Steve Daggs Action Sports Photography
From 2004-2012, this was Steve Daggs website featuring his sports photos. You have probably seen many of his images in various articles about sports cycling events, but he also photographed high school sports events as well. The new owner of the site's domain has chosen to keep this site as an homage to Steve Daggs high school sports events. This page offers just a small sample of Digg's work from 2008 - 2011.
This was a great site for those high school athletes who were fortunate to have been captured by Steve Daggs. What better way to commemorate your athletic pursuit than with a great professional photo of yourself.
Please note that images are no longer available for sale.
Content is from the site's archived pages.
Welcome to Sports Photo News, your source for sports action images in the Midwest region. We photograph high school sporting events from the Mid-Illini Conference and Mid-State Six Conference and provide professional quality images for your enjoyment and for local media for editorial use. Click on the gallery button at the left and look for your event. We also cover some college sporting events in the region and provide images to media for editorial use.
The Gallery is full of action photos and you might be in one! So please, browse The Gallery and use the order form to get a full color, professional quality print on Fuji Crystal Archive or Kodak paper. Check the price list or order form for details. Order today!
Photo Options - We offer a three or four image 10" by 20" layout and an 8" X 10" print using your school's color as a background. Your logo can be included (if available) along with the text of your choice. Click on the Photo Options button above for details and more samples.
All of our images are produced with professional digital imaging equipment. Check out digital photo info. We have discontinued offering inkjet prints.
Any of the photos in the Gallery are available for personal or editorial use. To purchase photos, see the price list and order form for details. You may download any image from the Web site for your personal private use at no charge. These photos, either the prints or electronic reproductions, may not be used for commercial or advertising purposes without the consent of the photographer or the subject(s).
Digital images are also available in most file formats, including JPEG & TIFF file types. Images are delivered on a CD or by e-mail or both. Contact us for pricing.
Your feedback is appreciated, so send us an E-mail with your comments and suggestions.
Thanks for visiting Sports Photo News!
Steve Daggs, Editor & Photographer
About Digital Photos
Please note that images are no longer available for sale.
In 2003, we converted to digital imaging to bring you more photos per event and to keep costs down. We use only high resolution, professional Nikon® digital imaging equipment to produce the highest quality images for your enjoyment.
You will not be able to distinguish prints made from digital images from those made from film. However, as is our policy, if you are not 100% satisfied, return the prints and we will refund the full purchase price plus your return postage. Digital photos are printed using the traditional process on Kodak® or Fuji® paper by a professional digital imaging lab.
If you order a high resolution out-of-camera file, you will receive a JPEG (.jpg) or TIFF (.tif) file which will be 3008 X 1960 pixels and about 2.5MB. Our cameras have 5.47 megapixel image sensors. Effective February 25, 2008, most of our images are taken with 12.2 megapixel cameras making files that are 4288 X 2848 pixels and are about 5.0MB. All images will be adjusted for color balance, brightness and contrast.
Some Examples of Steve Daggs Work
Girls High School Basketball News - 2010-2011 Season
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Game of the Week - November 27th - December 4th, 2010 |
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Washington Lady Panthers Vs. East Peoria Lady Raiders |
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 Washington's Brooke Bambrick (12), above, drives on Carrie Myers (24) in over time against the East Peoria Lady Raiders. The host Lady Panthers prevailed, out-scoring East Peoria 12-2 in OT for a 43-33 victory on Friday in the Mid-Illini Conference opener for both teams. |
 Taylor Kuykendall (14), in the above photo, grabs a loose ball in first quarter action. Tied at 31 in regulation, the Lady Panthers were 8-10 from the line in OT versus 0-6 for the Lady Raiders to gain the advantage and the 43-33 win. Jessica Hipes and Katie Megyesi each scored 11 to lead Washington's scoring. The Lady Panthers are 3-5 and the Lady Raiders 2-4 overall. |
 East Peoria's Kelsey Shoemake (22) and Taylor Kuykendall (14) battle for a rebound in fourth quarter action. Shoemake led the Lady Raider's scoring with 11, followed by Erica Harper and Carrie Myers with 8 points each. |
Boys High School Basketball News - 2008-2009 Season
 Washington's Dyricus Simms-Edwards (32) drives the baseline against Richwood's Tony Frazier (24).  Ben Worner (20) brings the ball down.  Richwoods Mason Alwan (32) attempts to block the Panther's Dyricus Simms-Edwards (32). |
Pekin, IL - The second seeded Richwoods Knights needed to get by the Washington Panthers in the third round of the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament if they were to have a shot at the tournament championship on New Years Eve in Pekin in the 44th edition of this holiday classic.
