget.  You'll just have to take my word that I saw her.  OK?  

The Pirates came out strong and played hard and had a 21-0 lead at the 1/2.  WOW!  That was awesome!  And then they came out of the locker room for the 3rd quarter and the defense held the goose egg and we all just went nuts!!!  I loved it!  Way to play Cooper and a HUGE shout out to the student body and awesome they were!!  Sure there was some rival things yelled a time or two, but for the most part, they were respectful, they cheered on our boys, and it looked like they had an AWESOME time doing it!

You can view more pictures on the Pirate Gallery.  Simple click the link "down with LCP" that's under the menu.  

Love Does,
Kristin

the one where LCHS beats Canyon Randall in sportsball

I would totally lead this blog post with a cute cheerleader, or in this case TWO!  HELLO!  I'm not stupid.  I know what will drive traffic to my website.  LOL  

I photographed "the boys of fall" last week and it was my first sportsball in over 6 months!  I think I did pretty good overall, and it was so much fun seeing everyone again!  I love our Pirate Nation!  To view more from our win over Canyon Randall, CLICK HERE.  

Way to go, Pirates!

I parked on the visitor's side and noticed some major construction going on.  I knew we had a weight gym now, but didn't realize it came with windows.  I kind of miss the big logo that was on the side.  It was always nice to have that in the background of my photos. 

 

Yep.  WE PRAY!!!  LOVED THIS!!!!

 

We have a POM Squad at Lubbock Cooper now.  This is AWESOME!  I loved seeing Miss Maddie all POMED up! 

 

Some of my favorite people on the face of this earth.  They love kids!  They totally don't mind acting goofy and having fun AND I always admire that in people.  Ask my kids how I feel about "goober"s. HELLO!  Some of my favorite people.  

 

Gorgeous CHEERLEADERS!!!  Wouldn't be football without you girls!!!

 

New celebration dance, no?

 

I love the energy from these kids that obviously LOVE FNL!

 

New name for our sports park as well.  

 

Our Pirate Band is always one of my favs!!!