Megan Stearman Photography

WKU vs. Indiana State

2011-09-27T11:49:00.003-04:00

Senior defensive back Ryan Beard attempts to stop Indiana State running back Shakir Bell. Indiana State defeated the Toppers 44-14.

Cameron Thomas deflects a pass intended for Justin Hilton during the first quarter.

Now, WKU football is always entertaining mainly based on people go into the game thinking we're not going to win so why bother going? However, several people maintain hope the one game they attend will be the game where we turn it around and come out on top. Not only would a win be a surprise to most, but it would also break the loosing record we have maintained at home since 2008.

WKU takes the field again this Saturday against Arkansas State - so who knows. Maybe I'll have more than 47 pictures to showcase in my gallery AND we could get a win. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves and we will see what Saturday brings us.

SSA VIII - Day Three / Four

2011-09-26T15:48:00.005-04:00

SSA VIII - Day Two

2011-09-23T01:31:00.003-04:00

Kyle Harrison poses for a portrait outside his professional team's practice.

Thomas Muldoon shows off his superman trick shot during practice at Cal-State Fullerton intramural fields.

Maxx Davis, midfielder for LAX Pro Tour, concentrates on his shot during practice at Cal-State Fullerton intramural fields.

Definitely one of the coolest lacrosse practices that I have ever been a part of. Some guys from the professional lacrosse team LAX Pro Tour came out to Cal-State University Fullerton and loved every minute of being in front of the cameras.

SSA VIII - Day One

2011-09-22T02:10:00.002-04:00

Today was exciting.

Made new friends, ate at a new "restaurant" and shot water polo for first time ever - overall, a really good day.

Bring it on day 2!

Vacation

2011-08-16T23:22:00.002-04:00

BAHAMAS!

Vacation was way overdue and definitely needed. My father decided it was time to take a vacation and as a bribe to make the entire family go, he decided to pay for us and a friend to come along. Well, not really a bribe, more of an incentive - but hey it worked.

Thinking that the family would pick a winning choice to go on our 6th family cruise together, I left it up in their hands since my dad laid out some pretty nice potential spots.

Wrong.

Leaving the choice in other people's hands only leads them to choose the wrong one.

We set sail to the Bahamas only going to Nassau - for the THIRD time - and to a private island named Half Moon Cay. Where in fact this picture was taken on top of the top deck of our boat, the lovely Fascination. Welcome to the Bahamas ladies and gentlemen. Kick back and relax and enjoy.

Fans

2011-07-14T18:44:00.003-04:00

Hot Rods

2011-06-07T11:16:00.003-04:00

I just love the kid's face in this picture, I'm not sure if he's looking at him like he's an alien or if he's just confused on everything that is going around him. Just love it.

Awesome peak action for me - shot with the 300mm f/2.8 my friend has let me so kindly borrow. I'm beginning to fall in love with it though.. this was originally overexposed and I'm not sure if I was able to edit it correctly to make it look "normal" - hope so.

Again, I just love the face and the positioning of the body as he slides into second in this one.

Best Picture

2011-06-05T21:23:00.005-04:00

Thankfully I had just moved over the the third base dugout just before this took place at home plate. I actually have the entire sequence of this out and can be seen here

The Hot Rods have submitted it to be up for Best Picture of the Week - I'll keep my fingers crossed because that would be really cool and a huge honor!

Published!

2011-05-16T18:11:00.002-04:00

Pitcher C.J. Riefenhauser has held opponents to a .176 batting average so far this season.

This picture was featured on MiLB.com - the minor league baseball website!

WOOHOO!

Advertising - Hopefully..

2011-04-09T22:22:00.003-04:00

Post card that I made for the 2011 Hot Rod baseball season. I (thankfully) have had a slight increase of fans on my fan page
due to posting on the BG Hot Rods fan page informing them that I will be the official team photographer.

I am very excited for it, but still so nervous. I still feel like I have so much mechanics and technical things to figure out with photography and I could make so many cool things happen with sports photos - only if I understood how.

But the post cards ended up being very punny which is a plus to help people remember you. I am having 100 printed out - and it took me all year to get all the 100 swimming ones handed out and I still had some left over. I'm hopeful in thinking that I may end up ordering more for the Hot Rods, but only time will tell.

Hot Rods

2011-04-05T14:30:00.003-04:00

Take me out to the ball game!

Today I took head shots of the Bowling Green Hot Rods, and needless to say I was really nervous. I've been their action photographer before when they've needed some things but I have never been the main photographer.