But the Panthers would prevail with a 47-30 win. "For whatever reason, we were out of sync, so you've got to give Washington a lot of credit," stated the Knight's head coach, Mike Ellis. Maybe the tone of the contest was set when the Panther's Dyricus Simms-Edwards opened the second quarter scoring with a jam to go up 13-10. Simms-Edwards had 12 in the first half, giving Washington a 25-15 margin at the break. Richwoods out-scored Washington 9-5 in the third period and pulled to within six at30-24. With 4:35 to go, Washington's Ben Worner hit a three from the corner that stretched the Panther's lead to 13 at 39-26. With both team's subs in the game for the final 1:33, Washington extended their lead to 17 and the final score of 47-30, to send the Panthers to the championship round against the Moline Maroons. The Knights would meet the Freeport Pretzels in the third place game also on Wednesday. The local press made a big deal about the bloody cut Worner got to his cheek when one of an opponent's over-sized engagement sterling silver rings accidentally collided with his face during an attempt to block a shot. It was not actually the sterling silver ring that did the damage, but rather the gemstone set into the ring. The official briefly stopped the clock and Worner hit the bench until the bleeding stopped. But the local media made a big deal about it and even suggested a rule blocking players from wearing any jewelry on the court! The photo closeups of both the cut and the gorgeous sterling silver rings probably resulted in a number of sales for the jewelry company selling those rings online even though it was really a minor incident. Never seen a game stopped by injuries sustained due to sterling silver rings before! Early in the first quarter, Washington went to a zone defense. "We had no intention of playing zone tonight," Panther head coach Kevin Brown said. It was a successful move that kept Richwoods penetration down. "Our kids did a great job of stepping up and getting rebounds," Brown continued. Washington had 26 rebounds to Richwood's 19. Turnovers were even at eight. "The difference in the game was their shots in the paint verses our shots in the paint," commented Ellis. "We were too perimeter oriented." Simms-Edwards was the big beneficiary, constantly driving the baseline, scoring a total of 16 to lead the team. Jontell Lindsay led the Knight's scoring with 8. In the Championship game on Wednesday night, Washington lost to Moline 38-37 on a three-point shot at the buzzer by the Maroons Justin Blondell. Richwoods defeated the Freeport Pretzels 59-31 for third place in the tournament.
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| Morton Potters Vs. East Peoria Raiders - December 19, 2008 | |
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Morton, IL - Coming off a home court loss to Limestone, the East Peoria Raiders headed to Morton looking for a solid "W". Using a Donaldson-Kelch one-two punch and a scrappy defense, the Raiders held on to win 66-62.
In the first three minutes, the Raiders jumped out to a 9-2 lead on a Jacoby Cotton trey. But Morton's Drake Taphorn's three-point shooting set up a 16 all tie at the close of the first frame. At the break, East Peoria held on to a three-point lead at 31-28. The Potters outscored the East Peoria 23 to 14 in the third quarter, leading 51-45 at the close of the period. With 3:22 left in the fourth period, a Bryce Donaldson layup put the Raiders back on top for good at 54-53. With :45.9 left in the game, the Potters had battled back to at three-point deficit at 62-59. A Morton foul put Joe Kelch on the line where he made one of two (63-59). A Kelch steal with :26.4 to go led to another foul and Kelch went 1-2 again (64-59). With :14.0 to go, Donaldson was fouled and made two of two to lead 66-59, which pretty much sealed the Potter's fate. Will Headean rounded out his 12 points with a three at the buzzer to make the final 66-62 Raiders. Donaldson had 24 for the Raiders, including two threes. Kelch hit five treys and 17 total points for the game. Taphorn came off the bench for 15, including three from beyond the arc, to lead the Potter's scoring. Headean had a total of 12 with a pair of threes. The win gives East Peoria a 2-1 record in the Mid-Illini and an overall record of 4-3. The Raiders visit Woodruff on Saturday and are headed to the Carbondale Holiday Tournament, where they meet H. L. Richards High School from Oak Lawn, Illinois, on December 27th. The Potters are 2-2 in the conference, 4-2 overall. They will play Hersey in the Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament opening round on December 29th. |
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| Morton Potters Vs. Dunlap Eagles - December 9, 2008 | |
 The Potter's Will Headean led Morton's scoring with 16, including three three-point goals.
