Legends of Sport

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I discovered photography at the age of 14 when my Dad gifted me a Canon TL camera for my birthday. We took a two week trip together that summer to the western national parks which was like being on another planet for this Brooklyn kid. He gave me a few pointers, but I mostly figured out exposure, lighting, focus and composition on my own. These were the film days, so no checking the screen on the back of the camera to make sure I got it right!

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I quickly fell in love with the creative process of seeing a beautiful vista and composing a photo in my camera onto film. The real magic came later when I was introduced to the wonders of the darkroom and seeing what I first saw in my head, then transferred through my camera onto film come to life in the developing tray in the dim orange light of the darkroom. I was hooked for life.

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My second love was sports so it was natural I would find a way to marry my two passions and aspire to be a sports photographer. I honed my skills in high school, then at the daily newspaper at the University of Massachusetts. I decided to up my game and transferred to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA where I learned the technical skills in the classroom and the on-the-job training as an assistant for Sports Illustrated.

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My Brooklyn moxie and talent helped me to establish relationships with the many teams and venues in the LA area which helped as I broke into the business in the early ‘80’s. I have held the position of team photographer for many of the teams in LA including the Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers and Sparks.

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I am now 42 seasons in as the longest tenured senior photographer for the NBA. My company continues to be the official photographer for the LA Kings, as well as house photographers for AEG's Crypto.com Arena and Microsoft Theater. I think it's safe to say I have been published in almost every major magazine in the world.

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I collaborated with Kobe Bryant on the 2018 worldwide best-selling book The Mamba Mentality: How I Play as well as with Phil Jackson on a book documenting the Lakers 2009-10 championship season, Journey to the Ring.

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In 2018 I received the highest honor of my career when I was awarded the Curt Gowdy Award for Print Media by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. I am only the second photographer to receive this prestigious award for my contribution to the game of basketball.

I have enjoyed my relationship with Mark Comon and Paul’s Photo throughout the years. Mark’s energy and enthusiasm as a teacher makes the Creative Photo Academy a wonderful place for photographers at all levels to learn, grow and express their creative vision through the instrument we all love--the camera. I currently use the Nikon DSLR system. I also host a weekly podcast, Legends Of Sport on all major platforms.

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