Durham is the next goal.
Over the last few weeks, this AUSL photography journey has taken me through Oklahoma, Chicago, Portland, Wichita, and back home again. I have been building this one game, one gallery, one trip, and one late night at a time.
Now I am trying to take the next step and bring this work to North Carolina.
The goal is to travel to Durham for the Carolina Blaze home stand at Duke University. If this comes together, I would be there for Bandits vs. Blaze on July 15–16 to get familiar with Smith Family Stadium, then Spark vs. Blaze on July 18–20.
Crucial dates for this stretch:
July 4–5: Spark vs. Cascade at Tom Heath Field in Edmond, Oklahoma
July 9: Spark vs. Talons, game one at Tom Heath Field
July 10: off day for packing, editing, planning, and final Durham travel setup
July 11: Spark vs. Talons, game two at Tom Heath Field
July 12: travel-prep day before leaving Oklahoma
July 12 night–14: Oklahoma / Newton / Raleigh travel window
July 15–16: Bandits vs. Blaze at Smith Family Stadium in Durham, North Carolina
July 17: reset, editing, laundry, and gear-prep day in Durham
July 18–20: Spark vs. Blaze at Smith Family Stadium in Durham
July 21–23: return travel window back toward Oklahoma
July 26–30: OCA Coaches Clinic in Edmond
This trip also builds directly off what I just finished. Over the last few weeks, I traveled from Oklahoma to Chicago, then to Portland, then back across the country to Wichita, before returning home for more Spark softball. That stretch included long train rides, tight travel windows, late-night edits, galleries, articles, and games in multiple cities. It was a lot, but it also proved this kind of work is possible when the planning and support are there.
This matters because the work has kept growing. I have already had the chance to photograph professional softball, college softball, major tournaments, and AUSL games across multiple cities. Durham would give me the chance to keep building that work in a new market, with a new audience, and another important stretch of the AUSL season.
Because I do not drive or fly, every trip takes extra planning. This route would involve getting from Oklahoma to Newton, Kansas by bus, then taking Amtrak from Newton to Raleigh, followed by travel from Raleigh to Durham. The train trip alone is a major piece of the cost before lodging, rideshares, food, gear needs, and everything else that comes with keeping this work moving.
I am starting this fundraiser smaller on purpose.
The first goal is not to cover every possible expense at once. The first goal is to help get the Durham trip started and make the main travel pieces more realistic. If support goes beyond the first goal, additional funds would go toward lodging, rideshares to and from Smith Family Stadium, food while traveling, camera rental/gear needs, and emergency cushion for delays or schedule changes.
One of the biggest priorities for this trip is private room / first-class support for the long train route.
That is not about making the trip fancy. It is about making the trip sustainable. On my recent long-distance trip to Portland, I made coach work, but I did not sleep well. For Durham, this would be another long multi-day route with camera gear, a laptop, bags, editing work, and several games waiting once I arrive.
The ideal plan would be private room support for the long rail portions both ways. That would give me the best chance to rest, keep my gear more secure, and arrive ready to do the work well instead of showing up completely worn down.
Coach may be the baseline, but private room support is the real goal for my own sanity and for the quality of the work.
Your support helps with:
Amtrak and bus travel
Raleigh/Durham travel
Lodging
Rideshares to games and stations
Food while traveling
Camera gear and rental needs
Emergency cushion for delays or schedule changes
Private room / first-class support for the long train route
This is not a vacation. This is part of the photography work I have been building for years.
Because the travel window would begin shortly after the July 11 Spark/Talons game, support in the next several days matters a lot. The earlier the main pieces can be locked in, the better chance this trip has of working.
If you would rather support directly, my direct options are:
Cash App: $huntersheppard123
Venmo: @Hunter-Sheppard-9
You can also view my work here:
Pixieset Galleries: https://huntersheppardphotography.pixieset.com/
Every donation helps. Every share helps. Every comment helps this reach more people who understand why this matters.
Thank you for helping me keep the work moving.
Organizer
