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Best Look Magazine's (a product of Alan Look Photography) latest publications are special issues that chronicle the Ridgeview Mustangs and the Normal Ironmen boys basketball teams play in Peoria at the IHSA State Finals.  The Mustangs qualified for their 1st ever appearance and the Ironmen for their third.  The Mustangs placed 3rd and the Ironmen placed 2nd.  Both had excellent records and a tremendous amount of fun this season!  Please take a look at our publications complete with front and back cover images, a short story and several high definition images.  Be sure to check out our advertisers.  They all really appreciate any business that comes their way.  I'm sure you will get personalized service from everyone of them. Click for Ridgeview Click for Normal Community Alan Look Photography

Chloe Nelson was the 2012 recipient of the Jill Hutchinson Endowed Scholarship award.  Reported on the Redbirds Website on June 19th, Coach Stephanie Glance stated that "Chloe is a class act, both on and off the court, and well deserving of such an honor." Nelson started 16 games last season and played in all 32.

Normal Community Ironmen and the Normal Community West Wildcats duel in IHSA Regional Lots of tense moments, lots of tough decisions, lots of teamwork, lots of friends, lots of foes, lots of sadness, lots of joy. In overtime, the Wildcats hold on to a 2 point lead that had 2 opportunities to be a lose. Not a lot one can add to the action that happened inside the black lines or inside the Shirk Center. The stories will be told for at least a generation. you had to be there, or you need to read the story by Steve Robinson in the upcoming Normalite Newspaper . 20120302 NCWHS v NCHS Regional - Images by Alan Look

Illinois State Redbird Men's Basketball v Wichita State Shockers Men's Basketball Seems like all the hoopla this season has surrounded the McDermotts ( Greg and Doug ). Even Sports Illustrated had a multipage/mulitphoto spread on them and the 'Jays from Creighton. Still, I look at the leaderboard on the MVC site and see the Wichita Shockers are 2 games ahead of them. The Shockers beat the Illinois State Redbirds on Doug Collins Court last night by thirteen. So, the MVC has a first, a second, a pair in third and a four way tie for fourth. Should be a fun dance in St. Louis this year! 20120222 Wichita State v Illinois State - Images by Alan Look

Illinois State and Bradley have long been local rivals. Every season in Central Illinois starts with talk of the 4 games (2 mens, 2 womens). Bradley is struggling this season and Illinois State doing pretty well. That has kept some of the chatter to a lower roar than other seasons when the two are more evenly matched. Still, not many loyals missed the games at the Redbird Arena end. It was mostly a full house for the Mens game, and the Womens game filled the lower bowl and doubled as the venue for the Play 4Kay event. Illinois State took both the Normal games. 20120204 Bradley v Illinois State - Images by Alan Look 20120212 Bradley v Illinois State - Images by Alan Look

It's been a while since I posted. I hope to be a little more consistent, but you know what they say about the best laid plans... Last week the Chicago Automobile Trade Associations 2012 Chicago Auto Show began at McCormick Place in Chicago. I'm lucky enough to get in on Media Day and get some great pictures. Over the years several of my images from the show have been used in weekly, monthly publications and several books. One of the initial items that drew me to the Chicago Auto Show several years ago were the concept cars. I think everyone has a couple that they really like. I'm no exception. The climate at the show seems to be changing. The number of manufactures showing concepts seems to be shrinking. In the heyday 10 years ago, I remember one manufacture having multiple concept cars on display in any one show. I think the total number of concepts by all manufactures combined this year lists out at around 8 on the Chicago Auto Shows website. Lexus was pr...

Well, I got to wondering today just how many players I had shot that were possibly going to be in the 2012 NFL draft. A quick search of some of the polls and listings and a quick search of my archive came up with a number of players. One, Cody White I have been photographing since he attended High School at Normal Community West. There were a Number of Illinois State Redbirds that made the list and a good parcel from the Missouri Valley Conference. Fill in the rest of the non-conference games at Hancock and I got the following into a gallery. I only selected one image of each person for this gallery. If you search my archive by name, you will find several more of each. Unfortunately there were several players I did not capture. Enjoy, and good luck to all involved when the draft takes place. 2012 NFL Draft Prospects - Images by Alan Look

A few short weeks ago, I was shooting a night time IHSA playoff game at Normal Community West High School and ran in to a fellow shooter and friend. As I made my way around the field to say hello and chat for a couple seconds, I noticed something that made me take a second look. On his flash unit was an extender. I'd heard of Better Beamers before but had never seen on in person, still haven't. His unit was a dozen or so years old and while it used the fresnel lense technology like the Better Beamer, it was made by someone else. Inquiring about just how much it would help and what if any side effects there were, I decided to look into one. Online, I found a couple different variations with the Better Beamer being the more popular. Next I visited a couple of photo chat rooms to get an idea of what people thought that had used them. They are used a lot in nature photography and I found some using them in sports photograpy. The biggest compaint I could find was escaping l...

