Zephan is an exercise enthusiast and enjoys participating in everything from CrossFit to strongman to rowing. As his self-started business, ZMBMedia, has continued to grow, he has taken jobs such as shooting video at the White House and the set of TV show House of Cards. But capturing images of the of the sports he loves remains as one of his biggest passions.

When we asked Zephan how he first started seriously experimenting with photography as an art form, it turns out that his path started from a perceived step backward:

Quite possibly one of the greatest things to ever happen to me when I was in college was getting fired from my job as a photographer for the school newspaper. I had somehow managed to apply for a job I knew nothing about and when they soon realized and let me go, I still had a craving to learn. So I picked up a DSLR and started reading manuals, online blogs and did everything I could to learn from others.

After persisting beyond this initial challenge, Zephan started to home in on the things that make him unique as a photographer. When we asked him what he feels are the aspects of the images he captures that sets him apart as an artist, he told us:

My main inspiration for photography is really to capture a vision in my head. Often times photographers have been known for “seeing things differently” and that is exactly what I do.

He continued explaining:

Ever been to a wedding and seen ten people with their smartphones out taking photos next to the photographer? It’s because they think that’s the best vantage point. However often times there is a completely different story to be told if you were to take photos from the opposite side.

Sometimes, you have to do the opposite of what might be your intuition for taking a “good photo,” even if it means going against the grain. This is advice that can not only apply to photography and art, but our lifestyles and training routines as well. Zephan followed up his thought with some words of wisdom:

Often times there is a completely different story to be told if you were to take photos from the opposite side. I always try to look at where a “normal” photographer would stand and then go to the complete opposite location. Photographers have been known for “seeing things differently” and that is exactly what I do.

You can connect with Zephan and learn more about him through his website.

The post CrossFit and Rowing: Blaxberg, Featured Photographer appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

From Birds in Flight to Athletes in Motion

Jeff’s passion for photography began at an early age, but his biggest breakthrough as an artist occurred when he received his first Canon Digital Rebel. Jeff explained:

The big breakthrough for me was having the metadata of the exposure information attached to the image . . . When you master that exposure triangle you can begin to take control of the camera and you start to make images rather than just taking snapshots.

Even though Jeff’s current focus is sports photography, his first interest involved capturing images of birds. When he found he didn’t have the type of patience required by nature, he gravitated toward taking pictures at a family member’s football games. Today, football remains one of Jeff’s favorite subjects to shoot:

[N]othing matches the intensity and energy of a football game. It’s a very large field to cover so I’m always playing offensive or defensive coordinator in my mind and trying to anticipate what is likely to happen so I can put myself in a position to capture it. When you get it right you not only usually get a good image, you also get to pat yourself on the back for being clever enough to be in the right spot.

Jeff mentioned to me that, as a sports photographer, his biggest challenge is to capture moments that endure beyond the sound of the last buzzer:

Sports photography is pretty transitory; this week’s game makes last week’s pictures obsolete, so if you can make an image with some staying power it really feels good.

Ultimately, Jeff’s biggest goal in his art is to connect people with their own memories:

As I get older, more and more of my childhood memories are memories of photographs of events as much or even more than memories of the events themselves. [The] photographic memories are more vivid because it’s easy to revisit them, so if somebody pulls out one of my pictures to remember a good time in their life I feel like I’ve done my job.

More of Jeff’s photography can be found at his website.

Photos courtesy of Jeff Huehn Photography.

The post Capturing Movement Mid-flight: Jeff Huehn (Featured Photographer) appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

World champion Olympic weightlifter Dmitry Klokov

Finding Photography

Paul has had a lifelong interest in photography. After spending time in the Army, Paul decided to enroll in photography school. Three and a half years later, he continues to pursue his passion through his work with Simply Perfection Photography.

“The opportunity to capture someone who is emotionally giving their all in pursuing their passion – that is what it is all about.”

Paul shared a bit about the journey:

If you would have told me three years ago I would be doing what I do in the photography industry, I would have looked you like you were crazy. But here are we offering high-end photography and servicing spectators and athletes alike of the sport of fitness. In one sentence, dreams can come true.

Olympic weightliting competitor Kendrick Farris

Shooting the Sport of Fitness

Photographing CrossFit athletes was a natural progression for Paul, who has been an athlete all his life. He first discovered CrossFit in 2007 while serving in Iraq, and quickly fell in love with the sport. “One thing just led to another when I picked up photography, and here we are three years later. I’m having the time of my life photographing a lot of my friends and being paid for it.” Although CrossFit remains Paul’s favorite sport to shoot, he shared that he would also like to photograph the Grid League and action sports in the future.

