During the fall, high schoolers and parents throughout the nation rave about Friday Night Lights. Captivating moments on the field such as NC’s historic homecoming or superstar senior night need an evocative and talented photographer to capture high school athlete’s efforts. NC senior Thaison Jones, also known as Thaicreatedit, brings his skills to football games every Friday. Working with football teams for two years, Jones has created magic at NC and other high schools in metro Atlanta.
The autodidactic photographer crafted his work through a spark of fascination in the visual world. The camera became an extension of his curiosity and an attempt to bring his unique thoughts to life. Whether it appears as a solo picture of a star quarterback in his prime or two teammates chest bumping, Jones strives to highlight key moments in high school football games.
“My favorite place to take pictures is in NC because my friends go here. My junior year, I bought a camera for my birthday and I just took off from there. My parents have always been there to push me to support what I’m doing. I love the experience of taking pictures and going home and looking at what I made and editing them,” Jones said.
Due to transferring schools midseason, coaches deemed him ineligible to play football for NC. This inability led Jones to start shooting pictures with the school during his junior year. Jones typically uses a Canon 80D to catch plays in action.
Jones took his talents to high schools such as Kell, Milton, Collins Hill and Walton. The notable cameraman has also taken photos for the NC varsity basketball team(1-3) in the 2023 season and the NC track and field team in the 2023 season. With his family living in Alabama, Jones even received the opportunity to shoot at Alabama high schools such as Central High and Smiths Station.
After high school, Jones plans to attend Fort Valley State and double major in communications and sports marketing in preparation for his own media collective. He seeks to dedicate his time to photography or videography and gain significant recognition. He hopes to make photography his career as he enjoys all the aspects of filming.
In his free time, he plans photography sessions with schools, watches movies– his favorites include “Jarhead” and “All About the Benjamins”– or hangs out with his friends. Jones has built genuine connections with football players through his craft and aided in capturing their victorious moments. Through his photography career, he has learned about the noteworthy relationship between the subject and the ball
“It was cool having someone to be able to make us feel like we were the image of something bigger through Thai. I like how each of his pictures brings a vibe and shows the action in the moment. His photos are a major part of how we get exposure and are able to show our football selves,” senior wide receiver Zion Bryan (12) said.
The impact Jones left on the local football community for the last two seasons reaches the hearts of players. He also provided an outlet for fans, players and coaches to see the Warrior nation in various lights through his unique lens. As the football season closes and he prepares to graduate, the portfolio Jones has built officially cements the legacy of Thaicreatedit.
