Crashing waves spill out of the pool as players swim aggressively, grappling for the coveted ball. It is a typical water polo match with most parents on their phones, except for one woman – crouched down on the pool deck squinting through her camera lens. At any Palo Alto High School sporting event, it is likely that Celeste Bates can be found on the sidelines, snapping away on her Nikon D6 DSLR camera.
In addition to being a parent of a Paly baseball player, Bates regularly photographs games for many other Paly teams. Bates’ Instagram account (@sko_vikes) displays an impressive portfolio of team portraits and jaw-dropping moments of athleticism.
“My mother and my grandfather were photographers … so I grew up around cameras and lenses,” Bates said.
Although she initially rejected the idea of being a photographer, Bates decided to pick up photography as a hobby after her kids were born, dabbling in portraiture and studio work.
“When my kids got older, both of them were athletes,” Bates said. “I started photographing them and other parents and kids would say, ‘Hey, I like that. Can you share them?’”
When you see how sports or an image … can elevate the enthusiasm and the sense of belonging to community … we can create an element of pride in being a part of something bigger than yourself.”
— Celeste Bates, Palo Alto High School sports photographer
Bates has branched out from baseball in the last three years to photograph events for almost every Paly sport, splitting up the schedule with fellow photographer Karen Hickey.
However, this will be her last year as one of Paly’s resident sports photographers. Bates’ son is graduating and she plans to pass the torch to aspiring Paly student photographers.
“It was always my goal when I started this to encourage kids to take this over,” Bates said. “I’m not going to do this after my kid has gone [and] I love seeing other kids on the sidelines shooting.”
For the past two summers, Bates has given informative presentations at Paly journalism’s Camp MAC to inspire kids to pick up photography. She has also worked with a number of Paly students to help with their own journeys in sports photography and videography.
“I have a vivid memory of her [Bates] telling me to always try new things, even if I wasn’t sure [how] it was gonna turn out,” student videographer Clare Antonow said. “She was really supportive about going out of your comfort zone.”
As Bates closes the chapter on her time at Paly, the next stop on her photography journey awaits. With her son committed to playing baseball at Stanford University, Bates said she hopes to join the ranks of the distinguished photographers there.
I have a vivid memory of her [Bates] telling me to always try new things, even if I wasn’t sure [how] it was gonna turn out.”
— Clare Antonow, student videographer
“I think the most interesting people are always evolving,” Bates said. “[I’ll] take a look at the new circumstance[s] and see how I can contribute to that. So I’ll probably drag my cameras … across the street [to] Stanford.”
In addition to her dedication to preserving moments of Paly spirit and athleticism, Bates has been a mentor to Paly students while uplifting athletes in her photography.
“She definitely helped inspire me,” student photographer and varsity basketball player Tyler Wong said. “As an athlete it was really cool seeing all these photos of myself and my teammates.”
Bates said she believes there is a value in the comforting nostalgia of photos. This is evident through the various students she has impacted.
“There’s that adage that a photo or picture is worth 1000 words,” Bates said. “When you see how sports or an image … can elevate the enthusiasm and the sense of belonging to community … we can create an element of pride in being a part of something bigger than yourself. I think that’s super valuable.”
