I have photographed a lot of events, but I have to be honest, nothing quite prepares you for standing next to a woman who is about to hurl a telephone pole and looking like she does it before breakfast. The Queens of the Stone Highland Games at San Jacinto Battleground in La Porte, TX is a women-only Highland Games competition that brings together athletes of all ages and skill levels from across the country, and it is exactly as incredible as it sounds. Records were set. Hammers were thrown. I may have stress-eaten several oatmeal cream pies.


I also have to come clean about something: I had a personal stake in this one. My wife was competing, which meant I was simultaneously trying to be a professional sports photographer AND a very proud husband. Somehow I managed to keep the camera steady. The light at San Jacinto Battleground was doing me serious favors, giving me that warm, dramatic outdoor sports photography magic that makes every throw look like a movie poster. But honestly the athletes did most of the work. The grit, the focus, the way these women hyped each other up between events, that camaraderie is what made every frame worth keeping. Highland Games sports photography does not get better than this.


If you have an athletic event, a Highland Games competition, or really any gathering where people are doing impressive physical things and cheering each other on, I want to be there with a camera. Hit me up and let's get something on the calendar.


When: April 25th, 2026

Where: San Jacinto Battleground, La Porte, TX

Athlete in teal top and kilt competes in hammer throw at Highland Games on grassy field.
Athlete in teal and kilt throws hammer at Highland Games competition on grass field.
Woman in teal shirt and kilt competing in caber toss at Highland Games event outdoors.
Women competing in Highland Games athletics, wearing teal shirts and kilts, throwing on a grass field outdoors.
Tattooed strongman competitor deadlifting heavy barbell outdoors at Highland Games competition wearing kilt.
Woman tosses a caber at a Highland Games competition near a stone monument with spectators watching.
Woman in tartan kilt tosses caber at Highland Games competition while spectators watch from the sideline.
Woman in plaid skirt and colorful socks tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Girl in plaid skirt throwing a javelin on a grassy field during an outdoor track and field event.
athlete in tartan kilt tossing caber at Scottish Highland Games competition on green field with flags in background.
Athletes compete in Highland Games caber toss event on grassy field, spectators watching in traditional Scottish kilts.
Woman competing in caber toss at Highland Games, lifting large wooden pole on green grass field.
Woman in teal tank top and plaid skirt tossing a weight into the air at an outdoor Highland Games competition.
Two athletes in kilts compete in a caber toss event at an outdoor Scottish Highland Games competition.
Two women in teal shirts and plaid kilts share a warm hug while a crowd cheers at an outdoor gathering.
Large group of people in teal t-shirts celebrating on monument steps outdoors.
Person in kilt and teal shirt tossing a sheaf with a pitchfork at a Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Two women in teal shirts laugh and hug outdoors on a green field during a fun event.
Athletes in kilts compete in caber toss at a Scottish Highland Games event on a green field.
Person in tartan kilt and teal shirt throwing hammer at Highland Games competition in a grassy park.
Young girl in red tartan skirt and teal shirt performing Scottish Highland dance on grass at outdoor festival.
Athlete in tartan kilt competes in Highland Games hammer throw event outdoors, with officials and equipment visible in background.
Woman in tartan kilt tosses caber at Highland Games competition while another competitor watches and laughs.
Group of women in teal shirts and kilts clapping at an outdoor event near a monument.
San Jacinto Monument obelisk with Scottish and American flags flying under cloudy skies at a Texas historical site.
Two women in tartan kilts and teal shirts high-five at a Scottish Highland Games outdoor event.
Woman in tartan kilt throws hammer at Highland Games competition, photographed through safety fence netting outdoors.
Two people in matching teal shirts review clipboard near U-Haul moving truck outdoors.
Woman in kilt and teal vest competes in Highland Games pole event on grassy field.
Woman throws shot put at Highland Games while man in kilt watches on green field.
Woman in tartan kilt and teal shirt competing in Highland Games weight-over-bar event on green field.
