They Call me the Zog-Tog: Sports Photos for ZogSports

Two of my favorite things combine in Photography and Adult Rec Sports (with ZogSports)

 

For the past year, I’ve captured the rise and fall of the adult rec athlete.  From touchdowns to strike outs, Zog brings together active adults from across the spectrum; diverse backgrounds, ages, skill levels, and even different sports.  Players form a team and play in competitive or recreational leagues in the name of competition, camaraderie, and playing for a cause.  Yes, each team plays for their chosen charity.  Zog has a unique take on adult rec sports.  In addition to competing week in and week out, teams also designate a charity or cause.

 

In many leagues, when a team wins a championship, they get a trophy that ends up gathering dust on a bookcase or collecting cobwebs in that corner of the garage you can never seem to organize.  However, at Zog, at each Zog-sponsored, end-of-season party, donation checks are presented to winning teams on a GIANT check (think Publisher’s Clearing House … but at a bar).  Over the last several years, Zog teams have presented more than $3 million in donations to more than 2000 charities.  That’s a whole lot of home-runs, touchdowns and strikes!

 

ZogSports grew from the ashes of tragedy.  Robert Herzog originally founded the organization in New York, following his close close call on September 11, 2001¹.   Zog was founded to bring together like-minded people in an environment that emphasizes fun, giving back and also creates a community.  The city of New York found strength and fostered giving back and making a difference in the aftermath of those cruel attacks.  ZogSports followed that lead and evolved the same “charitable spirit which pervaded the city following 9/11.”

 

It’s exciting to be part of an organization that not only knows how to have a good time, but also gives back to their community.  I also love that each week I am shooting a different sport: soccer, volleyball, football, ultimate frisbee, kickball, bowling, softball… there’s pretty much an option in there for everyone and it’s never boring for the photographer!  It’s good for the soul to be outside in the California sun, at a park or at the beach; it’s hard to have a bad day.  

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Want to see more cool sports photos?  Check out my gallery of Sports Photos here

Interested in having photos of your league or team? Contact me here

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Want to play? Visit Zogsports.com for league days and times.  ZogSports plays in multiple sports throughout the US and 7 days a week!

¹Learn the story of the tragedy that lead Robert Herzog to found ZogSports here

Halloween at Otis 2017

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Every college has its seasons; the start of school, midterms finals, midterms finals, graduation and somewhere in between it all: Halloween!  However, at Otis college, a school where students live breathe art and design; Halloween is kicked up a notch.  At Otis, students’ love for all things nostalgic, pop culture and spooky, meet artist ability and actual know how of creating a costume from scratch.

Every year I am impressed by the students’ creativity and ability to make time for these crazy costumes.  The costume contest is fun to shoot and fun to share!

Hope you all had a spooktacular halloween!

 

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Let Them Eat Cake!

This adorable fellow turned one this week!

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I’ve working on updating my website, so we thought: CAKE SMASH!  Turns out, Tyler had little interest in the cake! Who knew? haha

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Broccoli and carrots it is then, good for you kid!   Even unsure about what this cake thing is, Tyler is still quite a cutie.  Happy birthday little guy!!  Wishing you a wonderful first birthday!

 

 

Family Photos

This post is long overdue, but lots of photography has been happening and a new website is in the works!

Before the holidays, I had the pleasure of photographing my coworker Angelina and her family.  Working at Otis College, I meet and photograph lots of wonderful folks.  At an Art College you find a certain vibrancy, not only in the art, but also in the people you meet.  Photographing coworkers with their families can be especially fun!  Angelina and her family, certainly exemplified this sentiment.

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Creating exciting and beautiful family photos is very gratifying for me.  I love being able to capture kids as their parents see them: lively, unique individuals.

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And there’s no greater compliment to me, then when a parent looks at a photo and laughs and says, “that’s my kid!”

 

 

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Happy 2017 everyone, a little late, but more coming soon!!

Wearable SOS Ring – Mangos Ring: A Product Shoot With A Cause

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Dodgeballers do more then play hard and create cute babies; they also work hard and have brilliant and creative minds.  Last week, I met up with Mark Hardy, a Westside dodgeballer, to do a product shoot for his Kickstarter Campaign for the Mangos Ring, a wearable SOS device that allows you to call for help discretely and easily, by pressing the front of the ring.

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Mangos is a simple, yet stylish looking ring, that works with an App on your phone to help notify loved ones when you might need help or could be in danger.

