Following UGA Head Coach Mark Richt for a game assignment

by Stanley LearyNikon D4
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Decision Magazine hired me to follow UGA head coach Mark Richt and his wife, Katharyn Richt.

If it worked out, I was to try to get photos of them together. That never happened, but I stuck with the coach and his wife for the rest of the day.

Nikon D4,  Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM, Sigma 2x EX DG APO Autofocus Teleconverter, ISO 1250, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

I arrived early, met Katharyn, and then sat in the stands.

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 900, ƒ/5, 1/2000

While this will win no awards, it starts with the safe shots to be sure I had some excellent expressions.

Nikon D4, 14-24mm, ISO 400, ƒ/16, 1/500–Nikon SB900 fill flash -1EV

I liked this photo much better, even though I could not see her face. She is doing what she does every game to help support the team and Mark.

The magazine picked that photo and one more of Mark interacting with one of the players.

Nikon D4,  Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM, Sigma 2x EX DG APO Autofocus Teleconverter, ISO 1600, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Now, at this point in the season, the top running back in the country is UGA #3, Todd Gurley. I tried to get a photo of him with the coach. The best I did that day was this shot, but the ƒ/5.6 was too shallow to show Mark clearly in the background.

Nikon D4,  Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM, Sigma 2x EX DG APO Autofocus Teleconverter, ISO 450, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Mark Richt is on the far right with a headset. Well, I just missed it. A few days later, the NCAA suspension came out, so he was definitely out of the magazine piece. It would have distracted from the storyline.