It’s my favorite day all year. My family and several of my friends get together the first Saturday in May for betting, eating, drinking, cigar smoking, cornhole playing, volleyballing, chilling and yelling at the television once every hour.
It’s the Kentucky Derby and I love every second of it. The weeks leading up to it are some of the most fun you can have in this town and given the choice between going to the track on the day or spending it with people I love, well…that’s an easy choice.
This year, I had every intention of photographing the whole day. Walking around with my camera, practicing my candid photography and stuff for upcoming weddings and such that I will be shooting.
But then I had a Lilly. Or four. And it was more fun to just sit and relax and talk to my friends and family and play a volleyball game or 8 or watch people race in humongous pairs of underwear or play wiffle ball baseball as the sun went down.
I did take a few photos, mainly of cigar-smoking, an annual tradition paired with Mint Juleps (for some brave souls) after the race. The first ones, though, are continuing our tradition of beautiful, America’s Next Top Model-caliber shots, as art directed by my sisters and cousins, and, for the first time, Anna’s boyfriend, Vince. He’s the one with the finger in his belly button for our “Abercrombie Shot.”
The next blog will have a slideshow full of amazing sports action photography, which I can take no credit at all for. I was playing. So I just provided the camera.
But for now, here are mine..
I look forward to the first Saturday in May like it’s Christmas. And I’m already excited for next year’s party. 364 days and counting…
On account of... 
Oh my gosh. The pictures of Sami, Anna and Vince on the lounge chair and the picture of Vince with his finger in his belly button are making me laugh hysterically right now.
Vince’s Abercrombie picture could go on the bag! he nailed it!