THE 2022 SEASON
2022 is coming to an end here, and it’s down to the last few hours. Looking back and thinking about all of this now, it was really special to be apart of so many local events. I photographed 13 tournaments and events this year.
The Hellwood Putting League presented by Dellwood Disc Golf at HellsGate Haunted House, Illinois’ #1 Haunted House, was by far the most unique putting league experience I have seen yet. I can’t wait for their next series which starts next week on Friday, January 6th. Details about the league can be found here.
Looking back at all of these events I felt the most nervous tension at The Dog Bowl, because it was the first tournament of the year and it was so exciting! There is nothing like shaking off all that dust after a long winter break.
I always love photographing Fraction Run because this time in the season is really unique to photograph. The grass isn’t green yet, and there’s no leaves on the trees, but with the sun out there are these long shadows that hang around all day long. It’s just something that you don’t see for the bulk of the year, and there’s such a small window to capture that.
The Greater Joliet Tour Series Tournament Director Team Challenge (I dare you to say that 3x in a row). The concept of this event is that players get drafted by one of the four tournament directors (Leo Borowski, Sean Callahan, Ryan Fancher and Thor Batchelor) and play match play, points accumulate per team. The best part about this event is that everyone really wins, no matter what team you are on. It is a fundraiser for local course projects.
Dellwood and The Masters of The Canyon really was a special event to see. This was the first master’s only event held at The Canyons and so many disc golfers from across the U.S. came out to play Illinois’ number one disc golf course, The Canyons for the first time.
It has been a few years since I photographed the Illinois State Championships, and one thing is for sure, I do not want to miss another one again. The vibe there is unreal because the level of local talent is so high. I also really loved the Illinois Disc Golf Hall of Fame ceremony. I have been involved with disc golf since 2004 now and the bonds that have grown since then are really special to see with the passing of time.
40th Illinois State Championships
The last time I attended U.S. Women’s was in 2009 when it was held in the Quad Cities, Iowa. It felt extra special to attend this event in Madison, Wisconsin, see old friends, and work with the Disc Golf Pro Tour.
We learned so much at The Clash of The Canyons both AM and Pro weekends this year. But mostly it was patience because we had so much rain at both events. In the end, the only thing really effected were tee times and the number of holes played. Because when the sun came back out, it was like the rain never happened.
For both Am and Pro weekend, it was great to see so many touring players come out to Dellwood Park, it’s an event that never disappoints.
The Feather Frenzy, this had to be the hottest event of the year temperature wise. So much heart goes out to all of these women for not only coming out on this day, but being apart of the Women’s Global Event which happens bi-annually where women compete with other women all across the world. Not to mention, Amy Laskowski and Sheila Callahan really put their heart and souls into this event to make sure everyone has a great experience from the players packs, trophies, and overall vibe. It really is a unique event that we look forward to every year.
Going to the Ledgestone Insurance Open year after year feels like an extended family reunion. Having been to almost every Ledgestone since 2011, and to really see it from where it started to where it is now, it just shows you where pro disc golf is heading and it’s so cool to see.
By far one of the best moments of the year was seeing Sheila Callahan accept the Gary Lewis Achievement Award. This award is given to individuals who serve and are a major role model in our disc golf community. Sheila is such a major part of our community, has given her life to serve, and is the back bone of its success. Her light always keeps me inspired to move forward.
I get goosebumps thinking about the Greater Joliet Tour Series Finals. The end of the season really is so bittersweet. Coming together for the finals at Trinity Links in the fall is magic. So much goes with running a series and events all year, and Dellwood Disc Golf always goes above and beyond to make everything they do an experience. Just being here at the finals you could really sense that, and I think that’s why I get goosebumps over it.
The Dellys! This is the best way to end the season, with a disc golf awards show at The Roxy. In its second year, it felt like homecoming seeing everyone in this space again. There was so much heart from seeing who won The Dellys this year, the surprise video that was presented about what “Dellwood Disc Golf means to me” and of course the blooper reels that really showed just how human we are.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DAD WHO TURNED 67 TODAY!
Thank you Chris and Eco for being you and encouraging me everyday!
I really enjoyed getting back into film photography too. It’s probably been close to a decade since I’ve used 35mm last. I experimented with all kinds of different film from Lomochrome Purple, Lomography Metropolos, Revelog Kolor, Bubble Film Jelly, Cinestill and more.
I also collaborated with Dellwood Disc Golf to put together the 2023 calendar, these are available for purchase onsite in store now, and the Dellwood Disc Golf Magazine!
2022 was such a whirlwind! Going into this year I had this mentality that I really wanted to go where ever the wind blew, and so many great unexpected things came out of that. There were times I felt burnout too, and that usually happens with every season (hello Ledgestone… why does my hard drive always fill after your event? Seriously, I put my camera down and didn’t pick it back up until Sheila got the Gary Lewis Award in October).
But I wouldn’t change anything that happened for a minute of it.
I think my focus for 2023 is going to shift a little bit more. I still want to do local events, likely about the same amount, but I don’t think I need to be on the course as long for some of the events. I really want to put some videos together and complete the drone part 107 exam. I also want to get back into making cyanotypes, and create some different content for the blog. Maybe more experimental photography and techniques? More travel?
What are some of your thoughts on content you would like to see?
Evolution is apart of our human nature. New Year’s gives us the energy to reflect and move forward. I try to carry that energy of what I am feeling and thinking along with me and I think 2023 will be no different.
Health wise, I know I’m getting older, we all are. When we are young the body takes care of us. As we get older, we need to take care of the body more. So focusing on strength both physically and mentally is apart of this new year too.
