I spent $5 on a quick-pick Powerball ticket on my way out of the grocery store Friday night.  Saturday night, thought about it and took my ticket over to my computer and checked the numbers. The numbers didn’t look too great, I hate when some numbers get bunched up … except when they are on my ticket too. The first number didn’t match, but the second did. And the third. And the fourth. I was off on the last two. It was quite exciting to have matched three of the numbers although the payout was just $7 on my $5 ticket.

But you can’t win if you don’t play.

With photography you often have to take chances as well, to make a photo stand out from the rest. It can be as simple as leaning over the edge of a building, standing on a chair, or lying down to shoot a different angle, to strapping on the climbing gear yourself and hanging over the edge to get the shot of the extreme climber. Often when you’re taking a picture if you take even the smallest risks you’re rewarded with better photos.

A couple weeks ago I took a risk, not necessarily with different settings, but with a more physical risk with my gear. I was skating behind the river center with my girlfriend and taking in the sunset. Another skater was crisscrossing the ice in front of the setting sun’s reflection.  I instantly saw a photo but my camera bag was in the trunk of my car. Seeing as how it was only my second time ever on ice skates it wasn’t the quickest, or most graceful, trek to my camera.

My girlfriend and the other ice skater both knew once I was back to the ice with the camera that if I happened to fall that I was going to do anything to keep my body between the ice and my camera. Honestly, I can deal with the mental anguish and expense of a broken arm easier than I can deal with that of a broken camera.

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Taking some risks to achieve something that stands out from the rest of the photos was a lesson that I quickly learned at the professional sports photography workshop I did a couple years ago. When you have to submit photos each morning for critique along with about 40 other fantastic photographers, you start to try more techniques and go to larger extremes to make a name for yourself and get more attention from the instructors.

Below is a photo that I shot on one of the first days at the workshop.

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I watched these BMX bikers and shot photos of them for a while. I picked up some patterns and noted which riders achieved consistent height and jump paths. Once I figured it out, I approached the riders, explained what I wanted to do and took my place on my back below the largest jump. Even though I was taking a risk, I wanted to take some precautions and make sure the riders were confident having me there. I later repeated the same process and steps when I shot the Donate 2 Skate fund-raiser a couple years ago.

During the same week, I shot the final game of a series when the New York Yankees visited Coors Field and played the Colorado Rockies, which was an absolutely amazing experience in itself. Before the game I had to step back from the awe I was feeling and continue to shoot and try things I normally wouldn’t  — there was no guarantee I’d ever find myself in that position again.

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Approaching professional athletes when they’re at work is a risk, and a risk I felt worth taking. I came to find out that getting time with professional athletes pre-game is a very hard goal to accomplish, and even harder with major league baseball players.

At left above is former Yankees and Rockies pitcher Ron Villone. He was signing autographs for fans along the edge of the seating area and I asked if I could tag along for some fan shots. He was okay with it and surprised me with an up close and personal portrait opportunity.

At the right is former Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh (then a rookie and now a Yankees’ minor leaguer). I asked him if he had time for a quick portrait in the dugout before he ran out to the bullpen. He gave me about two minutes, and five frames, in the home dugout and a bit of a hard time because he was headed out to sign some autographs. I asked a few other players if they had a moment and the few that did respond obviously didn’t. One player that I asked was current Rockies catcher, then rookie, Chris Iannetta. He was confused but willing, but as I made my way back into the dugout with him I was informed I wasn’t allowed in there and shouldn’t have been there before without prior permission from the club. It was a risk I had to take though and I got a portrait that I’ll always keep.

Though the above photos aren’t at the same level of risk of those of adventure photographer Corey Rich, they are examples of taking some risk and being rewarded.

If you don’t play you can’t win.