Continuing on with our favorite images of 2017…today’s gallery is our favorite Sports! This is always the hardest category to select for since we shoot over 175 sporting events a year. Between the Timbers, Thorns, T2, Hillsboro Hops, Blazers and what ever college football and basketball teams we cover sports keep us very busy. I’m drawn more to sports images that capture the atmosphere surrounding the game off the field and the emotion on the field. Here are my ten favorite images of 2017.

The Portland Timbers have an insanely awesome fan base and with regularly sold-out games, there’s always great crowd action to shoot. The Timbers Army passes a log slab through the crowd after Darlington Nagbe’s goal against Colorado on August 23rd at Providence Park.

This Fall, Timbers midfielder Sebastian Blanco and his wife Nataly became first-time parents! I love this photo of Blanco and his newborn daughter Feli smiling at each after a match against Orlando City on September 24th a few days after she was born.

Remember what I was saying about the insanely awesome Timbers fan base? Yeah… The Thorns fan base is pretty awesome too. Lots of celebration this year for the 2017 NWSL Champs!

I shot 12 college basketball games (8 in one day!) for the Associated Press during the PK80, Phil Knight Invitational tourney. In honor of Phil Knight’s 80th birthday, this year’s tournament was held in Portland. This celebratory moment from the Texas vs Duke game on the first day was by far one of my favorite images of the entire tournament. Love the emotion.

This was shot during the Home Run Derby for the Northwest League/Pioneer League All-Star Game. I set up a remote camera a few feet in front of home plate. I was only slightly scared about my camera getting destroyed by a baseball. Sometimes you have to take healthy risks in order to make some interesting moments.

One of my favorite things about shooting soccer is the emotional celebrations. They’re always different and never dull. In this photo Portland Timbers forward Fanendo Adi and midfielder Dairon Asprilla high five after Adi scored his second goal of the match against FC Dallas.

Portland Timbers midfielder Amobi Okugo takes a sweet bicycle kick shot on goal during the MLS playoffs that just barely missed going in against the Houston Dynamo on November 5th.

Like I said, the celebrations are always different, always interesting. Portland Timbers midfielder Sebastian Blanco reacts by sharing the love with fans after scoring a goal.

Emily Sonnett loses her mind after scoring a goal in the NWSL semifinals against Orlando Pride on October 7th. The win would propel the Thorns to the championship game the following week where they would win their second NWSL title!

We came across a pick up game while shooting images on the Nike campus. This image would eventually be used on their jobs website.