Well, The Indianapolis 500 gets Indiana rev'ed up in the spring but what is it like in the fall? Well, Parke County has the Covered Bridge Festival in October and Brown County turns a thousand colors. Would you believe it's hilly in Brown County? I swear, where did the hills come from. Get very far in any direction and it's back to the flat grain growing ground. Get a cabin, stay at a Bed and Breakfast, take a bus trip or just make it for one day but go check out both places next October. Covered Bridges - Images by Alan Look Brown County Indiana - Images by Alan Look

Basing the decision on the second season in which expectations were much higher than what was acheived, the decision was made by Cornbelters General Manager Steve Malliet to not renew Hal Lanier as field manager. Under Lanier's two seasons at the helm, the Cornbelters were .468 with 90 wins and 102 losses.

When I was in high school pumping fuel at the corner station I used to drool over the Mercedes Benz sedans that would come in. I still do. Many would have badges of courage on the front grille showing how many miles they had survived. Many were in the hundreds of thousands of miles and most were still in very good shape. My dad pretty much always drove Chevy's or Pontiac's, usually new and kept them for four or five years. I remember a stray Fiat that he bought on a repo deal and a Ford LTD, but mostly GM's. The first car with my name on it was a 1st edition Monte Carlo, after that I've pretty much been a Ford Truck man, with the exception of one really bad Buick. It was a very comfortable car, but I couldn't keep a transaxle in it. I think it kicked about 3 of them out in the 14 months I owned it. I also spent some time in a few different garage settings were I got to drive a lot of different models from all sorts of foreign and domestic makers. I sti...

Wow, what a lot of drama this summer. Football and the economy. One report had people more interested in the NFL lockout than the US debt ceiling issue. And why not, financial issues get to be monotonous and stressful. So, let's talk about football instead. High school ball is just around the corner. Summer strength and condidioning should be wrapping up. Practices should be starting. Opening night is August 26th. Intercity at Hancock Stadium is September 2nd. If you haven't heard, the south stands at Hancock were to be removed. I haven't been to the stadium lately, so I'm looking forward to seeing what all has been done. I believe the west stands were also to get a facelift. College can't be far off either. The Redbirds have an interesting bend on the normal Media Day this year. The fans and friends will be invited to attend and can also participate in a moderated question and answer session with some of the coaches and players. It all starts the morn...

The Cornbelters started out the season away from the 'Crib coming home for the opener in Normal at 4-2 but dropped the complete series to the Miners of Southern Illinois to drop to 4 and 5 and 2nd from the bottom in their division in the Frontier League. 20110527 Miners v Cornbelters - Images by Alan Look

I was lucky enough last season to be able to make the inaugural game of the Frontier League Cornbelters at the Corncrib in Normal. They are ready to start their second season and opening night at the 'Crib is May 27th at 7pm against the Southern Illinois Miners. I hope to be there. Being on the Media List, I get lots of notices from them. The latest just hit my email box about 10 minutes ago. They have hired a new Hitting Coach. The Media release follows. "CornBelters sign former MLB as new hitting coach ‘Boots’ Day joins team following 2 seasons in Calgary NORMAL – The Normal CornBelters, presented by Illinois Corn Farmers, are pleased to announce the signing of Charles ‘Boots’ Day as the team’s new hitting coach for the upcoming season. Following a six-game road trip to begin its’ second season, the CornBelters will play its’ first home game of the 2011 campaign at the Corn Crib on Friday, May 27 at 7 P.M. versus the Southern Illinois Miners (CEFCU Opening Night). D...

