Charlie Partheymuller: NSPA Photojournalist of the Year Portfolio

Charlie Partheymuller, Knight sports editor|June 24, 2022

Dave Winter

Knight sports editor Charlie Partheymuller captures images of the Pink Week pep rally, the first pep rally on campus since the 2019-2020 school year.

How you get a good photo is all about where you take the photo from. That’s also the most fun part about being a photojournalist. I get front row seats to every show I photograph, sideline views from sporting events and get to meet some great people I wouldn’t normally get the chance to meet and talk to. I’ve been playing a sport since before I started school, and the sport has been a big part of my life ever since. Since I’m a mere 5 foot 5, I’ve been looking for ways to keep sports a close part of my life as I won’t be able to play them forever, probably not beyond high school. I’ve found that opportunity in photojournalism, and it’s something that I would like to carry on learning at college and as a career.

To start off my third year as a Macjournalism staffer I was given the freedom to roam the sideline and take photos of the action in our annual Texas high school football kickoff game known as the Taco Shack Bowl. I was surprised when I was given so much freedom, as I felt I didn’t have enough experience to handle the responsibility given to me. I had photographed a few events my first year on staff, but in my second year stepped it up a little bit and became the main boys varsity soccer photographer, as I would stay and shoot the games after I played my JV game. Even after that experience, I still felt unprepared for the job to come, but I am so glad that I listened to my adviser Dave Winter and our EOC Grace Nugent, because this year photographing has been so fun, and I’ve found something I want to continue doing.

I got lucky becoming a main varsity football photographer this year as I caught a special team with more than 30 seniors on its roster. The varsity team ended up qualifying for the playoffs and got to host a playoff game that they won in a nail biter in overtime on a walk-off quarterback rushing touchdown. As soon as overtime started I followed the ball, shooting from the sideline and the line of scrimmage. I ended up getting a solid photo of a defensive stop, but nothing amazing. But once we got the ball on offense, as we started on the opposing team’s 25-yard line, I moved to the back of the end zone hoping for a great photo and I got so much more. Not only did the winning touchdown run straight at me, but the whole bench came running over to celebrate the victory and I was right in the thick of it for the photos.

After the Knights held the Grizzlies’ scoreless on their overtime possession with a fourth-down stop, quarterback Jaxon Rosales put the exclamation point on the Knights’ bi-district playoff triumph with a walk-off touchdown run to make the final score, 27-21. “We knew we could win this game, all we had to do was show it,” Rosales said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No time was wasted before celebrations of the Knights bi-district playoff victory started, as the second quarterback Jaxon Rosales broke the plane of the endzone, the benches were emptied as a flood of blue jerseys stormed the endzone. “It doesn’t get any better than that,” linebacker Tino Rodriguez explained.

 

Once the football season ended I had to find new events to photograph. We already had a dedicated basketball photographer and soccer was off the table this year as I moved up to the varsity team, so I changed course from sports photography for a while and covered the Blue Brigade’s spring show and the school’s annual fashion show. I would’ve gone to both events, since I had friends participate in each, but I thought, why not take my camera as it would be a different experience. On both occasions I improved my indoor and low-light photography skills, which will always come in handy in the future.

Inspired by the Pixie’s “Where is my mind?” Junior Anaise Antinelli lifts their hair for their first pose of the fashion show. Wearing a design by Lilli Reynolds and Sage Edwards, Antinelli enjoyed the experience and was pleased with the outcome of the design. “I want to make clothes as well, and when we would put our ideas together, it made the whole outfit really come together, fitting the designers vision but mine as well,” Antinelli said.
Dancing a routine to “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! by ABBA, the blue brigade officers perform one of their final shows together. Front stage in the routine were captain Charli Cevallos and captain elect, Sophia Kramer, who choreographed and led numerous dances throughout the night. “It was easily one of the hardest dances I’ve ever performed stamina wise,” Kramer said. “But due to the difficulty it felt very rewarding once we were finished dancing.”

I got twice lucky though when I returned to photographing sports, as we had a state champion track athlete in Chris Riley blazing his way to the top. His speed brought me credentials to the Texas Relays track meet as well as the Texas State track meet. While I was at both meets as a McCallum student, I took full advantage of being at those events to photograph other high school and college athletes. Not only did I take advantage of the photo opportunities, I also met many other photographers who’ve helped me learn plenty and even tried to recruit me to their alma maters. I’m extremely grateful for the photographer I met and tagged along with at the Texas Relays meet, Jamison Michael. First off he allowed me to follow him around, but he also lent me equipment and gave me plenty of tips since it was my first time shooting track photos.

In a clear redemption race for last year’s state silver medalist in the 1600 meter dash, Chris Riley made it a smooth race, leading the whole way in his final run as a Knight. Riley went through the 800 meter mark with a time of 2:08 and a narrow lead, but never looked back as his last 800 meters were run in a time of 1:59, proving that lightning can strike twice. Walking up to the podium to receive his gold medal, Riley made it clear why he came to the meet today. “It’s simply a business trip.”

While I got lucky this year to follow some great athletes and teams, I know I will have just as good of a time next year because I’ve found something that I love doing and wish to continue doing for the foreseeable future.