Friday Night Lights: the feeling of translucent rays of light surging onto a sea of spectators and players, the rush of hundreds of voices cheering as one. Luckily, thanks to talented photographers such as junior Mia Stimpson, who capture the fast-paced energy of NAHS athletics, our favorite sports memories will be a part of North Atlanta’s history forever.

Stimpson’s passion for photography began in 2016 when she received her first “real” camera, sparking a hobby that would evolve into a valuable talent. In 2021, she introduced her photography skills to the Atlanta community after becoming involved with local photographers’ lifestyle and sports shoots. As a student in the journalism pathway, Mia is an integral part of athletics media, capturing on and off-field moments. “Mia’s images are spectacular and capture the best elements of NAHS sports teams,” said junior Julian May.

Stimpson covers every aspect of the famed football games, sporting her photographer badge and a sleek camera, capturing the plays and emotions behind the wins and the losses. While the football field is Stimpson’s favorite photography location, her skills are not limited to the turf. Stimpson is a regular photographer at NAHS basketball games and track and field events. “Originally, taking pictures for football athletes was not something I was interested in, but after doing it for the first time, I loved it,” she said. “Although I love shooting for other sports, football has become my favorite sport to cover.”

As if photographing three sports wasn’t enough, Stimpson recently had the opportunity to take pictures of a former Overtime Elite Arena (OTE) player and his teammates during their games. “One of my favorite things about photography is that I can meet new people I would never have had the chance to encounter otherwise,” said Stimpson. 

NAHS athletics owe its photographic memories to dedicated dubs such as Mia Stimpson, whose passion for capturing our athletes exceeds expectations. While she will be cheering and chanting along with the student section at games, Stimpson will be a forever supporter of all things Dubs through the flick of a lens and a flash of a camera.