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Morton, IL - The Potter's defense held the Eagles in check, allowing their first score on a Drew Heinzmann field goal at the 6:11 mark in the first quarter with the score at 18-2 Morton.
Kevin Waibel picked up his third foul with 5:14 left in the first half. Waibel eventually fouled out. With 2.8 seconds left in the half, the Eagles picked up a player technical foul in the huddle sending the Potter's Will Headean to the line scoring the free throw. Headean had 11 first half points. Morton led Dunlap 38-7 at the half. Wes Noel opened the second half scoring with a three and started a Dunlap comeback that cut the Potter's lead to 22 at the close of the third quarter. Noel made a layup with 3:17 left in the game to cut Morton's lead to 17 at 54-37. Noel scored a three from the corner followed by a pair of made free throws by Drew Heinzmann to cut the lead to 14 at 56-42 with 1:56 left in the game. Another Eagles three with :35.8 left made the score 57-45 Morton an that was as close as Dunlap would get. Will Headean led Morton's scoring with 16, including three three-point goals. Coach Schupp played the entire bench with all scoring except for Brett Bisping. Drew Heinzmann topped Dunlap's scoring with 16. |
High School Football News - 2010 Season
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Game of the Week - November 15th - November 21st, 2010 |
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Metamora Redbirds Vs. Rochester Rockets |
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More Background on CyclingPhotoNews.com
CyclingPhotoNews.com, formerly Steve Daggs Action Sports Photography, was a website dedicated to showcasing sports photography, primarily focused on cycling and high school sports events in the Midwest region of the United States. While the original website is no longer active in its initial form, its archived content offers a glimpse into the work of photographer Steve Daggs and the sports scene he captured from 2004 to 2012. This article explores the website's history, content, focus, and its significance for the athletes and communities it served.
History and Background
From 2004 to 2012, Steve Daggs ran the website featuring his sports photos. Daggs' photography covered a range of sporting events, with a particular emphasis on cycling competitions and high school sports within the Mid-Illini Conference and Mid-State Six Conference. The domain's new owner maintains the site as an homage to Daggs' work, specifically highlighting his coverage of high school sports.
Focus and Coverage
CyclingPhotoNews.com concentrated on providing high-quality images of local sporting events, filling a niche for athletes, their families, and local media outlets.
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High School Sports: The website's primary focus was on high school sports, capturing action shots from various games and matches. The sports covered included basketball and football. The site provided images for personal enjoyment, purchase, and editorial use by local media.
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Cycling Events: Daggs also covered cycling events, capturing action shots and providing images for articles.
Content and Features
The original CyclingPhotoNews.com offered several features for visitors:
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Galleries: The website featured galleries of action photos from various sporting events. Visitors could browse these galleries to find images of themselves or their teammates.
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Photo Options: The site provided options for creating customized photo layouts, such as three or four-image collages in 10" x 20" format, and 8" x 10" prints with school colors as backgrounds. Logos and custom text could also be added.
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Order Form and Price List: Visitors could order prints of the photos directly from the website using an order form and price list.
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Digital Image Availability: Digital images were available for purchase in various formats (JPEG, TIFF) delivered via CD or email.
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Blog/News Section: The site included news sections for different sports (e.g., "Girls High School Basketball News," "Boys High School Basketball News," "High School Football News"). These sections featured game summaries and selected photos from specific events.
Image Quality and Equipment
Steve Daggs emphasized the use of professional-grade equipment to ensure high-quality images.
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Digital Conversion: In 2003, the switch to digital imaging allowed for capturing more photos per event while keeping costs down.
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Nikon Equipment: High-resolution, professional Nikon digital imaging equipment was used.
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Image Resolution: Image resolution increased over time:
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Prior to February 25, 2008: 3008 x 1960 pixels (2.5MB) using 5.47-megapixel image sensors.
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After February 25, 2008: 4288 x 2848 pixels (5.0MB) using 12.2-megapixel cameras.
