With the abbreviated fall football schedule in the books and basketball season still two months away, Austin Peay State University athletics presents Through the Lens! Once a week, over the next few weeks, we will highlight the work of a different Austin Peay photographer. The person behind the camera will get a chance to share their favorite images from the past calendar year!

In the regular-season finale of Through the Lens, our full-time graphics guy turned semi-pro photographer Eric Elliot shares his favorite pictures from the past 365 or so days!

Shooting my second game of 2019 on a rainy road game at Tennessee Tech. Nothing like an explosive offense to give you ample opportunity to learn how to use a camera. I got fortunate here and caught DeAngelo Wilson making a catch of his own on a 30-yard strike from JaVaughn Craig at the end of the 1st quarter. It was DeAngelo's second touchdown reception of the game and it put the Governors well on their way to a 58-21 win over the Golden Eagles in Cookeville.

Another one from Cookeville. JaVaughn Craig found me in the back of the endzone after a 27-yard keeper right up the middle to extend the Govs lead to 27-7 early in the 2nd quarter. Pretty hard for even me to miss them when they run right up in front of the camera.

Easily one of the most exciting and tense games I've been behind a camera for. Austin Peay at Eastern Kentucky in 2019. This photo shows linebacker Pat Walker as he begins his 38-yard return after an interception midway through the 3rd quarter. The turnover was a huge for shifting momentum to the Govs as it set up the touchdown that gave Austin Peay the lead for the first time in the game at 14-10.

Overtime at EKU. All it took was one play from the Govs. On the first snap, JaVaughn Craig dumped a short pass to Kentel Williams and he took care of the rest. I barely got down there in time to catch this photo through the bench as he ran by. The Governors defense would stonewall the Colonels on their possession and go on to win the game 28-21.

Our men's basketball program gave me the opportunity to shoot at my alma mater over the holidays. It was fun to see Stegeman Coliseum from a different perspective. Here's a photo of Carlos Paez passing the ball back out after driving into the paint at Georgia in December of 2019. That's about it. Got to visit with my family too so that was cool.

Here's a photo of Jordyn Adams going up for layup at Tennessee Tech. Pretty sure he got called for a charge, but the Govs came away with the win 75-62.

Terry Taylor makes a move on his way to the basket at Belmont in February of 2020. I really enjoy shooting on the road. There's just something about being in enemy territory that takes it to another level. I had only been at Austin Peay for about five months at the time and was still developing my passion for the Govs. There's nothing like the jeers of opposing fans to speed that development up. That crowd at Belmont did that for me.

Getting back into things after a hiatus to shoot the first college football game of 2020. The fireworks started early for the Govs as CJ Evans Jr. got loose for a 75-yard touchdown run on the very first play of the game. 

The Captain: Blake Mitchell. Just thought this was a neat angle of him coming out of the tunnel on his way to the coin toss at Pitt in 2020.

Here is a photo of the team gathering in the tunnel at Pitt to take the field led by Interim Head Coach Marquase Lovings. Shooting at Heinz Field during these times was eye-opening. You really felt the gravity of what is going on in the world with the pandemic when you saw all of the empty seats in the stadium. Through all of this however, the Govs have stuck together. I am very grateful to work with the people I do, around the student-athletes we have, and for Austin Peay. #LetsGoPeay