I was recently asked to judge a Sports Photography contest for the 500px photographic community.  Going through those entries and selecting the winner got me thinking more about why Sport inspires such passion and loyalty amongst millions of fans worldwide.  It also made me curious to understand more about my own love of sports and sports photography.

I believe sporting figures embody the possibility of excellence. Champions demonstrate greatness and humility, and those who reach the very pinnacle of each sport represent mastery.

A lot of my love for Sport comes from the heroic level of dedication required to overcome limitations, and reach new levels of skill and achievement. That's why I think the power of sport transcends the boundaries of it's chosen arena - and thus it's impact manifests everywhere in life.

Alas my own sporting ability will not see me competing at an Olympic games, playing in the Champions League Final, or scoring the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. But using these sporting analogies, the transcendent level of joy I experience when creating new photographs, especially during the highest pressure of sports photography jobs is my own version of these experiences.