Smash Burger | Javante Williams

Javante Williams, #33 on the Denver Broncos, partnered with Smashburger to promote the introduction of wings to their menu. I was happy to get the call to fly up to Denver to shoot Javonte for an hour in a Smashburger location. Javonte was all smiles, jokes, and just having fun the whole time! He has the energy that I’ve experienced before with other sports players. They really love what they do and they perceive life similarly to playing a game. Games are challenging, but in the end, you want to make sure you had some fun. I love looking at life this way, and it gives me so much joy to meet people with a similar vibe.

This shoot was a month after tearing my ACL, and was my first job back from injury. So there were a lot of obstacles and pain to get past to make sure I get everything we needed in the short time frame. I’m beyond happy to see how great these images turned out because by the end I could hardly walk! Two months after this shoot Javonte tore his ACL as well, benching him for the season. Coming into the 2023 season, he is no longer on the “physically unable-to-perform” list and is starting training camp without any restrictions. It should be interesting to see how Javonte and the Broncos do this next year, hopefully, he recovered well and starts the season with a win that’s even better than the win he gave me!

Werner Transportation | Trevelino + Keller

“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” ― Jack Kerouac, On the Road

From leaning my head against the window, watching the landscape change on a family road trip, to pumping my fist in the air in desperation for that blaring horn of a passing truck, the romanticism of America’s open roads has always inspired me. These roads inspire ideas of freedom, choice, and possibility, ideas that continue to intrigue me to this day.

I had the opportunity to work with the incredible folks at Trevelino + Keller for Werner Enterprises. Together with producer Andrew Benson and DP Brandon Sullivan, our team captured and created images that reflect the various elements of the company’s portfolio and mission. In order to achieve more dynamic shots, we also partnered with local Arizona crane company, Reel Bros Media. Working with these behemoth trucks and swinging camera cranes is not an easy task and local law enforcement was also on-site to help with traffic. The entire shoot was a blast and an exciting glimpse into the industry that I’ve been fascinated with since childhood and the employees who make it all possible.

Mod Kids | Dirt Sports World Magazine

Growing up I always had a dirt bike and loved the off-road experience. It has always been so interesting to watch the growth of off-road racing, especially UTV’s. I like thinking back to seeing the Honda Pilot’s of the late ’80s cruising around the imperial sand dunes. No not the grocery grabber SUV, the UTV that didn’t fit into a class of racing, it created one. It’s not a surprise that the creation of the UTV would take off and become so popular that multiple classes and races would be formed like short course, deserts, and rock crawling.

Ali Easton Off Road Racing Photographer Michael Williams Automotive

Mod Kids USA reached out to photograph SXS 170 driver Ali Easton for the “Kids Korner” article that they sponsor in Dirt Sports World Magazine. Photographing Ali was so fun because she was everywhere and faster than I imagined. Without hesitation when asked about her favorite spot on the track, she quickly pointed to a jump. Ali follows after her Father Todd who competed in offshore racing in Florida, as well as her older sister Zoe who races in the RS1 class.

On the day i photographed Ali, she was accompanied by her family and friends at a track in Blythe, AZ that they rented out to practice. It was great to see the camaraderie within the group, something familiar to me growing up with dirt bikes. Everyone was there to have a great time and help out with whatever needed to be done. Among the crew was young TJ Siewers a three-time champion who’s podiumed more than 100 times. Fearless at 11 years old this kid was clearing 60-foot tabletops without hesitation. It was insane seeing such focus and dedication TJ had with his racing, constantly charging into corners and ripping through without any reservations or question.

TJ Siewers Off Road Racing Photographer Michael Williams Automotive

Photographing these kids was a great experience and I look forward to watching their career in racing. I hope we cross paths in the future.

Petco | San Diego Padres

I was given the opportunity to work with Petco and the San Diego Padres creating social media and internal videos for Petco. I was super excited when I found out it would be with Padres stars Fernando Tatis Jr and Manny Machado. We worked through some scripts and played with some doggies. It always helps when you’re working with talent that is down to earth, and Tatis was just that. He really felt like he was happy and living in the moment with no reservations. I think I would be that way if I had his contract though!

Humans of Tempe | Commission

I was awarded a commission from Tempe History Museum to go out into the city of Tempe, make portraits and record stories. It was such an amazing experience to work freely finding subjects at random and creating images in diverse spaces. I think my favorite part of this project was being able to access a wide range of stories from complete strangers. The exhibition Humans of Tempe is open now through March of 2019 at Tempe History Museum, Tempe, AZ.