The A-Team Meets Bevo

The Hogs were destroyed 52-10 by Texas on Saturday. At least Z-Man and I got a shot with Bevo. Of course we had to throw a little hate Texas' way at the same time. :)

Hawgs Illustrated: Vol. 17, Issue 12

Coming to your home soon....if you're a subscriber that is.

Alabama 49, Arkansas 14

The score pretty much says it all. Saturday's game in Fayetteville was a disaster, a total breakdown. The Hogs' lopsided loss to Bama was the worst they've suffered in years. The Crimson Tide scored 49 points, but the Razorbacks gave them 14 of those points in returned interceptions. In all Alabama picked off four passes, the lead photo being the last one of the game. Casey Dick was picked off three times and accounted for the two Bama touchdown returns. After a game like Saturday's it's really hard to optimistic about Arkansas' chances for the rest of the season.


Arkansas freshman wide receiver Jarius Wright loses the football just short of the goal line.


Arkansas linebacker Freddy Burton tackles Alabama wide receiver Mike McCoy.


Arkansas tight end Andrew Davie hauls in the Razorbacks' first touchdown of the game.


Arkansas freshman Dennis Johnson returns a kickoff.


Arkansas safety Jerico Nelson sacks Alabama quarterback John Parker Wilson.


Arkansas wide receiver Greg Childs pulls down a pass from quarterback Casey Dick.


Arkansas tailback Michael Smith was the one solid element of the Razorbacks' offense. Smith had 91 yards on 19 carries, caught six passes for 67 yards and had one touchdown.


Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino and quarterback Casey Dick have a chat during a timeout. I hope Casey keeps his confidence in check for this weekend's game against Texas. Otherwise Saturday's game will pale in comparison to what could be in store in Austin.


Hope you enjoyed your Saturday off Z-Man. The A-Team gets back to work this Saturday. Let's pray those Texas fans are as friendly as the fans at LSU. I'm sure we'll be needing a couple of cold ones after the game. I doubt they'll be serving "Razorback Red" though.

Beauty By Ike

Dusted off my shutter release cable and tripod yesterday and headed to the Lake Ann waterfall here in Bella Vista for some post-Ike action. It was really flowing. This was my first time to photograph the waterfall at the bottom. I posted some photos of the upper waterfall last year. It's a bit of a pain to get to the bottom of the waterfall. Had to do some 4-wheeling, climbing and bushwacking to get the shot. But it was worth it.

Deluged

Last night's Bentonville High School football game versus Fort Zumwalt, Mo., High School was hit with a heavy downpour during the first quarter that felt like Hurricane Ike had decided to skip its arrival in South Texas and head straight to Northwest Arkansas. In my 12 years of shooting football I've never had to work in rain like that. Of course I had checked the forecast before heading to the game and was prepared for wet weather. I had a rain parka stuffed in my cargo pants. My camera bag system has built in raincovers you can deploy in case of rain cover. I had a clear plastic bag taped over my camera body with a 70-200mm lens attached, which is the body that this frame was shot with. And, as luck would have it, we had just purchased Think Tank Hydrophobia raincoats for The Morning News' two 400mm f2.8 lenses, of which one I was using last night in Bentonville. Unlike most sports, football is one that is played in any weather condition unless lightning or extremely strong winds are involved. If you don't show up prepared for the kind of weather that hit last night you can surely miss a good shot.

My Last NWA Business Journal Shoot

Didn't know it when I shot it but this portrait of Bob Killion, an executive V.P. of a local electrical contractor, turned out to be my last assignment for the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal. Kinda sad because I have shot for them since arriving in NWA back in the summer of 2002. Due to a conflict with my employer I had to bring my freelance relationship with the twice-monthly to an end. The work I did for the NWABJ wasn't really about the money, it was good practice. The regular editorial shoots of local business people I got out of them helped me to grow as a photographer and created some of the images I have in my portfolio today. Thanks for the work guys. Cheers.

Hawgs Illustrated: Vol. 17, Issue 11

It's out. Nuff said.

Arkansas 28, Louisiana-Monroe 27

The Hogs had to come back from behind again for the second consecutive week against an opponent that was supposed to be a "gimme win" on their schedule. This time Arkansas had to dig themselves out of an 18-point deficit and in the end pray for a missed 45-yard field goal by ULM to escape with their "gimme." Somebody upstairs was listening. The kicker shanked it wide right and really didn't put enough leg on it. Disaster averted, again.


Michael Smith made his return after missing the Razorbacks' first game on a suspension. Smith carried the ball for 157 yards and had two touchdowns.


Joe Adams had seven catches for 87 yards. He also had a mean, D-Mac-looking stiff arm.


Arkansas' defense wasn't the force everyone expected them to be, especially up front, but they still had their moments.


Casey Dick had a career night throwing 22 for 34 for 323 yards. He also had 17 yards rushing.