It is exciting to be part of something that could save a life.  It is also something special to be part of something from its infancy, right now Mangos is partway through their Kickstarter Campaign and is looking for more supporters; we all can help bring this awesome device to market!

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For more information on the Mangos Ring, check out the the Mangos Website here , the Mangos Kickstarter Campaign here or the Mangos Facebook Page here!

“When Water was Everywhere”, Portraits of an author

Of the  many things I love about photography, one on the top is the list is the people I meet.  Barbara Crane came to my studio to take author photos for her book, “When Water was Everywhere” a book that discusses the history of water in Los Angeles.  Barbara was a delight and I am happy to announce that her book is now available on www.Amazon.com and at Barnesandnoble.com.

 

Water is a hot topic these days.  The promised El Nino pretty much skipped us and this week’s heatwave has sent many of us running for water: beaches, pools and even sprinklers.  But as I am reminded every time I open my water bill, though when we look out at what seems like a vast ocean body, our water in California is actually becoming more and more precious and scarce.

“When Water was Everywhere” Book Synopsis: “Once upon a time in Los Angeles, water was everywhere—in rivers that rendered the vast plain marsh and woodland; in underground streams that provided an abundance of water for people, cattle, orchards and vineyards. The American Henry Scott encounters this fertile landscape in When Water Was Everywhere. Arriving in the Mexican pueblo of Los Angeles in 1842, he meets Don Rodrigo Tilman (based on the historical John Temple). Scott becomes the foreman of Tilman’s newly-purchased cattle ranch along the Los Angeles River, the present day Rancho Los Cerritos. As Scott learns about ranchos and cattle, vaqueros and Indians, Mexican California and Tongva Indian village life come alive under Barbara Crane’s deft grasp of narrative and history. Tilman, Scott, Big Headed Girl (a young Tongva Indian woman) and Padre José’s (a Franciscan friar) unfolding stories assure the novel’s themes of loss, hope and redemption resonate from every page.”

– Allison

 

 

9 Month Old Cutie!

One of my favorite baby “models” came back to the studio this past weekend.  I didn’t think it was possible, but little Simon has gotten even cuter!  I mean look at that smile and look at those curls!  Oh and Simon’s parent’s clean up pretty nice too!

 

9 Months is a fun age, babies are sitting up and interacting; they make faces at you when you make faces at them.

We were also able to do our first shots at the park around the corner.  Midday and we were able to find shade to shoot in!  I will definitely be coming back to the park for more shots in the future; it’s a great spot of children and family photos!

 

–  Allison

Betty & Nick Get Married!

Betty and Nick are Married!! What a gorgeous couple and a gorgeous wedding.  Betty and Nick are beautiful through and through.   I met both Betty and Nick through dodgeball a number of years ago; they are a very fun and competitive couple, which makes for perfect teammates!  Dodgeball is a about teamwork, as is marriage; perhaps that’s why so many dodgeballers have been getting married.  Dodgeballers know how to work together and what it means to be a good teammate.

 

One of my favorite dodgeball couples; Betty and Nick are not only awesome on the court, but also awesome off of the court!

 

And they dress up real nice too!

 

A theme among many of my favorite dodgeballers is the ability to have fun together, to enjoy the moments in between.  Betty and Nick exemplify this ability!

It was an honor and a pleasure to photograph the Wedding of Betty and Nick Conger!   Wishing you both many, many happy years together, few headshots and plenty of catches!!

 

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Dodgeball Baby GIRL!

 

I’m pretty excited for this newest dodgeball baby; a baby girl!! Finally!  Like a true dodgeball team, it’s been mostly boys, but finally another girl!

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I met both Dave and Roni through dodgeball, before they started dating.  They are two of the sweetest, goofiest, nicest dodgeballers.  More likely to make you fall down laughing, rather then fall down from a headshot!  It has been fun seeing their relationship develop, from those first few months of a new “dodgeball relationship,” to marriage and now parents!

 

It was difficult choosing what images to post; baby Emma is a doll, such a cutie!  I can’t wait to see her grow!

 

Welcome to the world Emma Chaya Lindenbaum!  You have some pretty awesome parents that are going to show you so much love and laughter!

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Thank you Roni and Dave for a special testimonial!!

 

Allison Video Testimonial from Allison Knight on Vimeo.

 

– Allison

 

 

Your Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles Dodgeball

A fun Monday morning read all about dodgeball; where to play and what to wear!!  Oh, and a number of photos by me 🙂

https://www.citizine.tv/article/your-ultimate-guide-to-los-angeles-dodgeball