This collection of favorite sports photos is my running highlight reel from the 2025–2026 school year so far, bringing together the images that, to me, best capture the energy, emotion, and story of High School Sports. You can view the full gallery here: https://www.tjpowellphotography.com/Portfolio/Favorite-Sports-Photos-2025-2026-School-Year .

It is current only through the midpoint of the winter season, so what you see here is very much “to date,” with more favorites still to come as the year continues. Keep checking this link as I regularly add new photos!

Why I Created This Favorites Gallery

High school seasons go by quickly, and it is easy for even the biggest moments to blur together once the lights go out and the uniforms are put away. I built this favorites gallery to pull together the frames that stand out from the games I have covered so far this school year—those split seconds where effort, focus, and emotion all line up in a single image.

When I select favorites, I am not just looking for technically sharp images or peak action (though those matter); I am also looking for photos that say something about the athletes and teams. A determined look before a free throw, a group huddle on the sideline, a quiet walk off the field after a hard loss—those moments tell the story of a season just as much as touchdowns, goals, or big three-pointers.

How I Approach Shooting These Games

By day, I work as a civil engineer, but most evenings and weekends during the school year you will find me on the sidelines, in the end zone, or tucked into a corner of the gym with a camera in hand. Sports photography started as a way for me to support local athletes, and over time it has grown into a regular volunteer effort covering a wide range of Twinsburg High School events throughout the year.

My approach combines years of practice with professional camera gear and fast lenses designed for low light and fast action. I pay close attention to backgrounds, angles, and timing so that when an athlete makes a big play—or has a genuine emotional moment—I am ready to capture it in a way that will hold up as a keepsake years from now.

Who These Photos Are For

This gallery is really for the athletes and their families. Most parents are in the stands cheering, not shooting, and it can be tough to capture sharp, well-composed action photos while you are also trying to enjoy the game. My goal is to give families something they can print, share, and look back on—images that feel like they could have come from a college or pro game, but they are of their own kids.

All of the individual events that feed into this favorites gallery are available as full galleries on my main photography site, where downloads are offered for free because I never want cost to be the reason someone cannot enjoy a great photo of their season. When you do share, all I ask is that you include credit so others can find the galleries as well.

Where This Fits in the Season

These favorites represent highlights from a much larger body of work covering the 2025–2026 school year. On my sports photography site, there is an index of events that lists out the games and matches I have shot—football under Friday night lights, boys and girls soccer, volleyball, basketball, and more—so you can start from a favorite image and then click through to see the full gallery from that event.

Right now, this favorites collection is a snapshot in time, current only through the midpoint of the winter season. There are still plenty of conference games, late-season matchups, and (hopefully) postseason runs ahead, and those will bring new opportunities for more favorite photos. Think of this gallery as “favorites so far”; as new games are played in the coming months, this collection will continue to grow and the story of the 2025–2026 season will keep being written one frame at a time.