“[The most rewarding aspect of photography] always has been and most likely always will be seeing the reaction of the clients when they are blown away with the final product.”

I asked Paul if there was a specific moment he enjoyed capturing in his photos, and he shared: “The opportunity to capture someone who is emotionally giving their all in pursuing their passion – that is what it is all about.”

CrossFit Games athlete Christmas Abbot

Paul’s ability to capture not only the physical impressiveness of high-profile CrossFit athletes, but also their personality and emotion, makes his work unique and breathtaking. As you can imagine, that combination can pack quite a punch for Paul’s clients when they view his photos for the first time. Paul shared that this reaction is what makes photography most rewarding for him, along with the process of creative expression:

[The most rewarding aspect of photography] always has been and most likely always will be seeing the reaction of the clients when they are blown away with the final product. Although as our shoots get more and more complex, it might be a tie for taking the ideas in our heads at Simply Perfection Photography headquarters and making them a reality.

That theme of making your dreams a reality continues to manifest itself in Paul’s work. All photos courtesy of Paul Anthony and Simply Perfection Photography.

Rich Froning

Dmitry Klokov

Lindsey Valenzuela

Josh Bridges

Noah Ohlsen

Madelyn Curley

Neal Maddox

Christmas Abbot

Kendrick Farris

Derrick Johnson

Nicole Zapoli

Jon Pera

All photos courtesy of Paul Anthony Smith and Simply Perfection Photography.

The post Fitness Is Beautiful: Paul Anthony Smith (Featured Photographer) appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

A lifelong athlete himself, David eventually found his way to sports photography. Even now, that focused state of athletic flow remains his favorite moment to photograph:

Capturing peak effort or “the zone” takes the cake with me. There’s a great deal going on or coming to fruition in those moments. It’s pretty cool to show the subject the end result, knowing that’s when they were singularly focused or at the point of accomplishment.

David currently works as an amateur sports photographer. He shared with me his hesitation about taking his photography to the next level and working as a professional photographer:

I have mixed feelings about an attempt to take the step toward professional photography. I absolutely admire the folks that do this as a means to put dinner on the table, but for me, I fear that I’d struggle with adding stress to something I am passionate about.

In the meantime, David enjoys capturing that moment when athletes of all backgrounds are in the zone during their sport. But in order for his subjects to get to that point, a good photographer has to be invisible. David noted this is one of the biggest challenges of shooting athletic events:

I would say the hardest thing is getting to the place where the subject, especially in a gym when you’re typically what they’re looking at, forgets you’re there. Usually it’s a matter of making them comfortable and staying out of their way.

I asked what message David wants to convey through his photos, and he remarked on the absolute uniqueness of every shot he takes. “I hope to tell a story in each photo, and it’s almost never the same as the last.”

Photos courtesy of David Paterson.

Photos courtesy of David Paterson.

The post Capturing the Zone – David Paterson (Featured Photographer) appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Photography began as a past time and a way to capture some of Doug’s son’s wrestling matches. From there, he started taking photos at jiu jitsu meets, and it all grew from there, as he explained:

It started out with me taking pics of my friends and teammates. Then other competitors saw my work and started to request me to cover their matches as well. One of my team mates would post pictures on Facebook and give me photo credit as “D Kline Design.” It had a nice ring to it, so it became my new identity. It got to a point that I had no choice but to start up my own website where competitors could go to view and purchase images of them competing.

What began as a hobby developed into a passion for shooting grappling. For Doug, photographing grapplers is a means of telling a story, not simply capturing movements. As he explained, one of Doug’s favorite stories to capture is the moment of victory or defeat.

I love to capture that raw emotion of the competitor at the end of their fight whether it be an exciting win or a devastating loss. I captured a particular moment at a tournament that explains this to a tee. It was a close back-and-forth fight, and the fighter who was losing managed an incredible “come from behind” victory. As the referee raised the hand of the winner, you saw the joy in one man’s face and the agony in the opponent’s face.

Doug noted that the most difficult aspects of action photography are lighting and timing. “There are no ‘do-overs’ in action sports,” noted Doug. “If you miss that shot, it’s gone forever.” To address this challenge, Doug gets into the action himself, which is his favorite part of shooting meets. “My favorite part is being down on the floor, just a few feet from the action. Other than the referee, you literally have the best seat in the house.”

