Well, how to begin this? I don't really know...
Let's start with the basics. My name is Luke, and I am currently a computer science student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), looking to get my bachelors in Spring 2025, and for some odd reason, my masters in the following year.
You may be asking--how did I get into the sports photography realm? Well, to this day, I'm a little surprised how it all worked out as well. Like most Americans, sports have always been a part of my life, but over the past decade or so, I've really taken a liking to NASCAR and motorsports. After being fortunate enough to attend the Coke 600, one of the "crown jewel" events of NASCAR, I was able to get infield access, where I saw first-hand how media members are able to roam and get content of drivers and cars up-close and personal. And of course, like every young adult, I thought "why can't I do that too?"
One of the many (junky) photos I took at the race. I've come a long way since then!
This idea was lingering in my mind once I returned to SIUE to start my senior year, as I knew a local racetrack (called WWT Raceway) was only around 15 miles away. Of course, the problem was finding an outlet to work for, as it's usually quite hard to get into events without being affiliated with some publication.
Through the past couple semesters, I found a couple friends at SIUE (David and Jay) that were willing to jump on this journey with me, and so in October 2024, I cold-emailed the Alestle (my uni's student newspaper), asking if we could provide coverage of INDYCAR/NASCAR at the local racetrack under our university. Alas, it was not to be, but the publisher gave me contact info for Collinsville Daily News (CDN), who decided to take a chance on us, and a couple months later, I would find myself in Collinsville, IL, on my first shoot taking parade photos.
My first "official" shoot--the Collinsville Light Up Parade. At this point, I still didn't have a camera and was still using my phone.
Well, after doing my first shoot for CDN, I knew I had to make a decision of how far I wanted to take this. Realizing I needed a camera, I purchased a Canon EOS R50, along with a 55-210 mm kit lens--probably the most barebones mirrorless camera one could buy.
Somehow, I was able to get granted credentials for the Windy City Bulls, the G League affiliate team of the Chicago Bulls, a few days after that, as my first shoot with my new camera. Looking back on it, I can't believe the team let me in, as I had no idea what I was doing, and I think I'll always put them down as one of the main reasons why I stuck with sports photography (Windy City Bulls...thanks so much).
If you've seen the homepage of my site, you've seen this photo. To this day, this is one of my best photos I've taken, and I'm so happy I was able to capture this even with my two hours of camera experience!
After finishing up my winter break and returning to STL for the spring semester, I continued to shoot sports, mainly focusing on Collinsville HS and SIUE basketball...and it just so happened that we were able to witness the first time in school history that SIUE made March Madness, something I thought I'd never be able to see.
Raynard Horry bringing the SIUE ticket out on Selection Sunday.
Through all of this, being able to go to the SIUE arena every week, briefly chatting with the players, and capturing special moments really reinvigorated my love for basketball, especially college basketball (I used to be a big NBA 2K guy back in the day, but not so much anymore).
David and I were also fortunate enough to be one of the few media members to capture SIUE at March Madness, a moment I won't ever forget.
Kyle Thomas throwing it down to score the first March Madness points in SIUE school history.
Looking back, it's crazy to think how all of this started with a simple idea and a cold email. What was once just a passing thought has turned into something Iām truly passionate about, and I can't wait to see where it takes me next. Whether it's courtside at a college game, trackside at a motorsports event, or covering something entirely unexpected, I know that as long as I have my camera in hand, I'll be exactly where I want to be.
--Luke Welsh