Embedded Files
NOTHING BUT SOUL: Senior trombone Theo Doot solos with a groove called "Admiral's Horn" at the Cherry Creek spring jazz band concert. “It was lots of fun to play, a really ballad-y feel but it goes into this double time, and it’s just a really good arrangement,” he said. Doot is no stranger to standing up at the mic and being in the spotlight, but this solo was special for him.
For this shot, I snuck up to the front row of seats with my long lens to get a perfect view of the solo mic. Jazz band is my beat, and I've photographed 10 concerts already, so I know these musicians well. Theo is one of my favorite subjects to photograph because he has such soulful and passionate facial expressions when he plays. Especially when he improvises, like in this shot, and has no sheet music to follow, you can just see him sink into the zone and groove. After so much time with the jazz band, I've gotten familiar with all of the angles of the auditorium, and I can find the best shots when performers solo or pull out a unique new instrument to play.
-Peter Philpott, Canon EOS 5D MkIII, 75-300 mm lens, 2/20/2025
OVATION: The singer for the Bruin Brothers Band, a teachers' band, basks in thunderous applause from the student section and the poms team. The band performed during the finale assembly for Student Senate's biggest fundraising project: Power Week. The event-packed week raises money for Bags of Fun, an organization that donates packages of toys to chronically ill children. The Bruin Brothers performed an energized rendition of Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" to close out their performance.
Capturing Power Week moments is a crucial part of student journalism at Cherry Creek because that week is the culmination of so much preparation, spirit, and competition for all students, and it offers chances for the whole community to participate. This moment was special because the teachers were so happy to get such rousing appreciation from their students, and the joy of the atmosphere in the gym that day was electric. Though you can't see the teacher's face, you can imagine his expression as it's reflected in the rows of students in the stands.
-Peter Philpott, Canon EOS 5D MkIII, 50-200 mm lens, 2/14/2025
LEARNING THE WORKS: Junior Chris Tautz learns how to use a reciprocating saw on a piece of PVC pipe in the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus’s Construction 1 class. CCIC is a vocational and technical school where students, after spending the first half of the day on academics at their home high schools, come to take classes in applied subjects. Tautz and other students in the class learn how to operate tools and participate in building a house for Habitat For Humanity. Opportunities like these allow many students to develop career experience and even earn certifications for future jobs. CCIC also offers courses in fields like aviation, nursing, and culinary arts.
For this shot, I originally used a fish-eye lens, but the distortion detracted from the impact of the shot. So, I switched to a wide angle lens, lay down on the floor, and aimed up to get the shot. Though little flecks of PVC were going into my eyes and clothes, it was worth it, because it captured the innovative and novel learning experiences to be found at CCIC.
This photo was the cover image of the USJ's spring magazine, introducing the story "Life at CCIC."
-Peter Philpott, Canon EOS 5D MkIII, 16-35 mm lens, 2/7/2025
COLD AS ICE: Senior forward Garrett Linville (#6, right) clashes with a Regis Jesuit High School defenseman in a fight for the puck. Linville did win the puck, but Creek went on to lose the game 5-3. The lead changed hands multiple times in the intense match-up in a race for a higher playoff seeding.
Regis and Creek are bitter rivals, contending in seemingly every sport for championships and trophies. This photo captured that competitive relationship perfectly. Red vs. Blue. A grinding, physical matchup. I love how the puck is nestled beneath Linville's stick as he shoves his opponent aside. Hockey is another of my beats, and I got many chances during the 2025 season to capture moments between these two squads. For this shot, I had to move around the rink, trying to anticipate the plays and capture the most intense moments. I was lucky when this pair of competitors met right in front of my lens.
-Peter Philpott, Canon EOS 5D MkIII, 50-200 mm sports lens, 1/24/2025
RISE: As speakers rally the crowd on the corner of 19th Street and Stout Street in downtown Denver at the yearly May Day protest, a marcher hoists a flag, reading “AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL,” a saying popularized by the Industrial Workers of the World to signify worker solidarity. Next to them, a row of marchers chant in unison, their voices echoing off the steel and concrete of downtown Denver, while on the other side, women with megaphones lead the crowd from a truck bed. The march focused on labor unions, but also criticized the Trump administration for its handling of labor, immigration, and civil rights.
This was my favorite photo from the Denver 2025 May Day march. This image gave me chills because of its combination of animated faces, raised fists, and vivid colors. I am very proud of this shot – to get it, I fully sat down on the pavement pointed up with my wide-angle lens.
-Peter Philpott, Canon EOS 5D MkIII, 16-35 mm lens, 5/1/2025
Page updated
Report abuse