But in the end, the joy of photography all boils down to creating a memory for athletes to remember, as Doug described:

I absolutely love showing an image on the back of my camera to a competitor who just walked off the mat and seeing their response to an epic shot. To be able to capture a key point in someone’s life and provide an image that will last a life time is pretty damn cool, if you ask me.

Photos courtesy of D-Kline Design Photography:

To see more photos, visit D-Kline Design Photography.

The post Capturing Life on the Mat – Doug Kline (Featured Photographer) appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

For me the best thing about photography has to be the privilege of capturing an athlete during a moment that has been in the making for days, months, even years. I don’t take for granted the training, suffering, and sacrifices an athlete endures to prepare him or herself to compete. To be able to share in that process is a great honor and privilege that I have. I love that.

Jorge got his start in photography by taking photos at his daughters’ sports events. Said Jorge, “Athletics were also a major part of my life, so being around sporting events was always natural in my life and family. Having a camera around made shooting sports a natural thing.” This dynamic combination of community and family comes through in Jorge’s photos, which capture not only the great feats of athletes but also the emotions and reactions of spectators.

When Jorge started CrossFit himself two years ago, he found his home, both as an athlete and as a photographer. “The sport of fitness gives me so many options and challenges as a photographer that not many other sports do. While most sports give you a certain predictability, with CrossFit you have to be prepared for everything and anything. This makes shooting exciting and challenging.” Like a few of the other CrossFit photographers we’ve featured in the past, most of the technical challenges stem from the facilities where CrossFit events are often held:

The biggest challenge is definitely poor lighting provided by the different indoor locations where CrossFit is practiced. I’ve shot in small warehouses and large convention arenas, and all present their own unique lighting challenge when shooting movement. Also, the lack of access the location or organization provides to get the right angle of the shot is also an obstacle. These challenges are just motivators to get creative, and from time to time they give you that special shot you wouldn’t be able to get unless you had that restriction.

Overall, Jorge’s photos give athletes an opportunity to see themselves as characters in the narrative of life. As Jorge said, “Life is full of ‘wow’ moments. If we can pause our busy-ness enough, we can then appreciate a story in the making where sometimes we are vital characters in it. So stop, capture, enjoy!”

Photos courtesy of Jorge Huerta Photography:

Art can be so much more meaningful when you know a little bit more about
the person behind it – the eye behind the lens. That’s why we periodically profile sports/action photographers and their work. To see more of Jorge’s work, visit his website and follow Jorge Huerta Photography on Facebook.

The post Telling the Athlete’s Story – Jorge Huerta Photography (Featured Photographer) appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

For Nat Arem, founder of Hookgrip, Olympic weightlifting and photography have always gone hand in hand. Although he dabbled in photography on and off for a lot of his life, his hobby kicked into high gear back in 2011, when he decided to shoot the world championships in Paris. Said Nat, “I went to Paris barely knowing the settings on the camera, and my pictures reflect that. I also went with a very bad camera compared to what I use now. But I would say that I didn’t really get into photography until 2012, when I started to attend a lot of meets, work with better equipment, and practice my technique a lot more.”

Nat observed a problem with the Olympic weightlifting photography scene at the time, and wanted to fill what he saw as a gap. Nat described what he felt was missing:

Every photographer out there had a weak spot, in my opinion. Photographers like Randy Strossen and Rob Macklem are great shooters and they have great equipment, but they are bad at uploading a lot of pictures in places where people can see them. Most of their pictures sit on hard drives somewhere. Other photographers just don’t have good equipment or they don’t take pictures from good angles. Other photographers, like Bruce Klemens (one of the best weightlifting photographers of all time), don’t really go to many meets…Basically, everyone was doing something wrong. I felt like I could fill a void in the marketplace.

I asked Nat if there was a specific sport he preferred to shoot, which was a silly question. “Yes,” he replied. “Weightlifting. By far, not close.” Nat went on to describe some of the challenges of shooting Olympic weightlifting. “You have to be fast, you don’t have much time to change settings, get good focus, and snap the shot. You always have to be ready because fast stuff is going to happen and you need to get the shot.” But although Nat identified this as the most difficult part of his photography, it’s also his favorite element. “I like capturing moments that happen so fast, the naked untrained eye doesn’t really see them. And even if you do see it, it doesn’t really sink in unless you look at a picture and can digest the lift over a longer period of time.”

