This is my third career. When I was a kid, my dad was an avid photographer. We had a darkroom in the basement of our modest home in Allentown, Pa. We didn't have a lot of money so on Sunday afternoons we'd go for a drive and my father would take pictures with either his Tower 44 twin lens reflex (Sears Brand) I believe, or his 4x5 B&J press camera. He sort of specialized in taking pictures of locomotives and other railroad related subjects. We'd go back to the house and he would develop and print the pictures. I was pretty young but just watching and listening to him I picked up a lot. As the years went on, our family got into other pursuits and the photography kind of went by the wayside.
Fast forward 30 years. I spent a good bit of time in the military and although I took some pictures I wasn't really much interested in photography. (Shooting had a whole different meaning.) As a new single father, I found myself in need of a job. I was doing some temp work when I noticed an ad in the paper for a photographer. A school photographer. That's right...."a picture man." It was for a company called "Lifetouch." I figured (wrongly) that it was the perfect job for a single dad. Easy hours, can see my kid off to school, be home for her after school...in short, perfect! It sucked. I'd have to be on the road at oh dark thirty, drive 100 miles or more (most days) set up 200 pounds of equipment, and be in a great mood to shoot 12 classes of grumpy, snot nosed, rowdy kids. Additionally I'd have to deal w/ teachers who were less than enthralled at having their classes interrupted for "picture day". I put up with it for almost two years. I was fairly good at it, I just didn't care for it. It wasn't real photography. The camera and lighting were set to certain specifications and all you really had to do was wait for a decent expression and hit the button. We shot these huge camera called micro z's, which shot a 70mm roll of film (I think). I was getting ready to give my notice and move on to greener pastures when my boss approached me and asked if "I liked sports?" Sports? We'll I'm not a fanatic but I sensed something good coming. He then proceeded to tell me that he hated sports and providing our high schools with quality sports photography was a pain in his ass. Sports for Lifetouch at the time in our territory was sort of a loss leader. The school would use us for class photos, seniors, cap and gown, and "oh by the way can you do our sports for us?" My boss proceeded to tell me that I could set it up anyway I wanted, hire one other employee, just get it done and don't bother him with anything unless I absolutely had to. He had no idea what he unleashed.
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I absolutely loved it. I was dealing w/ mostly high school kids, coaches who for some oddball reason I hit it off with (military background)? I pretty much could schedule things according to my own personal schedule. Nirvana! I shot medium format for the team shots (Bronica) and a Nikon F100 for the individual and action shots. What I didn't realize is that I was laying the groundwork for a career move as a wedding photographer. I would get to the school around 3:00, shoot the team photos and individual pictures, do about eight teams, go grab some dinner, and go to a game or games in the evening to shoot action. If I couldn't lay on some childcare in the afternoons, I'd take my daughter with me. She could load film and number envelopes so I could shoot. After a year or two I was pretty good.. The kids loved me as they thought I was funny, the coaches loved me cause I was fast and the Athletic Directors loved me because I stayed out of their hair. Because I was shooting in some of the worst light (mid afternoon and night) I was learning how to use light to my advantage. I also had to set up the camera based on the lighting. Usually F8 or F5.6 for afternoon, in the evenings at the games I'd be shooting ISO 800 2.8 at the fastest shutter speed I could manage. When you shoot crappy conditions like this, you get pretty good, fast! For example: I'd be going to a school and shooting a baseball team, then a girls soccer team, then tennis or cheerleaders. For those of you who have never dealt with high school sports all these teams are different in approach. You don't talk to baseball teams as if they were cheerleaders and vice versa. After the team shots we'd do individual and buddy shots. Kids in sports are particular about how they want their picture taken...much like a bride. I also had to come up w/ creative poses as "Abby didn't want the same pose as Jennifer." All great training for weddings. I'd be running from field to field with my gear in the hot sun...same as some weddings. As the years went on I got to know my coaches better, we'd brainstorm to get some better pictures for the team shots. For example: I'd shoot football
teams on the Battleship NC, Volleyball teams in black cocktail dresses holding volleyballs on the beach at sunset. Swim teams at the beach, instead of the pool. I'd use smoke machines on the gym floors for some drama. I'd light basketballs on fire w/ lighter fluid w/ the players holding them. (We'd always have a fire extinguisher handy, I may be crazy but I wasn't stupid). I once almost caused a principal to drop dead of shock when he came out of his office and found his soccer team on
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the roof of the school. Coach thought it was pretty funny. Somewhere along the line one of my coaches (don't remember who) asked if I could shoot a wedding. A wedding? I'd been to like one wedding my entire life...mine, and didn't have any idea what I was getting into. Like an idiot I told her that I was a "sports photographer," I could do anything. I had a lot of self confidence, I knew I could shoot under almost any conditions...what I didn't know is what I was doing as far as wedding protocol. I got to the church about a 1/2 hour before kickoff, (told you I was a sports guy) and took my place in a pew. Church was pretty crowded. I had enough sense to at least get a seat on the aisle. The Wedding party made their entrance and I managed to get at least one shot of every one of them. This was a year or two before the digital revolution hit so I was shooting 35mm film. The Bride entered, got two shots of her walking down the aisle with her dad. I didn't know enough to leave that pew. I'd lean over and get a couple of shots of the ceremony and even managed to get a decent shot of the kiss. The ceremony finished
and I thought that was it. The client (who knew I didn't know jack about weddings) told me we had to do
formals. Formals? WTF is that? She told me group shots of the family and wedding party. Group Shots? Hell, that's my thing. I proceeded to treat that wedding party just like a sports team...and it worked. Tall people in back shorter people in the front. Ask the guys to take a knee. Everyone, look at the camera...and click. Piece of cake. Pictures came out great. Through sheer photographic ability, I pulled off that first wedding. It wasn't till years later that I thought about how it all came to be.
I believe that school sports photography is one of the best training grounds for a wedding photographer. Bride walking down the aisle...action shot. Bride and Groom w/ the wedding party...team shot. Bride w/ her maid of honor...buddy shot. Bridal Portrait...individual shot. The clothes are different but the ideas the same. Bouquet Toss...action shot. First dance...action shot. Bride and Groom w/ entire family...team shot. Bad lighting...no problem. Been there done that. I still shoot weddings like sports. I'm much more refined these days, but I still joke around w/ everyone, (Helps to relax them in front of the camera) and I still use sports terminology. (Take a knee). Everyone seems to understand.
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