Of course the biggest factor in the game was tight end D.J. Williams. He had 124 yards on five catches and scored two touchdowns.


Williams lets off some steam after a 76-yard reception that fell just four yards short of the end zone. He almost had three touchdowns Saturday night.


Bobby Petrino is going to be a fun coach to shoot. He gets MAD. Just like John Pelphrey, and we all know how I feel about Pelphrey.


A quick snapshot of Henning and Lehr, The Morning News' A-Team, just before gettin' it done in "The Rock" on Saturday. (I should've had my shades on too. I'm just way too squinty in the photo.)

Arkansas faces the Longhorns in Austin, Texas, next Saturday. There's not going to be a come from behind victory against Texas. If the Hogs don't bring their A-Game, by the way it will be me and Z-Man again for this one, then it could get really ugly, really fast.

Hawgs Illustrated: Vol. 17, Issue 10

The latest issue of Hawgs Illustrated Magazine is out there. Get one. Please. It pays my salary.

Roadkill

Poor guy never had a chance.

Arkansas 28, Western Illinois 24

Bobby Petrino made his official debut as the Razorbacks' head coach on Saturday in Fayetteville in front of 70,537 fans. It wasn't the win most had expected, but it was a win nonetheless.


Casey Dick was the hero last night. He went 25-41 with 318 yards in the air and ran for two touchdowns.


True freshman receiver Joe Adams scored Arkansas' first touchdown of the season and the first of his Razorback career.


True freshman running back De'Anthony Curtis gave Arkansas fans hope for the future on the ground. Curtis had 69 yards overall.


True freshman receiver Greg Childs had a great night. Six receptions for 88 yards and one touchdown.


I swear junior receiver London Crawford is cursed. This ball was catchable. It was in his hands.


The Razorback Marching Band on the field at Reynolds Razorback Stadium complete with a freshly-painted Razorback logo. (This one's for you Mr. Buffalo)


This cutie is the lil sis of freshman safety Khiry Battle. Didn't know it when I took the picture. Cute huh?

The Hogs face Louisiana-Monroe next Saturday in Little Rock. They need to get their game together cause it's on to Austin against the Longhorns the following weekend.

Frisco Fest

Headed down to Frisco Fest with my camera today after dropping Sahar off at work. My goal was to gather some random stock images from the event. I have to admit it was a rather weird feeling to be there with a camera and not be shooting for The Morning News.

A Photo Is Worth Seven Figures

I was assigned to cover jury selection today for Walmart Stores Inc.’s court battle with former CEO Tom Coughlin over his $17 million retirement package. Myself and several other members of the local media ended up staking out a courtroom whereCoughlin and his team of attorney’s met for more than three hours. Instead of continuing with the scheduled jury selection set for 1 p.m., Coughlin and his attorney’s reached a deal with Walmart Stores Inc.’s attorneys at about 12:30 p.m. After a bit of a cat and mouse game with us, Coughlin and his wife exited the Benton County Courthouse with attorney Tim Brooks. I followed them from the courthouse to their vehicle shooting photos the whole way trying to get a shot of them with the building in the background. The frame pictured above is not the image that ran in the paper, but is very similar. What makes the photo above so special is the tidbit of privileged information exposed and in sharp focus in the arms of Coughlin’s attorney. The actual settlement amount Coughlin received from Walmart Stores Inc. was embargoed by Circuit Judge Jay Finch for 20 days.


A closer look at the legal pad clutched in Brooks’ arms reveals an amount of $6.75 million, the same amount that was filed today by Walmart Stores Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well in this case it’s more like seven figures.

Hawgs Illustrated: Vol. 17, Issue 9

The last issue of Hawgs Illustrated before the season gets under way on Aug. 30. It'll be all football for me through December after that. I'm excited.

Football Season Begins

Yes it has been a while since my last post. I've been busy all week covering the start of Arkansas' football season for Hawgs Illustrated. Bobby Petrino is in full command of the Razorbacks now and is instilling his form of football into the program. Practices have been incredibly fast paced. A big change from the Houston Nutt days.


Senior quarterback Casey Dick and senior offensive center Jonathan Luigs report for the Razorbacks' first day of practice.


Arkansas senior strong safety Dallas Washington wraps up teammate Elton Ford while running coverage drills.


Starting quarterback Casey Dick passes the ball during practice.


Wide receiver Joe Chaisson hauls in a pass.


Freshman wide receiver Joe Adams turns upfield after a catch.


Arkansas junior tailback Michael Smith takes a handoff from running backs coach Tim Horton.


Arkansas defensive end Antwain Robinson cools off while running defensive drills during the Razorbacks' first day of practice in Fayetteville. The temperature was near 100 degrees on the opening day of the Razorbacks' season. It was brutal. Thank god it has cooled off since then.

Arkansas' season kicks off on Aug. 30 in Fayetteville against Western Illinois. I can't wait.