The older I get the more I find out just how much I don't know and I always find questions about things I take for granted. Last night whild being lazy and watching some pro Bull Riding, I started to question something I've seen for years at this event... a rope tied around the bull behind the rider and in front of the rear leg muscles. What on earth can that be for? You certainly can't lead a bull from the behind! As it turns out, it's called a flank strap. The flank strap is affixed by the supplier of the bull and is used to make the bull use it's back legs to buck more. An other question that keeps popping in my mind when being lazy and watching the tube is medicines. I know why people take them but watching those commercials just has to make you sit up and go HUH! Many of them can actually promote what your hoping to fix or give you side effects that could be far worse than what you have. Buyer beware and careful! One such drug that I see promoted heavil...

After nine years, one trip to the NCAA sweet sixteen (2006), an overall record of 154-140 and 74-88 (MVC), and a less than stellar finish in the Valley (4-14) this season, the Bradley Braves said goodby to Jim Les. Athletic Director Michael Cross stated that the decision was difficult but in the long-term best interest of Bradley basketball, the student athletes and the university. If you live or have lived in Central Illinois for any length of time and followed college basketball to any degree, you know Jim Les and the Bradley Braves Well. Les played for Bradley as a student and then in the NBA for seven season. The Braves and the Illinos State Redbirds share a mutual rivalry best know in basketball by the tag "War of 74". The arenas are always filled, the fans always pumped, the volume level almost crushing. Coach Jim Les - Images by Alan Look

in 2007 Illinois State Athletic Director Sheahon Zenger reached to his home state of Kansas to gather Tim Jankovich as a replacement for Porter Moser. Mosers tenure was tenuous at best and Zenger pulled the plug early on his 7 year contract. Best I can tell is Jankovichs contract is a 5 year contract with a rollover for extensions at the end of the term. That leaves him the remainder of this season and one more till the end of his first term. The first 3 years were pretty decent. Jankovich was able to keep the best of the talent that Moser had discovered and added some transfers along with signing some other good talent. Now, O is absent. Dinma gone. Talented others are on board, but the Birds are 0-3 in the conference with Witchita State coming here on Friday with a record of 3-0 in the Valley tied for first with Missouri State. The season has been disappointing to say the least. Soft preseason play is responsible say some. 3 Days ago, Zenger takes a job back in Kansas. Who w...

In 1961 when I first moved to Heyworth, the Heyworth Star was a thriving weekly newspaper. I can't tell you the whole history of the paper, but it was then run by Glen Beverage and his son Jim. I also don't remember a lot about Glen except that he always had a smile when I saw him. Jim lived 3 doors away from us on Poplar St. with his wife Nancy who taught school in a near by community and Sonja their girl who was the same age as I. Jim was a newspaper man through and through. Always looking for the scoop. Always at the local sports events. Always wearing a dress hat, carrying a camera, tablet and pen and when it was cold, a trench styled overcoat. He was inquisitive and full of common sense. He also liked to show off his shop to any youngster that showed an interest. More than once I walked in unannounced and he would appear in the front office and offer a quick tour. Didn't matter how busy he was, he always had time for an interested youth. In those days it was t...

I've been informed several times that I'm a pessimist. Well, I do seem to see the ugly side of things or the bad things that may happen, but I really think I'm more of a realist. How would bad things be avoided or even corrected if someone didn't identify them? Football viewing is a good example. There are several things (I'll include my short list below) that really irritate people (myself included) that can destroy the feeling of a great game. I think there are some simple steps that could be taken to remedy them. My short list, in no particular order. 1) Media Time Outs. Let's call them what they really are, enough of the politically correct. They are TV timeouts to sell advertising. Heck, they get more time outs per game than both teams combined. Did I miss something in the 1960's and early 70's listening to the games on WJBC with my dad? I don't recall any commercials unless there was a legitimate break in the action. I'm sure on th...

School is Finally back in session. The hottest part of summer is Finally coming to an end The sweet smell of fresh corn is Finally in the air Football is FINALLY back in season. I enjoy the preseason games on the tube in the hot beginning of August. It's always a welcome view compared to the reruns from last season, the hohum of new reality pilots, award shows and yet another season of the Cubs losing. I do hesitate to put a lot of credence to the preseason games of the NFL. They are full of rookies and 3rd place depth chart players working hard to make an impression on either the team they are currently with or for one of the hundred scouts watching each game to find a player that will get released and help their team. So, the action is usually filled with some great plays and emotion. That always seems to die a little in the last week of the preseason schedule. Still, couldn't the Bears look a little more like they really want to win? The 27th was opening night for IHSA...