Behind the Camera

I’m David Barr, a Marine Corps veteran, sports and event photographer in the Texas Hill Country near San Antonio. DBarr Photo started with a simple idea: give other parents photos of their kids that they can enjoy as much as I enjoy seeing photos of mine.

With a daughter in band and my kids’ years in middle school basketball and volleyball, I know how much those moments mean to a family. Phone photos don’t always do the kids justice, especially from the stands. I wanted to share a closer look at the action, the expressions, and the moments worth keeping.

My interest in photography goes back to high school, when I borrowed my mom’s Pentax K1000 to photograph the Coors Classic, a bicycle stage race through Denver and the Colorado Rockies. Think Tour de France, but in Colorado. My mom recently passed that camera on to me, and I keep it tucked away in a camera bag. At my first duty station in Okinawa, I purchased a Canon T50 and took a lot of photos and read a lot of books on composition and lighting. Film and developing weren’t cheap, so every frame mattered. Digital gives me more chances today, but I’m always looking for that one photo that makes you stop.

My Marine Corps service and travels since then have taken me around the world, giving me amazing opportunities to photograph everyday life, wildlife, and landscapes. Sports and events are what keep drawing me back.

I grew up playing just about every sport I could, though soccer and baseball became my two main competitive sports. Being on the sidelines brings some of that excitement back. I’m watching for the winning goal, the dive into the end zone, the emotion on a player’s face, or the crowd reacting. You never know when the moment will happen, and that’s what I love about being there with a camera. I hope I can bring some of that enjoyment to you through my photos.