Multiple Meridian defenders tackle Steve McNair, Jr. (1) on Friday night during the first half of the Oak Grove-Meridian playoff game in Hattiesburg. Oak Grove ended up winning the game and will advance to the South State finals against Ocean Springs next week. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Monday: Twin sisters signed swimming scholarships to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Participants graduated from Drug Court.

Tuesday: The Southern Miss basketball team faced off against Loyola New Orleans in the Reed Green Coliseum.

Wednesday: Pepsi South celebrated its grand opening.

Thursday: Pittman Park, a new parking lot in downtown Hattiesburg, was unveiled. Southern Miss male students and male community members walked a mile in heels to raise awareness for domestic violence victims.

Friday: Oak Grove played Meridian in the playoffs and won.

Saturday: Southern Miss beat Tulsa at M.M. Roberts stadium, despite a lightning delay.

And my weekly favorites are here.

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How was YOUR week? What was the most exciting thing you did?

PDN Pulse revealed the favorite shutter speeds of college sports photogs, thanks to metadata from the students work.

Paul Nicklen’s leopard seal images are amazing.

The Sport of Photography feature on the NYT Lens blog was an interesting piece about sports photogs. Photogs can have good games and bad games. And we grow through friendly competition with our peers.

I found the ‘A Room of Everyone’s Own‘ piece on the Lens blog fascinating. It’s amazing the things a person can accumulate over a certain length of time.

Nicole Bengiveno photographed the Fort Hood memorial service for the NYT and spoke about her experience, as well as making the CP image for the next day.

I know this is really, really late, but Stobist has a post up about the gender gap and photography. I’m a technical photographer, but I don’t like to spend my time lighting a scene if I can use natural light. I blame learning photography in a fine art photo school for this one, though, not gender.

For all you photographers out there: Peta Pixel has 21 awesome T-shirts for photographers on display at their site. I’m especially loving #9, #12 and #14.

We finally got to make a trip to Memphis last weekend to start wedding planning, and I couldn’t help but notice as we traveled from place to place that fall has finally arrived.

I should not have been surprised. I mean, it IS November, but since fall took such a long time to show its face in Mississippi, I was delighted by all the golds, reds and browns that greeted us at potential reception and rehearsal dinner sites.

It was truly gorgeous, and I had a good time snapping images of the fall foliage.

I have always been an autumn fan. It probably goes back to me being a fall baby and the fact that I loved playing outside in the fall because it wasn’t too hot or too cold. Dodger, Leigh and I could play outside for hours at a time. And my love of this season has carried into adulthood, even though there is less rolling around in leaves and playing in the backyard these days.

These days, it’s about the weather and the scenery. It doesn’t get any better than this.

What is your favorite season?

FCAHS's Aubrey Kidd (54) displays 'RIP Devon' in remembrance of his fallen teammate, Devon Byrd, Friday night during the first half of the Forrest County Agricultral High School-North Pike playoff game in Brooklyn, Miss. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Monday: Miss Mississippi spoke to parents and kids at Petal High School. (Photo gallery to come next week for Petal Today.)

Wednesday: Veterans were honored during the annual Veterans Day Service at Veterans Park in downtown Hattiesburg.

Thursday: The Southern Miss basketball team practiced before their first game. The Mississippi Secretary of Treasury spoke to students about going to college. Members of the local Junior Auxiliary set up for their annual ball.

Friday: Five Petal businesses held their grand opening. Forrest County Agricultural High School played North Pike and won during the playoffs.

Aaaand my weekly favorites are over here.

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How was YOUR week?

I know I said last Sunday that the week was crazy. Well, if that week was crazy, this past week was ridiculously busy. No worries, though, I made some lovely images while I was running around.