Photography and video allow Nat to capture the subtle details that distinguish novice weightlifters from the elite. In that vein, Hookgrip’s mission is also an educational one, as Nat explained:

I’m just trying to get a lot of information out to coaches, athletes, and fans about what the best lifts in the world look like. With the number of new lifters coming into the sport via CrossFit and the spread of information on the internet, it’s vital to have a lot of great visual learning tools so the new lifters can learn the right way to lift.

Photos courtesy of Hookgrip:

For more photos, visit the Hookgrip website and follow Hookgrip on Facebook.

The post Featured Photographer: Nat Arem of Hookgrip – Olympic Weightlifting appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Shaun Cleary was always the guy with the camera, even before photography became his profession. “I’m not sure when it started, but as far back as I can remember I was just the guy with the camera. Whether I was out with friends, at a party, snowboarding, or surfing I was always just taking snapshots.” Now that he works as a full-time professional photographer, Shaun enjoys capturing the extreme moments of CrossFit as well as his original love, surfing.

Most of Shaun’s current work takes place at CrossFit events, and his photos tap into the dynamic energy of competition. “While I love nailing that shot of an Olympic lift at the perfect moment, I much prefer to capture at competitions a wider-angle shot when someone nails a PR, does the winning rep, or does something otherwise amazing and I can capture the jubilation of the crowd surrounding them.”

However, aside from the amazing athleticism you’ll find at many CrossFit events, it isn’t necessarily the best venue for a photographer, technically speaking. This is where the challenge comes in, according to Shaun:

For the most part, CrossFit gyms – boxes – are horribly lit caves with disgusting, poorly-maintained fluorescent bulbs. Getting enough light for the shot to manage a fast shutter speed while keeping your ISO low to limit grain is a constant balancing act. Even with the best sensors – like with the Nikon D4 – the quality and quantity of light still plays a massive role in strong image. Every gym and venue I walk into is different and figuring out how to work with those unique scenarios always keeps me busy.

For Shaun, the most rewarding aspect of photography is the personal connection a photo can make with an athlete, their loved ones, and even total strangers who see the photos:

I love when I get emails or messages, not from the athletes, but from their parents or significant others after seeing competition photos. While the messages are different, they normally all have a similar theme where they are just so happy to see all that hard work and dedication their son or daughter has done, culminated in this great image. It’s often a part of a person’s life that they don’t share everyday so it’s great for people to see this.

For Shaun, allowing athletes to see these dynamic moments from the outside gives even more value to his work. “When I get to show the image to the athlete and see that expression like, ‘Whoa that’s me?’ it makes it completely worth it.”

Photos courtesy of Super Cleary Photo:

For more follow @supercleary on Instagram and visit Super Cleary Photo.

The post Featured Photographer: Shaun Cleary – CrossFit and Surfing appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Karl Buchholtz literally stumbled into the photography field, as he explained when asked how he got started:

It was all by accident, literally. Three years ago, whilst on a snowboarding holiday in Austria, I had an accident on the slopes and broke my wrist. With half a holiday remaining and unable to snowboard, I decided I would photograph my friends snowboarding in an attempt take my mind off the situation and the pain. It worked and was great fun. Upon my return to the UK, I started looking for other sports to shoot. As a swimmer this was initially open water swimming, which progressed onto indoor swimming and, more recently, CrossFit in 2012.

An athlete himself, Karl is particularly inspired by the varying dynamics found in swimming and CrossFit. “With swimming photography I have been inspired by its graceful and elegant composition, whereas with CrossFit it’s due to the grungier, tougher side of the competition.” In addition to working with athletes, Karl also enjoys landscape photography.

Karl’s favorite part of photographing athletes is capturing dynamic energy and emotion in a still frame. “With swimming it is the blend of the athlete and the water. With Crossfit, it is often more pain but sheer determination at the same time.”

Capturing that energy and emotion requires timing and technical skill. This is the most challenging part of shooting athletics, as Karl shared:.

Photographing sports is all about being in the right place at the right time and timing of the shot is a challenge faced by all sports photographers. For me the biggest challenge it is lighting. My biggest challenge is often making the most with what the camera has to offer in low light conditions, whether it be indoor, overcast, or at night. Knowing how to control your camera is key.

Photos courtesy of Karl Buchholtz Photography:

For more visit Karl Buchholtz Photography.