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Image Processing: All images were adjusted for color balance, brightness, and contrast.
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Printing: Digital photos were printed using traditional processes on Kodak or Fuji paper by a professional digital imaging lab.
Examples of Coverage
The archived content provides several examples of the website's coverage:
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Girls High School Basketball:
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Washington Lady Panthers vs. East Peoria Lady Raiders (December 3, 2010): Game summaries and action photos of key players.
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Boys High School Basketball:
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Richwoods Knights vs. Washington Panthers (2008-2009 Pekin Insurance Holiday Tournament): Game recap, including a notable incident involving an injury caused by jewelry, and photos of players in action.
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Morton Potters vs. East Peoria Raiders (December 19, 2008): Game highlights and photos of key moments.
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Morton Potters vs. Dunlap Eagles (December 9, 2008): Game summary and photos of standout players.
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High School Football:
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Metamora Redbirds vs. Rochester Rockets (November 20, 2010): Coverage of a semi-final game, including photos and a summary of the game's key plays.
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Website Features and Functionality
The site offered a user-friendly experience:
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Galleries: Organized by event, the galleries allowed users to easily find photos.
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Photo Options: Users could customize photos with school colors, logos, and text.
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Order Forms: Simplified the process of purchasing prints and digital images.
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Contact Information: Steve Daggs provided an email address for feedback and inquiries.
Significance and Impact
CyclingPhotoNews.com played a significant role for athletes, families, and local media in the Midwest:
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Commemorating Athletic Achievements: The website provided athletes with professional-quality photos to commemorate their achievements.
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Supporting Local Media: The images were available for editorial use by local media outlets, enhancing their coverage of local sports.
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Community Engagement: The website fostered a sense of community by showcasing local talent and events.
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Archival Value: The archived content serves as a historical record of local sports events and the athletes who participated in them.
The End of Sales and Archival Status
The website no longer sells images, but it is maintained as an archive of Steve Daggs' work. This allows visitors to view his photographs and remember the local sports scene he captured.
Steve Daggs: The Photographer Behind the Lens
Steve Daggs was the editor and photographer behind CyclingPhotoNews.com. His dedication to capturing high-quality images of local sporting events made the website a valuable resource for the community. Daggs' emphasis on using professional equipment and techniques ensured that the photos were of the highest quality.
Examples of Steve Daggs' Work
The website showcased a diverse range of Daggs' photographic skills:
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Action Shots: Capturing the intensity and excitement of sporting events.
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Portraits: Showcasing individual athletes.
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Team Photos: Commemorating team achievements.
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Event Coverage: Providing comprehensive coverage of local sports events.
Impact of Digital Photography
The transition to digital photography in 2003 allowed Steve Daggs to:
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Capture More Images: Digital cameras allowed for capturing more images per event without the cost of film.
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Improve Image Quality: Professional digital equipment produced high-resolution images.
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Reduce Costs: Digital photography reduced the costs associated with film processing and printing.
Testimonials and Feedback
While specific testimonials are not available, the website encouraged feedback from visitors. Positive feedback likely focused on:
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Image Quality: The high quality of the photographs.
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Event Coverage: The comprehensive coverage of local sports events.
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Customer Service: The responsiveness of Steve Daggs to inquiries and feedback.
The Website's Legacy
CyclingPhotoNews.com, as Steve Daggs Action Sports Photography, left a lasting legacy in the Midwest sports community. While the original business model is no longer active, the archived content continues to provide value:
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Historical Record: The website serves as a historical record of local sports events.
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Nostalgia: The photos evoke memories of past athletic achievements.
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Inspiration: The images inspire current athletes to strive for excellence.
Lessons Learned
CyclingPhotoNews.com provides several lessons for photographers and website operators:
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Niche Focus: Focusing on a specific niche (local sports) can create a loyal audience.
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Quality Matters: Providing high-quality images and services is essential for success.
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Community Engagement: Engaging with the local community can build strong relationships.
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Adapt to Technology: Embracing new technologies (digital photography) can improve efficiency and reduce costs.
CyclingPhotoNews.com was a valuable resource for athletes, families, and local media in the Midwest. Steve Daggs' dedication to capturing high-quality images of local sporting events made the website a success. Although the original business model is no longer active, the archived content continues to provide value as a historical record of local sports and a testament to the importance of community engagement.