Under the glow of stadium lights on a Friday night or the squeak of sneakers on a gym floor, athletes at FHC put on a show for the crowd. But behind the action, often kneeling on the sidelines or leaning over a railing, another kind of artist is at work. They’re the ones freezing moments in time. The sports photographers.
At FHC, a growing number of students have taken an interest in capturing the emotion and energy of high school sports through a camera lens. What might look like a simple snapshot is often the result of patience, technical skill, and hours of editing.
For junior Josie Luyckx, the passion started small.
“I started shooting sports photography during the boys basketball season last winter,” Josie said, smiling. “I love going to different games and learning more about them. I also love to see how happy people get when they see a photo of them playing a sport they love.”
Josie didn’t start with fancy gear. Her first shots were taken with her mom’s Fujifilm X-T3 and a simple 50mm lens.
“I started shooting on my mom’s camera,” Josie said. “It wasn’t perfect, but I made it work.”
Learning the technical side of sports photography, however, wasn’t easy. “
As a self-taught photographer, I’ve learned a lot,” Josie said. “Learning manual is difficult, especially with fast-moving subjects. People think photography is just pointing and shooting, but it’s about composition, color, and timing. And then you still have to edit every single photo.”
Her work, shared on Instagram under @josie_media_, shows that effort each post feels like a story rather than just a snapshot. She captures the heart of FHC sports.
Sophomore Cohen Stinson, known online as @shotsbystinson, shares that same dedication. He got his start even earlier, picking up a camera in middle school.
“I started in seventh grade shooting eighth-grade lacrosse with my mom’s old DSLR,” Cohen said. What started as curiosity quickly became a calling.
Now, Cohen shoots with a Canon R10, using an 18–150mm and a 70–200mm f/2.8 lens. “I even use a monitor for video,” he said.
His setup may look more professional now, but the drive remains the same.
“I love sports, but I also love connecting with the athletes and other photographers,” Cohen said. “At tournaments, I’ve met people like Undercover Mike, shotsbycy, and courtsiderese. It’s cool to build those connections and learn from them.”
For him, sports photography isn’t just about the big plays. It’s about the emotion fans don’t always see.
“I try and tell a story in every photo I take,” Cohen said. “I like finding emotion; it helps build a story around each photo. I also like capturing what people don’t see, like the locker room, pregame prayers, or teammates connecting.”
Cohen takes pictures for nearly every sport, from football to basketball to soccer, but his favorites are the ones with energy and movement.
“I like shooting football, lacrosse, basketball, and soccer,” Cohen said. “They’re fun to watch and shoot.”
Still, Cohen admits that it’s not as easy as it looks. “
Some people don’t understand that there’s real skill behind it,” Cohen said. “It takes hours on end to edit photos.”
It’s those behind-the-scenes hours that often go unnoticed. While most fans go home after the game, photographers are just getting started downloading, sorting, and editing sometimes hundreds of photos. A single album might take an entire night to finish. But the work pays off when they see athletes share their pictures online.
“Seeing people’s reactions when they see a good photo of themselves makes it all worth it,” Josie said.
The best sports photographers aren’t just photographers, they’re storytellers. They know when to press the shutter and how to see moments before they happen. A good sports photo doesn’t just show a game; it shows feeling. The determination in a player’s eyes, the celebration of a win, or even the disappointment of a tough loss, all of it can be captured in the shutter of a camera.
Though it might not earn a medal or make FX, their work is a vital part of FHC’s athletic identity. These photos live on long after the season ends, filling Instagram feeds and Snapchat memories.
“I think more people should try it,” Cohen said. “It’s not just about the camera, it’s about seeing sports through a different lens.”
Josie agrees, adding that the creative side of sports deserves as much recognition as the athletic one.
“Photography can be challenging, but it’s so rewarding,” Josie said. “Every photo tells a story, and that’s what I love most.”
Behind every touchdown, buzzer-beater, and goal at FHC, there’s a student crouched just out of view, camera in hand, waiting for that perfect shot. They’re the ones who make the moments last, one shutter at a time.
