Photographing USA Gymnastics Championships at 8 Months Pregnant

Looking back at my time on the floor last year, I am reminded of how much goes into capturing a National Championship. From a photographer's perspective, Rhythmic Nationals is both an honor and an extreme test of technical endurance.

Unlike a local invitation, the stakes here are monumental. For the athletes, these routines are the culmination of thousands of hours of unseen sacrifice, sweat, and split-second precision. They are chasing national titles and positions on the U.S. National Team.

When an athlete steps onto the carpet with her hoop, ball, ribbon, or clubs, there is a distinct, high-voltage energy in the arena. As a visual storyteller, my job is to match that intensity. You have to understand the nuances of the choreography, anticipating the height of a toss, tracking the flight path of the equipment against the bright ceiling lights, and knowing the exact millisecond she hits her peak extension in a leap.

To do that while carrying full commercial camera bodies at eight months pregnant was exhausting, but it was incredibly grounding. It reinforced why I do this: because these athletes deserve to have their life's work captured with absolute perfection.

Full Circle: Returning to the Floor This Year

This year, things look a little different. My son is soon celebrating his first birthday, and I am stepping back onto the floor under the Apex Motion banner with a whole new level of gratitude and energy.

There is nothing quite like the rhythm and buzz of a USA Gymnastics national event. I am incredibly excited to be back in the media zone this season, this time with full mobility, a year of balancing elite photography with motherhood under my belt, and the exact same passion for the sport I grew up in.

To the coaches, parents, and beautiful rhythmic athletes competing this week: the stage is yours, and I can't wait to see the magic you bring to the carpet, and I'll see you behind the lens! See you soon, Tulsa.