Woman lifting barbell overhead outdoors at a strongman competition wearing a teal shirt and plaid skirt.
Large group in teal shirts and kilts clapping outdoors near a monument at a Scottish Highland gathering event.
Young girl in tartan kilt and teal shirt throwing a ball at an outdoor Scottish Highland Games competition.
Woman in teal top and tartan skirt reaches up to ring a bell at an outdoor Highland Games competition.
Group of women in teal shirts and kilts flexing muscles on stone steps at outdoor event.
Woman in tartan kilt and teal shirt competes in Highland Games weight throw event on green grass field.
Woman in teal shirt lifting barbell overhead outdoors, showcasing strength training and weightlifting fitness.
Woman lifting heavy barbell overhead at outdoor Highland Games competition with spectators watching in background.
Two women in kilts lift metal kegs overhead at an outdoor Highland Games competition.
Tattooed woman in teal tank and plaid skirt lifts a metal keg overhead at an outdoor Highland games event.
Family of three wearing kilts at outdoor Scottish Highland Games festival, with a U-Haul truck in background.
Woman in tartan skirt throws shot put at Highland Games while official in plaid kilt observes during outdoor competition.
Woman competing in Highland Games shot put, wearing tartan kilt, with officials and spectators on green field.
Woman in plaid skirt throwing a shot put at a Highland Games athletic competition outdoors.
Athletes in kilts compete in Highland Games shot put event outdoors, with judges observing nearby.
Woman in tartan skirt lifting heavy barbell outdoors at Highland Games fitness competition.
Woman competing in Highland Games throwing event, wearing tartan skirt, with judge in kilt watching outdoors.
Woman in tartan kilt throws weight over bar at Scottish Highland Games competition.
Woman in blue tartan skirt throws shot put at Highland Games outdoor competition on green field.
Woman in teal shirt and tartan kilt celebrating with arms raised at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Smiling woman in tartan kilt and teal top holds a pink hammer at an outdoor Highland Games competition.
Young woman in plaid skirt and knee socks throwing shot put at outdoor Highland Games competition.
Girls in teal uniforms practice on a grassy field during an outdoor sports tournament with tents in background.
Young girl in tartan skirt throwing shot put at Highland Games competition on green grass field.
Woman in plaid skirt and teal top tosses a weighted bag on a pitchfork at an outdoor Highland Games event.
Athlete in kilt throws red object at Highland Games competition on green field with trees.
Woman in tartan kilt competes in Highland Games hammer throw event outdoors.
People in kilts and teal shirts gather at an outdoor Scottish Highland Games festival with cameras and folding chairs.
Person in teal outfit dancing near a large stone monument on green grass under cloudy skies.
Group of people in teal shirts and kilts at a Scottish Highland Games event on a grassy field.
Athlete in tartan kilt throws hammer at Highland Games competition on grassy field.
Woman in tartan kilt competes in Highland Games weight over bar throw on cloudy day.
Woman in tartan skirt competes in Highland Games hammer throw on green field with spectators and tents in background.
Woman in green shirt and plaid kilt throws a weight on a chain during a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in tartan skirt and teal shirt competing in Scottish Highland Games weight over bar event outdoors.
Athlete in tartan kilt performs Highland Games hammer throw on green grass at outdoor Scottish festival.
Woman in tartan kilt competes in Highland Games hammer throw on green field during outdoor athletic competition.
Athlete in kilt throws hammer at Highland Games competition on green field.
Tattooed woman in plaid skirt and crop top tosses object skyward at outdoor Highland Games competition.
Two athletes in kilts compete in Highland Games heavy events, with one throwing a stone at an outdoor festival.
Athlete in tartan skirt and teal tank top competes in Highland Games weight toss on grassy field.
Woman in teal tank top and tartan kilt poses with hammer throw at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in tartan skirt and knee socks throws weight over bar at Scottish Highland Games competition.
Woman in kilt throwing hammer at Highland Games competition on green field.
Young girl in tartan skirt and green top throws a stone at a Highland Games competition on a grassy field.
Athletes compete in Highland Games throwing event on grass field, wearing kilts and traditional attire at outdoor festival.