The making of a football cover shoot for a small but fast growing Bay Area prep sports magazine. What goes into it you say? Well, a lot really.

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We need a player, let’s see, how about senior Alex Van Dyke 6’ 4’’ 210 lb wide receiver from Cosumnes Oaks High School in Elk Grove? He’ll work, big kid with big hands and expected to tear up the gridiron this season for the Wolfpack.

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Meanwhile, at SportStars Magazine Headquarters in Concord, CA Wheels are a turning. Laying out a concept for the cover. Wouldn’t it be cool to have Van Dyke look like he’s diving over the Tower Bridge in Sacramento?

Need to get fresh photos of the bridge, but let’s not make it look too big. That’s right let’s make Van Dyke bigger than life. Click…click from this angle and a little over there. Click…click…click and we should be good.

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Time for the writer to call the coach, text coach, where’s the coach? Email the coach, finally there’s coach! “We’d like to interview and photograph your player for the upcoming Sac-Joaquin Section Edition of SportStars Magazine.” When is he available for a photo shoot? Not tomorrow, how about Tuesday? Only between 1 and 3 pm, how does Friday look? Okay then Thursday it is.

Day of the photo shoot…Let’s drag this high jump pit over here so you have something soft to land on Alex while we get you diving with the ball. Oh darn that pit is full of dirt, let’s clean you up. Just missed that shot, need another and another and another and….One more, we should be good. Brush him off, I promise last one!

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Back at SportStars…I did what? You shot Alex diving from the wrong direction. Oh I need to re-shoot the bridge from the other side you say? Do you think they will really notice that the bridge is backwards?

Back at the bridge…Darn I can’t seem to get the same angle from this side. All these trees are in the way and these poles. Hmm how deep is the river here next to the bank, and how fast is the water moving? Shoes off, socks off and shorts rolled up let’s find out first without the camera.

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Okay all is clear. Wade out, click…click…click. Note to self, I’m not doing this a third time. Click…click…click. Out a little further, watch out for the wake from that boat. Click…click and done. Now pray like crazy!

And I just got word…You like the new bridge images and we are golden? Awesome! Was there ever any doubt? Heck no!
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