It was a lot of fun and was not as professional as I thought it was going to be. The whole team seemed really young and very anxious to start the season. I wanted to mess around with some of the photos from this morning just to have something more on my photography fan page on facebook.

Also, started a new gallery on smugmug just for the 2011 baseball season.

I am very hopeful that this baseball season will be about getting my name out there. I am going to make post cards like I did for the swim team, and I am get an advertisement board as part of my compensation for my photos. Only good things will come from this season!

Swim Poster

2011-03-20T13:21:00.005-04:00

One of my last projects for the swim team, with some help from a friend we made this.

Hard to believe the season is over and my projects are all finished - for last year... now I am already thinking about what I want to do for next season.

Conference pictures are all uploaded and you can see day four by this link

Day Four

2011-03-15T21:53:00.005-04:00

One more day, one more day, one more day!

I have successfully edited and uploaded day three of the SBC pictures and only day four stands in my way. However, day four is going to be quiet the challenge.

Over 1,300 pictures taken that I need to cut all the fat away and only upload the good stuff. Day four was really hard on the seniors because it was their last day of competition, there was a lot of tears along with a lot of emotion inside the pool.

The girl's senior class - Lady Tops 2010-2011

Now ever since I learned this nifty trick in photoshop I have used it to the max. I think it's perfect for basketball, football and other sports but always thought it would be difficult to look decent with swimming pictures. The swim caps look good when the towel is only thing in color, but it looks silly if they're swimming in the water.

With the seniors in their colorful shirts, I thought this would be the perfect (and very limited) time to do this. It was very time consuming - and I'm sure there's a quicker way to do it than the way I do - but I am very happy with the final turnout. I wanted to be completely done with conference pictures by the end of March - which I think can still happen. Just all depends on everything else that I need to get done which includes:
- DVD videos to everyone that still is waiting their copy
- Need to finish the team poster so I can put that order in
- The new post cards idea is really fresh in my head and I am having a hard time putting it aside until it's completed.

And there was something else..oh, yeah.

- Have to focus on photo so I can graduate - kind of a big one right there.

But the others involve income and getting my name out there so they're important too... ugh, but so is getting out of school. Geez, too much to do, too much to do.

Click here to follow my facebook fan page!

New Post Cards

2011-03-12T20:13:00.004-05:00

With the end of the swimming season, my imagination begins rolling for things I would like to do for next season either differently or new all together.

I would like to do the post cards again to give away at meets, but this year with a little twist!

Last year, I only had the information (my name and website) on the front underneath the picture and only featured two pictures - one for the men and one for the women.

It killed me to watch people pick up the cards and immediately turn it over to find there was nothing written on the back. Just white space.

So here's the twist:

This will be the back of the card, complete with all the important information necessary - even comes with the "like us on facebook" icon! Maybe I will get more followers this way.

AND THEN! To make things even better.. I think I am going to have more options than just two different shots this year and feature a each senior with their own postcard. I am still planning this one out to get out all the kinks, but I think I can make it work and I can make it uber cool!

I do think having the back on the card completely full of all information needed will not only add a change in from last year but make it more complete.

Any comments - questions, or concerns?

Last Swim Meet

2011-03-11T10:50:00.008-05:00

For me, the end of the WKU swimming season was bittersweet and left my mind racing on ideas and thoughts about what to do next season.

While neither the men's or women's team came away from Texas with a NCAA championship trophy it was overall a great trip. I shot over 5,000 pictures - most to be cut out and deleted once I go through them for editing - but the pure emotion and competitive nature was captured in many of my photographs.

After I captured the picture shown above, I began to think that it was like pictures like this that are run in magazines and newspapers - and sometimes run big. Honestly, it felt like I could have cried because of how much pride I had in myself for this picture. I may not make As in my photo classes or ever be published in anything for school... but when I have a passion for something and believe in myself I think that I can do anything with sports photography.

I have a lot that I would still like to and need to learn and working with swimming I would like to use underwater equipment and see about having those pictures next year as options for buys. That's my next project and research that will begin.

The video was also a big hit which made me feel very accomplished. Again, I have a lot to learn, but least I am (outside of photo class) having a lot of fun doing it.

To see all the pictures from Conference 2011, please visit all the galleries

Conference

2011-02-18T16:24:00.006-05:00

*I tried to upload the video that I made, however - not only was it taking too long to upload, but I found an error in something and now have to fix it.

"Good, better, best. Never stop until your good is better, and your better best"

Striving for perfection on projects and obsessing until my goal is achieved is nothing new to me - except in photo projects given in class. If my professors read this they'll never believe any part of what I am saying.

