I hope I'm Remembered For These Photos...

Visual Storytelling Through Sports Photography

I've always been interested in photography. However, the journey for my passion hasn't been easy. During my senior year of high school, I was debating if I wanted to pursue photography or follow my family's ideal route in the medical field. Countless people told me to pursue a job that would be "safer with a stable income." I decided to listen to everyone's opinion and consider the medical field. I went into my first two years of college undecided. I was lost, and I hit one of my lowest points during my sophomore year. and I always say sports (photography) saved me.

I have countless photos of the men's basketball program because it started my love for sports photography. To be specific, I was pushed to photograph the CCIW Tournament in 2018 through the school newspaper, Augustana Observer. (And, I initially said no until it took a lot of convincing.) From there, Augustana made it To the NCAA Tournament. The program's atmosphere completely changed my perspective on sports.

The funny part: I was never into basketball... let alone sports before college. 

Seeing people repost & comment on my photos makes me happy & overwhelmed. I viewed myself as one of the weakest photographers in the department. And every so often, my imposter syndrome hit me badly with the mistakes I made and comparing myself to others. My style of photography can be different from others. However, my way of storytelling soon allowed me to be one of the most sought by athletes and coaches to collaborate with my alma mater.

For example, when it came to a bench reaction, people immediately knew it as “It's A Maria Do Photo.” In 2019, I Interned abroad in Sydney, Australia with Sport NSW. I arrived back in the States halfway into the basketball season. People thought I was crazy attending a game when I just flew in about 24 hours beforehand. But, I was so passionate about the program and getting back to my job. One of the first photos I took from the night was the bench's reaction to a three-pointer. Once it was uploaded to social media, people immediately knew it was taken by me, and I made my comeback.

Seeing them happy makes me happy.

Action photos of the game are valuable, but the emotional reactions have always been one of my favorites to capture. Some of the players get little or no playtime, & if I could capture them reacting to a three-pointer or WALK-OFF WIN — it’s Rewarding. It’s important to focus on other things besides the action, like a player'S GENUINE EXCITEMENT FOR THEIR teammate or the writing on their shoes. Everyone looks at details differently.

In the fall of 2018, I took the risk and applied to work in athletics. (Shoutout to my coworker, Staci Ficht!) People find it shocking I had no interest, passion, or understanding of sports beforehand. Would you believe me if I told you I went into my first lacrosse game blindly? I didn't know the sport existed until I got to college, and I googled the rules fifteen minutes before the game started. Or, how I would google basketball terms for my captions until 2 am?

Big shoutout to Dave Wrath and Meg Mclaughlin. Thank you to Dave Wrath for hiring me to work in Augustana Athletics. You've given me so many opportunities, and I owe you so much for changing my life. Thank you also for giving me the opportunity to make my "comeback" from February to May 2021 when my senior year was cut short. You're forever the best boss in the world. Thank you to Meg McLaughlin for your endless advice and encouragement. You're truly the GOAT and QC Legend as everyone says. Thank you for being one of the greatest role models to me and being an advocate for women in sports.

THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A BLESSING AND A MISFORTUNE IN DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT, THE PANDEMIC MADE ME REALIZE I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE UP SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY. I want to pursue this passion full-time whether it's working in college athletics or professional leagues. One of my many goals is to reach the NBA, NBL, MLS, and Olympics. Even if it's ten minutes of photographing, I'll take any opportunity.

Even if I don't make it to the big leagues, I've been blessed with many memories from the hundreds of individuals I've met. IT TOOK YEARS OF TRIAL AND ERROR. AND I'M STILL LEARNING... BUT THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST ICONIC PHOTOS I'VE CAPTURED. Some may look "simple"... But these photos are also the most memorable moments of my career.

I AM SO THANKFUL to EVERY ATHLETE, PARENT, AND COACH WHO BELIEVED IN ME. THANK YOU FOR SEEING MY VALUE and the spark in me. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A VISUAL LEARNER, AND I HOPE THESE PHOTOS TELL THE STORIES OF EVERYONE I'VE MET.