Before you get the wrong idea, I mean, I wouldn't want anyone to think that I'm lurking in the shadows with a high powered rifle, lying in wait for a runner to happen by. You see, I am not talking about gunning down runners. No, not at all, that would be creepy and weird, it would also be socially unacceptable, and most importantly, it would be illegal. What I am talking about, is photographing them. Now let me tell you right off that I am not a photographer, or anything close to resembling one for that matter. I did however (now that I think about it), when I was a young boy, think that I'd like to be a photographer some day. So, I saved up some money, and bought myself a film developing kit from Sears, Roebuck. I set up my make shift dark room, and I developed a few pictures. The black and white photos that I produced came out ok, but the paper was wet, and they curled up at the corners, it was quite a mess. Actually the whole process was a mess, it turned out to be too much work for me, and I found that it was kind of boring. So, that was about it for me and photography. Then, years later, lo and behold, along came digital photography: hallelujah.

With the end of summer approaching, and the kids getting ready to return to school, it's back to the books, and back to another year of academia. It also signals the beginning of the cross country season. Now let me tell you, Cross country meets are definitely not a spectator friendly sport, and taking pictures at a cross country meet can be a challenging and frustrating task. I know, I've tried taking pictures with a digital camera, but there is this annoying delay thing, and that great shot I thought I got, well...it wound up a blurry scene with the heel of my subject's foot just visible at the edge of the photo.

If you have ever been a spectator at a cross country meet in the north east United States, then you already know that you find yourself standing around in an open field, and if you are lucky it is a warm sunny day. But, much too often it's pouring rain, or snowing. One time, I remember quite well, the poor kids had to run in hurricane like conditions, with windswept rain, sleet, and hail. Boy, did I feel bad for the kids that day, but I still got my pictures.

Most of the time the cross country fans stand around talking, holding cups of hot (soon to be cold) coffee in their gloved hands. Shifting from foot to foot, and sometimes holding an umbrella. They wait patiently for the starter's gun to sound. Then...BANG...! The fans watch as the runners charge off across the field, jockeying for position. A thundering mass of humanity, like a herd of wild mustangs they go, and the spectators watch as they disappear into the woods at the far side of the field. The hardy fans go back to their conversations, scanning the woods from time to time waiting for the runners to return, and then, about fifteen to twenty minutes later, the runners begin to emerge from the woods. They have spread out by now, and the anxious spectators watch, and cheer, as the runners huff and puff across the field to the finish line. Exciting, don't you think?

Now, what I do at the cross country meet makes it a lot more exciting, and, for me, a lot more fun. It would probably be wise for me to start training sometime in the early spring. Needing to build stamina to keep up with the runners is an important requirement. I, however, don't bother with this step, it's just too much work, but each year I wind up regretting my decision.

I try to arrive at the meet location early, and if at all possible I try to get a map of the course. If I can't find a map, I follow the course markings, and find some good locations to shoot from. Usually the course is laid out so I can shoot the start of the race, then jog through the woods, taking a shortcut, to a good place to wait for the runners to run by. From there I run through the woods and across the fields to the next location that I have chosen, and again I wait for the runners to go by. Depending on the course, I can usually find three to five locations that I can shoot from.

I usually shoot the start of the race. Although, sometimes I skip the start to get a better trail shot further down the course. I then try to get at least two woodland trail shots. Then I try to race back to shoot the finish, but, again, sometimes I sacrifice that for the sake of better woodland trail shots. I prefer the woodland trail shots, because very few others are foolish enough to get those obscure photos out in the middle of nowhere, in the woods. It also helps the runners; I can see them (especially the team I support) perk up when they see a fan out on the course.

What kind of camera do I use you may ask. Well, let me tell you; I use a digital video camera, and I video tape the runners I want photos of.

Sometimes I find myself in the company of an intrepid photographer, one who is really serious, I mean, this guy, has the super mega pixel, multi shot, with the mile long lens, gizmos, and gadgets kind of camera. I'm talking serious. The guy asks me, a bit perplexed, "You're videotaping a cross-country meet?" I just answer with a "Yup." Ok, so he'll get better quality photos then me, so what, I can get some pretty decent shots too. So, as I stand there next to the mega pixeled pro, I listen as his camera clicks off, oh maybe a dozen shots, then I press the button on my camera, and squeeze off thirty two frames per second. Now keep in mind, these thirty two frames are not of equal quality to mister megapixels', but many are good, and some are very good.

Later, back at home, I hook up my camera to my computer, and with a video editing program (there are many different kinds available) I watch the tape, and capture the still shots I want, there are potentially thousands of stills from a single cross country meet. As I view the tape I pause on what looks like a good frame, and 'click' it's a photo. Anyway, my photos may not be the best quality in the world, but some of them are pretty good.

Many of my pictures have been used at both high school, and college cross-country banquets. They have been used in collages, where printed photos were taped to poster boards, and hung on the wall at the banquet, and then when the banquet came to an end the team members took the photos that they wanted to keep. My pictures have been used for slide shows, programs, and have also appeared in a college newspaper. What do you think about that, mister megapixel?

The photos in this article are a very small sampling of the thousands of stills that I have produced over the years. The photos have been altered to protect the runner's identities.