I hope to try and stay on top of making new posts more often, still getting into the swing. Here in the third week I am more certain than ever that I want to do this for quite a long time. Nothing like a variety of opportunities to shoot, the different subjects and events.. and the other photographers I meet!

Before divulging into a long long set of softball photos, I have two graduations shots to share. So glad I didn’t have to do all that many of these. Kinda fun, but it gets old pretty quick.

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Hampshire graduates line up before the start of their Graduation Commencement on Saturday evening. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption></figure>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Maine West graduate Geomil Pasia watches fellow students line up to receive their diplomas during graduation ceremonies at Rosemont Theatre on Sunday evening. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Maine West High School held its graduation ceremony for the Class of 2009 at their school on Sunday, June 7, 2009. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

Okay. I’m bored with graduations already! This next set of images come from my first out-of-town assignment. I am (still) down at the EastSide Centre fields in East Peoria, IL covering the IHSA state softball tournament. Four games on Friday, two today. [I am in between the two today, I will probably have time after the game to update this here blag with some new images.] I come down with a sports writer from the DuPage office and I volunteered to drive so I could at least make some money from the weekends adventure (I only get my mileage reimbursed). To my surprise, here I spotted a photographer I met back at the SWPJC I went to in February.

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Scott Strazzante doing what Scott Strazzante does. What’s that you ask? Parking himself on a hill with a 600mm f4L IS to shoot softball. Kevin Sherman/Kevin Sherman Photography</figcaption></figure>

Yes, The Great Scott [Strazzante]. A photographer for the Tribune that is quite talented. Really great guy to talk to too. Check him out on his blag and if you are interested, here is a gallery with his images from the weekend. The whole gallery is not his, but the most recent stuff is in the beginning, so he first two dozen or so are his. Yes, he rocks my face off. Nice work Scott

Now on to my [less good] softball shots. This so only a few shots from each of the games, enjoy!

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Lady Rockets pitcher Mackenzie Scott pitches during the first inning of their game against the Lady Bengals on Friday morning during their Class 3A semi-final game at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption></figure>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Lady Rockets sophomore Abby Morrow reacts during the final moments of their 4-0 loss to the Bengals on Friday morning at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Raiders junior Sarah Goldberg cheers on her team mates during the final moments of their 4-2 loss against the Titans during their Class 3A semi-final game on Friday afternoon at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Naperville Central senior Erin Graham makes contact during their Class 4A semi-final game against Edwardsville on Friday evening at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Jori Gonzalez, from left, Maggie Buoy and Nicole Kappelman react during the final moments of their 2-0 loss to Edwardsville during their Class 4A semi-final game on Friday evening at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">The 2009 Naperville Central Redhawks leave the field after their 2-0 loss to Edwardsville during their Class 4A semi-final game on Friday evening at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Fremd pitcher Lena Brottman throws a strike past Loyola’s Teresa Aguilar during their Class 4A semi-final game on Friday night at Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Fremd junior Alyssa Clements reacts to a game-ending throwing error in the bottom the 8th inning in their 1-0 loss to Loyola during their Class 4A semi-final game on Friday night at the East Side fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

Well, if you have been reading the captions (you have been, right?) then you would see that indeed all four teams I covered lost. Stinks. Fortunately, that means I get to leave ‘early’ tonight since I don’t have to cover the Class 4A final game at 7pm. In fact, the last two games my teams did not get a single hit. Means the action was at a relative minimum. But, this is high school so there is always a second chance! Well, for third place there is. So here is this morning’s Class 3A third place game.

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Burlington Central’s Mackenzie Scott pitches while the Glenbard South players watch from the dugout during their Class 3A state softball tournament game for third place on Saturday morning at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption></figure>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Burlington Central starting pitcher hits a two RBI double to help her team take third place in their 3-1win over Glenbard South for the Class 3A state softball tournament on Saturday morning at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">The 2009 Glenbard South Raiders line up to receiver their fourth place medals after their 3-1 loss to the Burlington Central Raiders during the Class 3A state softball tournament on Saturday morning at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

<figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Burlington Central winning pitcher Mackenzie Scott, left, walks with Coach Scot Sutherland who is carrying the team’s third place trophy after their 3-1 win over Glenbard South in the Class 3A state softball tournament on Saturday morning at the Eastside Centre fields in East Peoria. Kevin Sherman/ksherman@dailyherald.com/©Daily Herald</figcaption>

Alright, that is all for now folks. Been a great weekend, learned and shot a lot. Got one more game in about an hour, hopefully its my best of the weekend

Peace,
KS

PS – while most of posts this summer will be about this internship, if you are interested in catching up with what I have been doing at the Daily Herald, just click in the “Internship” category on the right!