I was roped in, or voluntold that I was making a pump up video for the Swimming and Diving team before they leave for NCAAs in Texas on Monday. For the past couple of days I have worked very hard on making sure this video is everything that I could make it where it is interesting to watch, able to have people to continue watching it despite its length and that'll it will pump up the team.

Now the only dilemma that I have had lately is how I have been a doormat for several things throughout the year when it comes to my time and money. I have never turned down a project that I was given by the team nor did I ever put anything on the back-burner for them. Things were always completed on a timely basis and I put as much pride in everything I did because it was not only representing the team, but the university - and all that reflected on how well I did on the work.

Graduation is coming up and things have been in a forward motion for my photography business (which still scares me a little that I will fail) but with that being said - things are now becoming a business, and on my time. I can't be letting people expect that things are going to be free especially with the time and effort that I put into everything. It's time that I stand up for myself and not be scared to ask for the money that I deserve.

That's not wrong to assume, right?

Don't get me wrong, I'm entirely grateful for all the opportunities that were presented to me this year. I was able to travel all expenses paid to California, Georgia Tech and (fingers crossed) Texas for conference. However, much of my time, materials, money and sanity has been put forth to a lot of work for the team. A little thank you surprisingly goes a long way and my day gets so much better when someone just says "I appreciate everything you've done" or just two words, "thank you!" Exclamation mark is necessary - but it would be nice just so I know for sure there's excitement in the voice, you know?!

Perhaps, I'm crazy. It's 2011 - the speed of instant technology and the lack of gratification people have makes it near impossible to ever let someone know you're grateful for their time they dedicate to you.

Maybe it is just me, I had a very tough time being a manager in high school because I felt more walked-on than noticed for my devoted time. Putting so much faith in people these days won't get you very far except a handful of disappointment - which is where I am now.

Just a couple of more weeks, one big meet to go and I am finished with it for a while and I can relax and slip back into doing things I know people will appreciate and my work will go noticed. Only thing I need to work on is ensuring that I will not hesitate asking for money for things - it's the right thing to do and I can't worry about what anyone says about it.

As someone once told me, "it's not a friendship, it's business."

Facebook Page

2011-02-08T23:33:00.004-05:00

[Tobias Harris dunking against Alabama on Saturday, Feb 5 at Thompson-Boling Arena]

As if I didn't already feel bogged down with work every day of my life, I figure why not give me some more?

I started a facebook fan page

And as fun as I believe this new work of mine - I do believe it's going to be difficult to set up initially because I want it to be somewhat business like so hopefully everyone can see it! As of right now, 8 of my friends are fans! Thank you friendship circle!

SIU Meet / Conference

2011-02-07T19:34:00.007-05:00

See entire gallery

This was a good shooting day, and it was also the last home meet which is always bitter sweet when something comes to an end especially something that has been so good for the first year.

Just have conference left to go, c'mon TOPS!

New Year

2011-02-07T16:49:00.004-05:00

Wow, it's been a long time since I've written on here and that was never my intention - I took Christmas break and I tried to get well rested and caught up on everything that I've been missing.

Several new things have happened.

I was able to shoot two University of Louisville games - one at the new KFC Yum! Center in Louisville and the WKU vs. UofL game in Diddle Arena here in Bowling Green.

To see the other edits from the UofL game:

Traveled to Knoxville twice to shoot a UT women's and men's basketball game (which pictures will be uploaded to smugmug and a preview will be uploaded on here once I find the time to do so)

Also, I am in the process of starting my own business similar to what I do with AllStar. That has been where majority of my time has been spent after the break - along with still shooting swimming - SBC championships at the end of the month so look for pictures to come!

But as for the business, I just opened a business account last week - very intimidating to go into the bank and do so. Filed for my Employee Identification Number and all that jazz and I received my first bank statement for my account this past weekend. Growing up is kind of becoming real!! I'm taking an accounting class and the class may just kick my ass because it all seems to be so intricate and detailed - but my small handwriting looks good being so organized on all the homework we have to fill out!

Hilltopper Invite

2010-11-29T12:01:00.005-05:00

Whew, Hilltopper Invite was needless to say chaotic and very traumatic because of the heat inside the pool. Swimmers were being pulled out of the pool after races because they couldn't breathe, parents complaining, and several people shedding off their layers once entering Preston.

Finally was able to shoot the divers as they were competing. I wasn't ecstatic about the pictures but at the same time I was able to get some decent ones. Just have to edit and upload the last day of the invite and them all the pictures will be uploaded.

