Headshot of an elderly man with white hair, blue eyes, and a friendly smile, wearing a light blue checkered shirt.

Mike

I am a freelance sports and travel photographer based in Louisville, KY USA. While I have participated in a number of photo genres, my principal focuses are sports and travel. My sports photos range from juniors to Division I college. Most of my travel photos currently are from the US midwest and northwest. I also feature a number of photos from my travels in Europe.

Although I dabbled in photography a bit in high school, I really didn't get significantly involved until about nine years ago. Since that time, however, I have formed a real love of making photos. 

My transition to sports photography was helped after the pandemic forced the sports administration department of the university where I taught to lay off several photographers. I was happy to step in to help where I could and gain valuable experience along the way.

Before moving to Louisville, Kentucky, I lived for many years in the Boise, Idaho area. Therefore, my collections include photos from that area as well.

​​​​​​​I am retired from teaching at a university, which has helped free up my time for photography.

A black Nikon Z8 mirrorless digital camera with a large zoom lens attached.

My Photo Equipment

My primary camera is a Nikon Z8. I have been a Nikon shooter from the start of my photo journey and I continue to be happy with the brand. 

For sports, my primary lens is a Nikon Z 70-200 mm f/2.8. I also use a Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 on occasion for sports.

For everyday walk-around use and for travel, I have a Nikon Z 24-200mm. While not quite as sharp as the previous two lenses, it allows me to capture a wide range with just one lens.

My Photo Editing Equipment

A significant part of any photographic vocation is photo editing. While it’s a great idea to be able to use photos straight out of the camera, in real life, that’s not always practical.

It’s the difference between ‘taking pictures’ - also called snapshots - and ‘making pictures.’ The latter usually requires some editing such as cropping, straightening, and exposure correction.

The photo shows my current editing setup. From left to right, I use:

  • MSI 4K secondary monitor

  • Apple 5K Studio Display primary monitor

  • Apple Mac mini with QwiizLab Entender on top

  • Apple iPad in Universal Control mode

On the desktop are a Wacom editing tablet and a standard Apple keyboard and mouse.

And yes, that’s a small hotplate on the right to keep my coffee cup warm.

A workspace with three monitors, the middle one displaying a sunset silhouette of a person sitting cross-legged; the left monitor off, the right monitor showing various controls; a keyboard, mouse, and other office supplies on a wooden desk.