The post Featured Photographer: Karl Buchholtz – Swimming and CrossFit appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

For professional photographer Robert Sturman, his medium and his passions have always been linked. As he explained, “When I was fourteen, my father gave me my first camera. When I asked him what I was supposed to take pictures of, he responded ‘anything that you love.’ That has actually been the greatest teaching in my development as an artist”

Robert’s work highlights the beauty of yoga poses and asanas, but for Robert it goes deeper than a physical presentation. You can see when you look at Robert’s photos that there is a spirit that emanates from the photo subject and the photo itself. “There is something so expressive about the human spirit that comes through in the yoga poses,” observed Robert.

Ultimately, just as yoga helps people transcend the physical, Robert hopes that his photos can help people transcend how they see themselves as well. That perhaps seeing themselves through his lens will help them see themselves and their lives through a new lens. Shared Robert:

Photographs are healing. An image can change a person’s self-perception. I realized that a couple of years ago when I decided to turn the camera on myself and do a series of self-portraits. I had always wanted to do a boxing theme and one day I chose to be my own model. I had been going through a tough time in my life and when I saw the images of myself as a warrior, something inside on me began to see that side of myself a lot more. Because of that series, I changed, I grew, I triumphed. Photographs can change the world.

Photos courtesy of Robert Sturman:

For more visit Robert Sturman Studio.

The post Featured Photographer: Robert Sturman – Yoga appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Featured Photographer: Michael Brian – CrossFit, Kids, and Dogs

Michael Brian captures intensity, family, and community in his photos – all in the context of fitness and athletics. Learn more about Michael and see his gallery of amazing photos.

Featured Photographer: Tim Banfield – Climbers and CrossFit

Tim Banfield started out as a rockclimber and CrossFitter; now he has become a professional photographer specializing in those subjects. Check out this gallery of his amazing pictures.

Featured Photographer: David Brown – BJJ and Skateboarding

David Brown loves the capturing the individualism and expression of Brazilian jiu jitsu and skateboarding with his camera. Here are some of his favorite (and completely beautiful) images.

Featured Photographer: Savannah Wishart – CrossFit, Food, and Yoga

As a photographer, Savannah loves capturing the Zen of yoga, the pain of CrossFit, and the beauty of food. Through her profession she dreams of changing lives by sharing images of a healthy lifestyle.

Featured Photographer: Miguel Tapia – The Tebow Factor

Photographer Miguel Tapia was inspired by Tim Tebow to put this collection together. You know prayer is sometimes useful in a workout, but have you ever struck any of these poses?

Featured Photographer: Cheryl Boatman – CrossFit 

She may have started out a real estate agent, but these days Cheryl Boatman travels the world photographing CrossFit athletes. Someday she hopes to shoot the NFL and MLB, too.

Featured Photographer: Neville Palmer – Cowboys and Fighters

Early on in life Neville Palmer came in to possession of both a barbell set and a camera. Today he considers himself a “fairly fit photographer” and is sharing his amazing photos with us.

Featured Photographer: Mary Siani – Dogs and CrossFit

Mary Siani specializes in sports photography…and dog photography. What do these have in common? Emotions and stories, said Mary. Look at her amazing photographs and you won’t doubt her.

The post 8 Photo Galleries For Athletes and Coaches appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Cheryl Boatman didn’t start out a professional photographer. She was actually a real estate agent when she realized photography was what she actually wanted to pursue. Although she still loves to do wedding and family photography, as a professional she has gravitated toward action work. She explained this evolution:

My first athletic experience was photographing my husband and his friends jumping out of airplanes when they were in the 2nd Ranger Battalion. Eventually, I shot my daughter’s softball and soccer tournaments. A few months into CrossFit, I volunteered as a sectional and regional photographer, and eventually earned my way into shooting the CrossFit Games for the first time in 2010. I continue to be a CrossFit Games photographer and am fortunate enough to travel the world to capture the competitions.

Cheryl dreams of someday shooting other professional sports, like Major League Baseball or the NFL. For Cheryl there is something in sports photography that is uniquely fulfilling. “My favorite part is the fact that it’s capturing a moment in time that is a culmination of months and years of hard training. I love finding the human spirit through sport.”

Photos courtesy of Cheryl Boatman:

For more visit Cheryl Boatman Photography.

The post Featured Photographer: Cheryl Boatman – CrossFit appeared first on Breaking Muscle.