After 644 days (but who’s counting) I was fortunate enough to return to the Big House to photograph Michigan’s defeat of Western Michigan. It was easily the happiest day I’ve experienced over the last year and a half.

The Big House was once again at full capacity with 109,295 humans in the stadium.

Warm-ups/pregame for the athletes is also very much a warm-up period for me, especially not having shot any sort of sports in nearly two years. It’s a nice time of reflection when the stadium is still pretty empty and fans slowly trickle in. All of a sudden you blink and the stadium is full. Some of my favorite photos I’ve ever taken usually come from these early points in the day or smaller moments in between the action shots.

The men’s basketball team also made an appearance on the sideline. They’re pretty tall.

I’ve come to realize how much of a mental game photography can be. Being too much in my head, overthinking shots, and good ol’ imposter syndrome can completely ruin how I shoot. Through the years I’ve found ways to continue to combat all this, from getting to the stadium ridiculously early to not beating myself up about missing a shot. Football can be pretty unpredictable, as Michigan fans are well aware of.

I was so incredibly lucky to be in the group of photographers that were credentialed for the Western game. It was great to see familiar faces and share the same phrases of, “Wow, I can tell I haven’t done this in a few years!” The photogs were incredibly kind and there was a general mood of encouragement and support for everyone in the room, which hasn’t always been the case.

Enjoy some of my favorite photos from the game, and I’ll see you again next Saturday!