Wake Love | Why we photograph watersports

ALM Photo has had a long love affair with the waters of East Tennessee, but some of you may not know the whole story. So, let's take a little trip back in time...back before digital cameras were held in the hands of nearly every person on the planet. Back before the 'A' and 'L' of ALM Photo even met.

Allan doing a 'spinny flippy' trick

Allan wake surfing

{cue the way back machine music}

Allan has always had a love for being on the lake getting pulled behind a boat whether it was waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing or even kneeboarding. In the later part of 1990's and early 2000's, he was the co-owner of Precision Sports LLC a watersports shop and boat dealership in the Karns community. Prior to opening his own shop he worked at Alpine Ski Center, selling snow and water sports equipment, and was instrumental in introducing wakeboarding to East Tennessee. It was actually a combination of taking photographs of boats and equipment for the shop and spending long days on the lake riding behind a boat that refueled Allan's interest in photography. It's also where I got my start behind the lens. After all, Allan couldn't photograph himself. The movements of the wakeboarders, from smooth butter slides to popping in the air to do their 'spinny-flippy' tricks taught me how to follow the rider and maintain focus as well as how to manage the changing light. In addition to learning how to photograph action sports, I learned how to hold my camera steady while hurtling over the water and stopping, starting and turning. Definitely the best on the job training ever!

Allan looks fantastic upside down...

Several years ago Knox Wake had a weekly winch-pulled wakeboarding and wakeskating competition at Wild Wing Cafe and we would head over there as our scheduled allowed to capture photos of the riders. They loved to see what they looked like hitting the rails and kickers and sometimes we even brought out the strobes to really get some cool shots. More than anything though, it was Allan's love for the wakeboarding community that brought us out each week and it's what keeps us involved with the wakeboarding community that exists today in East Tennessee. So, now you can see why we love to photograph watersports events.

Wakeskater at a KnoxWake Wild Wing Cafe event

It was this love and expertise for photographing watersports action that interested the Tennessee INT League early last year. This is the second year ALM Photo is photographing the wakeboarding tournaments put on by the Tennessee INT League. The INT League is turning the recreational sports of wakeboarding, waterskiing, kneeboarding and wakeskating into a competitive, but fun for the whole family, sport. Drop by their website and find out more about what they do for the watersports community.

From the boat

From the shore

___________________________________________________

Visit our website to view more of our work

Find us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

{Portraiture | Commercial | Architectural | Event | Weddings | Sports & Action}