Hopefully I can before Saturday because there's another meet this weekend. I need a longer break than Thanksgiving to catch up with everything - Christmas, please come soon!

All diver pictures can be seen here

All swimmer edits can be seen here

New Business Card

2010-11-15T17:04:00.003-05:00

Taking recent advice, I am moving away from handing out just regular business cards and creating something that parents, clients, or potential employers can hang up anywhere and just remember my name with a 4x6 picture of my work. I think it will be more effective than a business card because it is something different.

Xavier Meet

2010-11-07T19:37:00.006-05:00

Well I think the coaching staff and swim team would disagree with me when I say that this was a very fun meet. Actually, the team broke nine pool records - so perhaps they wouldn't disagree with me.

We swam at Xavier University - beautiful campus and a very nice day in Cincinnati. It was entertaining traveling from Georgia Tech's pool which held the '96 Olympics to this pool - to an extravagant four 25-yard lane pool at Xavier, capable of barely holding two swim teams and their parents comfortably.

A major advantage for me only having four lanes because I was finally able to basically sit in one place and be able to photograph everyone. My lens was as perfect as it could get with only a lane in between our two swimmers. The only trouble that I felt I had was my focusing problem again and that became really frustrating during the meet because I felt like I could have gotten the picture, only if it had focused on what I wanted it to focus on initially.

However, it in the long run and after a very long bus ride home. I was successfully able to get many pictures that I am happy with. And I will definitely shoot in a four lane pool again over a 10 lane any day!

Pictures are up and available for purchase

The End Is Near

2010-11-03T18:57:00.002-04:00

So Mr. B so graciously gave our class an offer.

He can either cut out the last assignment he just gave us and throw in a time to build our portfolios, write cover letters and resumes and send them out to five employers that we would like to work for.

Only a couple of problems with that whole idea. I had found a really good story that I was excited about because I finally found one that had more conflict in it than any person should ever have in their life and I don't really think I have a variety of images to present a strong portfolio. Right now, I have a plethora of swimming pictures of both collegiate and Olympian athletes but that's all there is folks.

Oy, all of this graduation stuff and where am I going to be in my life is already scaring me enough because I am beginning to doubt that I chose the right major. Sure, I love photography still and shooting sports is definitely my passion. But I am not good at all the other stuff - portraits (I can't do the lighting correctly), features (always seem to miss the moment), stories (never have enough time to develop the conflict in it), art (eh, don't really shoot it enough)..

No, I am not just feeling sorry for myself nor am I giving myself criticism to fish for compliments. I know what I am good at and I know what I'm not. Whether it is because I have the resources to make myself better or not isn't the question to me. I've always gone by "it's not the equipment, it's the photographer" so maybe my cliche is just biting me in the rear this time.

I'll figure something out. I hope, my resume doesn't seem as strong as it could but that's what Mr. B has planned for the last couple of weeks in the semester.

Sports Illustrated, be looking for my work! Because here it comes!

Anyone know their mailing address?

Atlanta, GA

2010-10-31T23:26:00.003-04:00

Atlanta - beautiful, beautiful city but way too crowded for me to ever want to move there. The only other time I have been there was to the airport and we all know how little you get to enjoy the beauty of cities when you're visiting their airports.

Georgia Tech has a huge campus and an awesome workout facility with an even more amazing pool. The trip itself wasn't really anything special and I actually wanted to come home more than to do work. However, the meet was quick and close. WKU pulled out a win on both sides, men won by 2 and women by 5 points.

A week later, 300 edited pics, all now uploaded - just hope for sales. Had over 4,000 views but sales would be cool too! And I will definitely go back to Atlanta to work - as long as I didn't have to drive, got a police escort again, and was only there a short amount of time. That'd be perfect!

Oh, add in a photo editor who would work for free and I'll be set!

Prints available for purchase, just visit my website to view all the edit.

South Carolina / Vandy Meet

2010-10-21T13:44:00.004-04:00

Few life lessons from this meet - never, and need I repeat NEVER forget about the divers. It will be off with your heads and the anger from parents will rain upon you!

Other than that, this meet was a lot of fun to shoot. Nashville's aquatic center isn't the best for lighting which usually leaves a lot of room for editing and messing around with settings during the meet. We travel to Georgia Tech this weekend so hopefully their natatorium will be a little bit better taken care of - since it did host the '96 Olympics.

My pictures are up and selling already after I sent an email to all the swimmer and diver parents. Very exciting to know that I am a little bit appreciated by some.

Click here to see all edits

I need to learn how to better take pictures of divers because of all the ones that I do have are not worthy of showing to the parents. Need help!