In the fall of 2009, I had the opportunity to photograph something new and different. My friend, Lindsay Gabriele, was an instructor at the US Academy of Gymnastics in Riverside, CT and wanted to have photographs taken of her team while they practiced.
This was the first time I attempted anything close to sports photography. I gave it a try and it turned out to be a lot of fun. I had never captured anything/anyone in so much motion before.
Before I put together this post, Lindsay was nice enough to share some details about the Academy and her involvement. It's a bit of a revival story:
Lindsay used to compete at this same gym when she was younger. Eventually, her coach moved away to California which was the end of the team's existence. But 10 years later, Lindsay decided to bring it back, and she took charge of a flock of eager young gymnasts. She coached the team for four years. In her final year, the team consistently placed between 1st and 3rd throughout the season and eventually became AAU State Champions.
While photographing them I got a sense of Lindsay's style as an instructor; she was firm but fair. It was no nonsense and the girls responded to her positively.
