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Kevin D. Liles Photography

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Lugo Brothers for Sports Illustrated

February 8, 2021

Back in November, I photographed the Lugo brothers — Nathan and Elijah — along with their coach and father, Michael, for Sports Illustrated. There’s something I just love about shooting in a boxing gym … the grit, the colors, it just all seems perfect for photographs.

I was lucky to get Bryce France to assist me on the shoot, which was at the family’s boxing gym, Lugo Boxing & Fitness, in Marietta, Ga. It was for SI’s “Faces in the Crowd” segment that has been running for years and spotlights amateur athletes and coaches around the country.

These guys are impressive! From the article:

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“Together the Lugo brothers have more national titles (36) than losses (28). Though they are trained by their father, Michael, it was their mother, Angela, who encouraged her oldest son to try boxing in 2011 to defend himself against bullies. “In school, I would get picked on,” Nathan says. “When I started training, I had the confidence. I carried myself different.”

Nathan won the first of his five Silver Gloves national titles in 2014—the same year Michael opened Lugo Boxing & Fitness in Marietta and Elijah took up the sport. He saw his brother bulk up from training and wanted to be strong, too. Elijah lost his first 13 fights, and Michael questioned whether he was keeping Elijah in boxing for his son’s benefit or his own ego. Before Elijah’s final bout of ’14, Michael gave him two options: let his USA Boxing membership expire and leave the sport, or stick with it for one more year. Elijah fought, won and decided to stay.

“It was after that fight that his whole demeanor changed and he became this hungry animal,” Michael says. “And he never stopped.”

Since then Elijah has won two Silver Gloves; Nathan has claimed three Junior Olympics titles in four years. Both will compete at the national championships in 2021 in Shreveport, La., where Elijah hopes to win the 165-pound division title and follow his brother’s path to the U.S. junior team. Nathan’s sights are trained on qualifying for the 2024 Summer Games.”

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[Read more…] about Lugo Brothers for Sports Illustrated

Filed Under: BTS, Magazine, Potraits, Sports, Sports Illustrated

Olympic Marathon Trials for The New York Times

March 1, 2020

Sally Kipyego (draped in flag) embraces Abdi Abdirahman as Galen Rupp (far right) looks on during the 2020 U.S. Olympic marathon trials in Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2020. Sally Kipyego finished third in the women’s race; Abdi Abdirahman came in third and Galen Rupp finished first in the men’s. Photo by Kevin D. Liles for The New York Times

The trials for the 2020 Olympic marathon were held this past weekend here in downtown Atlanta, and the Times asked me to cover them. It was a pretty simple but brutal selection process — the top three finishers from men and women (six total) will be going to Tokyo. Perhaps one of the coolest things about these trials is that a record number of women qualified to compete. Here are a few of my favorite photographs from the event.

[Read more…] about Olympic Marathon Trials for The New York Times

Filed Under: Editorial, New York Times, Olympics, Running, Sports

Photos of the Year 2018

January 1, 2019

2018 NLDS

As we start a new year, I’m taking a look back at 2018 and sharing my favorite images. It was an amazing year, and I’m continually reminded of how lucky I am to make a living taking pictures. I’ve gone through everything I shot over the past 12 months, and narrowed it down to 25 photographs. They are presented here in chronological order, and include sports, political assignments and personal stories, as well as a few previously unpublished images from my personal and commercial work. Where possible, links are provided.

[Read more…] about Photos of the Year 2018

Filed Under: Baseball, Documentary, Football, New York Times, People, Politics, Potraits, POY, Soccer, Sports, Sports Illustrated, Washington Post Tagged With: atlanta, photojournalism, photojournalist, POY, sports

Vic Beasley, Jr. for The Players’ Tribune

July 5, 2018

Spent some time recently with Atlanta Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley, Jr., for The Players’ Tribune. Beasley was being interviewed for a series, “Take Action,” sponsored by American Family Insurance. I was given a few minutes for portraits with the 25-year-old, in between filming, and I also documented his day as he made rounds in his hometown of Adairsville, Ga. Above: Beasley poses for a portrait in the same locker he used in high school, at Adairsville High.

The video is about Beasley’s commitment to his hometown, helping out those in need, and just trying to be a good dude. And I have to say, he may be the most down-to-earth professional athlete I’ve ever worked with. He was genuine, and talked with me well past we were finished with the portrait session. That may sound like a small thing, but most athletes are ready to jet as soon as soon as the shoot is finished. It’s easy to see why it’s so easy for Beasley to come back to his hometown and blend in with the regulars. Well, as much as a 6-foot-3, 246-pound guy can blend in :-)

Big thanks to Nate Gordon and Eugenia Chow at TPT. [Read more…] about Vic Beasley, Jr. for The Players’ Tribune

Filed Under: Cars, Hometown, NFL, Potraits, Sports

NCAA Football National Championship for Sports Illustrated

January 10, 2018

As someone who grew up 20 miles from Athens, Ga., and in a household where Bear Bryant’s stature rivaled that of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, I fully understood how epic Monday’s game was. I know how bad Georgia fans craved another national championship — their last taste of one was way back in 1981, when Herschel Walker and Co. handled Notre Dame 17-10 in the Sugar Bowl. And I know how hard it is stop the seemingly undefeatable Nick Saban once his Tide gets rolling. [Read more…] about NCAA Football National Championship for Sports Illustrated

Filed Under: Football, Sports

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