A play unfolds during a playoff game between the Salem Hills Skyhawks and the Payson Lions on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017 at Salem Hills High School.
October was a month of sports.
Seasons that seem as if they began yesterday are coming to a close. High school football, girl's soccer, cross country, volleyball, tennis and Brigham Young University football have all either come to their last few games or ended entirely. It'll be nice to have one more BYU football game and also the state finals in volleyball and football, but otherwise the start of winter sports seasons are right around the corner. It's been a pretty crazy time photographing all of the paper's sporting events, covering other general assignments and working on Monday Close-Ups, but it's good to be shooting often.
This month's Monday Close-Up (which includes pictures 8-12) focused on fruit farms that were once in rural areas, but now find themselves among cities due to Utah County's population boom in recent decades. Since 1950, more than half a million people have settled in the county, and family fruit farms are slowly vanishing as owners die and families sell the once cheap farmland for a pretty penny. Those images make up the center of this blog post, and the full story can be read here: http://provodh.com/5pzpn.
Besides being busy, I've felt a shift in the expanse of our coverage since becoming a photo staff of two. Time management is now even more crucial. For many of the sporting events shown here, I either got to the game late or had to leave early to cover other assignments (often to ensure we have a front-page photo for our news and sports sections). Sometimes we have to simply choose what it is that is most crucial to the next day's paper, but maximizing the use of time is helping improve on getting what I need at assignments as quickly as possible and then moving on to the next thing.
October is my favorite month of the year. Shooting so many sporting events kept me from attending as many fall-themed assignments, but Utah is incredibly beautiful no matter what I'm covering. The leaves changed quite early in Utah this year (early September in the mountains and later in the month in the valley), and it feels like we're already about to dive into winter. The days are growing shorter, and more and more assignments are moving inside, but I'll relish the last days of fall (and look forward to the fun that winter brings - like skiing!)
Brigham Young Cougars linebacker Va'a Niumatalolo (35) knocks the ball loose from San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Rahshead Johnson (8) for a fumble, which was soon after recovered by the Cougars, during a game between Brigham Young University and San Jose State University on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
Brigham Young Cougars wide receiver Neil Pau'u (84) reacts after not being able to complete a touchdown reception during a game between Brigham Young University and Boise State University on Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
Brigham Young Cougars tight end Matt Bushman (89) celebrates with quarterback Tanner Mangum (12) after Bushman scored a touchdown on a pass from Mangum during a game between Brigham Young University and San Jose State University on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
Brooklyn Cook, 6, center, of Springville, creates her own lightsaber from a pool noodle along with other children during Star Wars Reads Day on Friday, Oct. 13, 2017 at the Springville Public Library.
From right, Pleasant Grove police officers Domonic Adamson, Rick Henderson and Lehi police officer Scott LeFevre carry volunteers role-playing as victims towards a medical station during a mass-casualty exercise Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017 at the Lehi Round-Up Rodeo Grounds.
Andy Winder, a senior at BYU studying English who is also a trans man, poses for a portrait Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017 in Provo.
Missael Castro, right, and Moises Alfaro Rios check the condition of a tomato as they and other workers harvest tomatoes Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 at one of Carlos Chavez's produce farms in Orem. “Every year has been a challenge," explained Chavez. "More houses around us, less land. I don’t know what percentage of land is left right now, but it’s bare minimum - especially here in Orem.”
A worker picks a tomato Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 at one of Carlos Chavez's produce farms in Orem.
From left, Tim Crandall, Fanny Fogamoni, and two of Tim's daughters, Emily Crandall Cullimore and Jenny Crandall Carlson, sort apples Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017 at Crandall's Fruit Farm and Greenhouse in Orem. Tim explained that when he has to sort produce at his farm, often times many of his children and their spouses come to help out. “As long as we enjoy it, we’ll keep doing it," said Tim. "If the day comes we don’t enjoy it or it doesn’t work, we won’t do it anymore. But for now, we very much enjoy doing it and business keeps getting better and better. There’s fewer and fewer farms every year.”
Francisco Contreas assembles boxes that he and other workers will fill with tomatoes Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017 at one of Carlos Chavez's produce farms in Orem.
Tim Crandall makes his way into his fruit stand while he's reflected in a display case showing pictures from the farm's past Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017 at Crandall's Fruit Farm and Greenhouse in Orem.
Attendees gather with signs before a rally Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017 at the East Bay Golf Course in Provo.
Lindsay Anderson, 5, of Provo, dances along with her mother, Phoebe, right, among dancers and drummers from Ngoma y’Africa during Meal for Mtulu on Friday, Oct. 27, 2017 at Merit College Preparatory Academy in Springville.
Maple Mountain midfielder Ciena Woods (25) makes a save during the 5A Girl's Soccer State Championship match between the Timpanogos Timberwolves and the Maple Mountain Golden Eagles on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy.
Maple Mountain's Gracie Knutzen (27) hugs Brynlie Ivie (19) after defeating East in a shootout in the semifinals of the 5A state tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017 at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper.
Orem cheerleader Sadie Wimmer celebrates with quarterback Cooper Legas (5) after the Orem Golden Tigers defeated the Spanish Fork Dons on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017 at Orem High School.
Brigham Young Cougars forward Yoeli Childs (23) dunks the ball past forward Dalton Nixon (33) during the Cougar Tipoff intra-team scrimmage on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017 at the Marriott Center in Provo.
Salem Hills defensive tackle Jackson O'hara (50) listens to coaches speak in their locker room before a playoff game between the Salem Hills Skyhawks and the Payson Lions on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017 at Salem Hills High School.
American Fork players celebrate just after time ran out with American Fork ahead 3-1 to make them the 6A Girl's Soccer State Champions over the Syracuse Titans on Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy.