Santa Barbara Photographers Seize NFL Rookie’s Draft Day Desires

A brand new era of creatives from Santa Barbara have tapped into the sports activities media world, utilizing their cameras and social media abilities to chase their goals. Earlier this yr, a digital camera crew of three former Santa Barbara–space graduates obtained the possibility to tag together with famous person quarterback Jaxson Dart throughout what could have been the most important day of Dart’s life: the NFL Draft.

Mikey Desjardins, a 23-year-old inventive director, sports activities videographer, and Bishop Diego graduate, first began capturing sports activities in highschool after a leg harm took him out of the motion and he discovered himself having extra enjoyable making movies of buddies and teammates.

“When we didn’t have a game, I’d take my mom’s car and go to L.A. or San Diego to shoot different high school games and try and make a name for myself,” Desjardins stated. “I’d be shooting for free or making enough money for a tank of gas and an In-N-Out burger on the way home.”

Soon, he had to choose whether or not to concentrate on sports activities, or take an opportunity on himself and dedicate extra time to studying his craft.

“You can never replace those moments playing,” Desjardins stated. “But I don’t beat myself up for making the decision to continue pursuing photography and videography, because honestly, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

After graduating in 2021, Desjardins threw himself into his profession. He had already been working with a company known as the Trillion Boys, one of many premier seven-on-seven soccer golf equipment within the nation, which gave him the chance to shoot up shut and private with top-rated recruits.

“I told them I wanted to be more of a personal photographer and videographer, that I don’t want to be looked at like paparazzi,” Desjardins stated. “I want to dive into these athletes and build stories. I wanted to be in those rooms and capture those moments. That’s what people resonate with.”

He says that working these nationwide soccer tournaments opened up an entire new world and allowed him to earn new alternatives to journey and work in locations he’d solely dreamed of when he first picked up a digital camera. “From that point on, it’s been nonstop,” he stated. “These past couple years have been a journey.”

Building the Team

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As Desjardins continued to make a reputation for himself in Los Angeles, collaborating with high-profile athletes, social media influencers, and music artists, he made an effort to hunt out different creatives from Santa Barbara who had been additionally inquisitive about working within the business.

Roark Norton, a former Santa Barbara High School linebacker who picked up the digital camera throughout his senior yr, says he was drawn to pictures and video manufacturing in the identical means as Desjardins. He used to observe spotlight edits on-line and dream of creating his personal till he obtained his first digital camera and started snapping photographs on the sideline at any time when he wasn’t making performs on the sphere.

After his ultimate season of soccer in 2022, Norton stated he wasn’t certain what his subsequent step can be. He used the summer season after he graduated to work on his modifying abilities, increase his profile on social media whereas working lengthy hours at a restaurant to make extra cash. “I would just be drenched in sweat,” he stated.

Then in the future Norton obtained a message on Instagram from Desjardins, whom he had by no means met. Desjardins instructed Norton he was additionally raised within the Santa Barbara space and stated they need to work collectively. When Norton responded, he was supplied a job on a shoot that subsequent weekend.

Desjardins stated he was instantly struck by Norton’s eagerness and laborious work ethic. Within six hours the pair accomplished a basketball photograph shoot, a walkaround vlog in Huntington Beach, and a collaboration with rap artist Kalan.FrFr.

“I got to meet guys I’d always seen on TV, and it was the first time I’ve been starstruck,” Norton stated. “Mikey said I had to join him, and that there were always more jobs to do.”

Last-Minute Audible

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Desjardins met soccer star Jaxson Dart a number of years in the past when Dart was making the switch from the University of Southern California to complete his school profession at Ole Miss. Dart is a prototypical golden boy quarterback, with a Colgate-commercial smile and flowing blond curls. Desjardins started with a number of fashion-style photographs and earlier than being requested to create a 30-second spot for one among Dart’s model offers. 

Then just some weeks earlier than the NFL Draft, Dart’s staff reached out once more to ask if Desjardins needed to assist doc Dart’s draft day expertise together with his household in Salt Lake City.

The day earlier than Desjardins was supposed to go out, he stated he had a intestine feeling that he ought to carry one other photographer to assist shoot the occasion. “There was just something in me that was like, ‘I don’t want to go alone,’” he stated.

His first thought was to name Norton, and collectively they satisfied one other up-and-coming photographer and Santa Barbara High School graduate Justin Munzo to hitch. Munzo had picked up the digital camera just some months prior however clearly had eye and impressed the pair together with his potential to study on the fly. 

“It was so unreal to get that call,” Munzo stated. “I’m 19. How often do you get a chance to do something like this?”

Draft Day Jitters

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After a 12-hour drive, with Munzo stuffed within the backseat among the many luggage of kit, the crew stayed up late the evening earlier than Draft Day to arrange their recreation plan. Desjardins and Norton would deal with the video finish, whereas Munzo would take the high-pressure job of capturing greater than 3,000 stills.

The staff met up with Dart for a spherical of golf earlier than heading over to fulfill his household. Munzo says he was nervous about assembly Dart, however they quickly began to attach and discuss golf, with Munzo even giving Dart a number of pointers as a stand-in caddy.

“When Justin did that, he broke that ice,” Desjardins stated. “He was a big factor in making Jaxson comfortable.”

As the shoot moved to Dart’s home, his consolation with the digital camera crew was evident in an impromptu interview recorded in the kitchen, the place the younger quarterback is reflecting on the second he’s about to expertise, together with his childhood goals about to come back true.

“I feel like 20 years down the road, I’m gonna look back at this like it was just an amazing experience for my family,” Dart says, explaining why he selected to remain in Salt Lake City and host a watch celebration moderately than attend the NFL occasion. “I just wanted everybody to be here.”

The photographs and video from these quiet moments provide a uncommon glimpse into Dart’s thoughts, as he will get dressed, fixes his hair within the mirror, and contemplates how his life could change in a number of hours.

The Moment

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Much of draft day is a ready recreation. Prospects spend months assembly with groups and having each element of their lives run via with a fine-tooth comb, and it’s by no means sure that their title will likely be known as within the first spherical.

Desjardins, Norton, and Munzo knew they must be on alert for hours to seize the massive second when Dart obtained the decision. “We had a 30-second window of this call, and we had to be in the right spots in the room,” Desjardins stated.

More than 200 of Dart’s closest household and buddies had been on the watch celebration, and whereas the thrill was excessive when all people arrived, the collective nervousness within the room started to develop as the primary two dozen picks crept by with none phrase about Dart. “After a while, everyone’s looking over at Jaxson and waiting for that moment as he keeps checking his phone,” Desjardins stated.

Then, practically three hours into the draft, when it appeared like Dart could have slipped into the decrease rounds, Dart takes a phone call and the room turns silent. The digital camera crew will get in place and begins recording. As quickly as Dart hangs up the telephone, he stands virtually speechless, and the room explodes into cheers.

Jaxson Dart taking the decision that modified his life, when New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll and normal supervisor Joe Schoen instructed him they’d be taking him within the first spherical of the 2025 draft. | Credit: Justin Munzo

“It was literally dead quiet in there, then it was really loud,” Norton stated. “Kids screaming and crying. Everybody’s just kind of in shock.”

Shortly after the decision, the official announcement got here throughout the TV, as Dart sat on the sofa surrounded by household. Dart was chosen twenty fifth general, with the New York Giants buying and selling as much as choose the star quarterback.

At the time, Dart was simply 21 years previous, virtually the identical age because the three members of the digital camera crew. “It’s like he’s one of us,” Desjardins stated. “But now his whole life changed with that phone call. It was so surreal to see it and capture the moment.”

The room exploded into cheers the second Jaxson Dart’s title was formally introduced within the NFL draft. Dart was surrounded by family and friends in his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. | Credit: Justin Munzo

The second made Desjardins mirror on his personal journey, from selecting up the digital camera as a young person to capturing a few of the world’s greatest athletes in simply a few years. And he credited Norton and Munzo for his or her potential to show round high-quality work beneath strain.

“We’re three photographers from Santa Barbara in this room,” Desjardins stated. “And it’s not like this opportunity was just plopped on us. I really worked hard for this, for us to get in that space, so being able to bring them along too, it was awesome.”

Munzo’s photographs of that day have since been shared to social media and considered by thousands and thousands of individuals. “When Jaxson posted my photos to his account, it was crazy,” Munzo stated. “I showed my mom that morning.”

Norton additionally took the possibility to mirror, from capturing highschool video games to working with famous person athletes like Tyreek Hill to capturing surf content material in Indonesia at a few of the most stunning seashores on this planet.

“Mikey told me when we first met that we’re gonna make it one day,” Norton stated. “But it came a lot faster than I thought it was going to. We did this as a couple freelancers who just came together because of a friendship, and I just want this to be an example to others who may not be going down the traditional college route. I want parents to understand their kids and believe in their visions.”