By RANDY GONZALES
Special to Hays Post
Emily Stenzel chooses to look at the big picture.
Sure, the Hays teenager could focus on a rare genetic health condition that affects her life on an everyday basis. However, she prefers to turn a negative into a positive.
Helping in that effort was finding a passion for photography – especially sports photography.
After being forced to give up playing sports in middle school because of health reasons, Stenzel bought a kit camera and shot her first sporting event, a middle school basketball game, when she was in the eighth grade.
“I always enjoyed creativity and art,” Stenzel said. “That’s where it all started.”
Stenzel was diagnosed at an early age with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare genetic disorder that has fewer than 200,000 cases in the United States in any given year.
EDS can affect the connective tissue in the body. Stenzel has had two shoulder surgeries and two hip surgeries to lessen the chance of dislocations.
“I experience flareups sometimes,” Stenzel said. “The condition affects my joints.”
Her health issues haven’t slowed Stenzel.
Now a senior at Hays High School, Stenzel has shot thousands upon thousands of images at all kinds of sporting events, from Hays High to Fort Hays State University to the Hays Larks. She has branched out to shoot senior portraits for high school students and schedules photo sessions for families.
In the fall, Stenzel plans to attend the University of Kansas and major in biochemistry before attending medical school. She wants to become a doctor and hopes to set up a practice in Hays centered on rheumatological disorders.
While at KU, Stenzel hopes to be able to shoot Jayhawk sporting events and would like to shoot the Kansas City Royals and KC Chiefs, too.
“I love taking sports photos,” Stenzel said. “There’s so much emotion in them. I’m sad I’m not able to play (sports), but taking photos allows me to be a part of that.”
A big Chiefs fan, Stenzel said her favorite sport to shoot is football.
“I love football season,” Stenzel said. “Being on the sideline, there’s no way to describe it. It’s such an amazing experience. All the emotion in football, I just love it.”
She typically takes at least 1,000 photos at a sporting event and then edits about 100 of them, which takes several hours.
Stenzel’s time taking photos at games can take a lot out of her, but she carefully monitors her shooting schedule.
“Taking photos is a lot more physically demanding than people might think,” she said. “There is a lot of standing for long hours, walking around.”
Stenzel has learned her craft since that first day shooting that middle school basketball game with a kit camera. She now uses a Canon EOS R6 to take photos and is looking at buying another camera body and an expensive lens.
She credits Mike Garza, who shoots photos for MaxPreps based out of Goddard, as someone who helped her learn the art of photography. Stenzel saw his work and contacted him, asking question after question.
“He has been the best mentor I could ever ask for,” Stenzel said. “He taught me everything I know about a camera.”
Stenzel, who won an Ellis County entrepreneurship challenge her sophomore year, won’t let her medical issues deter her from chasing her dreams.
Her faith has played a role, Stenzel added.
“I told myself from a very young age I would never make my medical journey an excuse to not strive for the success I want to have,” Stenzel said. “I would use it as something that motivates me more to get to where I want to go.”
“I think I have developed a lot of strength from it,” she added. “I wouldn’t be where I am without God. I just know no matter what I go through, it’s always for a reason.”
For Stenzel, that reason is having a rare genetic disorder that makes her want to become a doctor and help others with similar conditions.
Stenzel has advice for someone else who has a burning desire but is unsure how to fuel it.
“There’s never going to be a perfect time to start something you have a passion for,” Stenzel said.
“Make sure you surround yourself with people who are willing to uplift you and support you throughout the journey.”
“At the end of the day, it comes down to you,” she added. “If you really want to do it, just start. At the end of the day, you are able to make your dreams come true."