Staci Williams closes her eyes and holds family dog Daisy close Tuesday morning at Oak Grove's All Animal Clinic. Daisy fell down a 40-foot well Monday afternoon, cutting her shoulder, and veterinarian Dr. Kirk Frazier and Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department firefighters pulled the dachshund out of the well. Daisy spent the night at the vet's office, was given eight stitches and was sent home with her family Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Monday: Since Oak Grove’s game was canceled because of bad weather the previous Friday, they faced off against Brandon High School on the gridiron.

Tuesday: LIFE of Mississippi hosted its annual event, Walk With Me, to raise public awareness about the need for accessibility for all. A rescued dachshund was reunited with its owners. Measures have been taken in Mississippi for students to eat healthier at school. The WCU basketball team practiced.

Wednesday: Two teenage boys who died in an accident were laid to rest in their hometowns.

Thursday: Government-run healthcare was protested. Petal is digging a new sewer line and trying to dig out of debt. An elementary school is selling feathers to raise money to feed the needy.

Friday: A task force is tackling textbook prices. Southern Miss prepares to start their basketball season.

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How was your week? And what was the most exciting thing you did?

My co-worker Brittany and I spent Wednesday covering the funerals of two teenage boys who lost their lives in an oil tank explosion over the weekend. Her story is beautifully written and heartbreaking.

My co-worker and fellow photog Matt was featured on Wall Street Journal Photos of the Day with an image from Monday night’s Saints game. Yay, Matt!

My friend Elizabeth shared an article on connecting with kids from behind the camera. An interesting read and some good advice for those of you who snap a lot of portraits.

One of my favorite photojournalists, James Nachtwey, spoke at Photoplus last week about the impact of images. I wish I could have been there to hear him and see the images.

NYT staff photographer Michelle Agins talks about documenting poverty for the annual New York Times Neediest Cases Fund and how it has impacted her life. I love what she says. Definitely play the multimedia piece, y’all.

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Happy Friday!

I know, I know. I said I was hopping back on the bandwagon of updating you daily, and I fall off as soon as I make the statement.

If last week was busy, this week has been HECTIC with the amount of assignments I’ve shot and everywhere I have been. It has been a really good experience, and I’ve done a lot of good work, even though I am really tired. Y’all are in for a HUGE week in review post on Sunday. Trust me.

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So the following image was snapped Sunday at the fair. I love the fair, and I went quite a bit when I was a kid. Especially since my school district let us out one Friday every year for ‘Fair Day.’ So when I think of the fair, I’m immediately brought back to my childhood, eating a corn dog, riding the swings and wondering if maybe this year I could ride the roller coaster. I had horrible motion sickness as a kid, and I wasn’t able to ride many rides because of this. So that roller coaster? Not a good idea.

I want to dedicate the following image to my friend, Elizabeth, who has never been to the fair. We need to remedy this, chica!

Happy Thurdsay, y’all!

This week was a little hectic, as most of this past month has been, but it was good.

Rice Patrick, 8, and his friends are lowered after riding the swings Wednesday night at the Fair of Forrest County. (Photo by Erin Parker / The Hattiesburg American)

Let’s break it down, shall we?

Sunday: Southern Miss hosted in-town rival, William Carey, in a baseball scrimmage. Heritage United Methodist Church hosted trunk-or-treat in their parking lot.

Wednesday: The Fair of Forrest County opened for its second day in town.

Thursday: Oak Grove Lower Elementary held a ribbon cutting for their new Project Fit America fitness equipment. The MTV reality casting tour hosted auditions in town.

Friday: Thames Elementary invited students to dress as their favorite book characters for a Book Parade. Petal faced off against George County on the gridiron, and it poured for most of the game.

Saturday: Men, women and children ran/walked in the first Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Southern Miss. Two teenagers died in a oil-holding tank explosion accident. (So, so sad.)

Sunday: I attended the fair again and learned that goats like to eat paper. (As in, a goat ripped a few pages out of my reporter’s notebook while it was in my jean pocket.) Southern Miss baseball held a black and gold game.

My favorite images of the week can be found here.

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How was your week? And what was the most exciting thing you did?