By: Ryan Parry
Former Sports Illustrated Photo Editor and Photography Consultant Jim Colton said:
There’s often a misconception about sports photography that the best pictures are of peak action — buzzer beaters, slam dunks, etc. — but sometimes when all that action is happening in front of you, the better picture is actually behind you! Reaction is often better than action. And photography is about capturing the moment. When North Carolina State defeated the Virginia Tech in Greensboro this week, photographer Ryan Parry was acutely aware of this possibility as he captured the spirit of the game with a compelling reaction photo of the Wolfpack bench as they celebrated their first round ACC Tournament win. The emotion and body language is evident in the players and the photo is anchored with the crowd doing the same in the background, giving the image depth and dimension. Even the celebration in its infancy on the part of the player in the middle, looking like he’s doing the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance, adds another interesting element to this dynamic image. Ryan Parry nailed it!