When the Miami Marlins team photographer approached me to be part of the team to cover the 2024 Serie del Caribe or Caribbean Series, I instantly said yes. Not even a hesitation in my mind. I had missed out on the opportunity to be a part of the World Baseball Classic experience, aside from a couple of concerts outside the stadium, and I wanted to see the loanDeport Park full of raucous, baseball loving fans. And boy was I not disappointed
There wasn’t a game or day where I just photographed a game at the 2024 Serie del Caribe. There were multiple games daily, every day and my assignments would vary game to game. I could shoot a couple of innings and then have to head up to a suite to photograph the Marlins giving Daddy Yankee a birthday cake. I could have been in the seats photographing the fans with all their flags and everything else they brought into the stadium. I would go from photographing a team arriving to then running out to the plaza to photograph a concert.
This is where being a versatile photographer comes into play. People think sports photographers only shoot sports, but sports photography isn’t just about shooting sports. You need to be able to photograph a lot more and fast.
I think going to the suites and photographing the celebrities, athletes, influencers and all the other big names watching the games was probably the hardest thing to do. You have to handle ego, handlers, entourage etc. in trying to get their photo. Some times it was a lot of waiting around for them to be ready and other times it was them not in the mood to take a photo and you had to come back later. And in all honesty you didn’t have that many frames you could squeeze off before they had enough. You better had hoped you dialed your photo settings in and that they were correct.
One of the more amazing aspects of the 2024 Serie del Caribe was the passionate fans. They weren’t just baseball fans, but fans of their home country. They were loud; they were engaged. The games with Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Venezuela were some of the loudest games I’ve ever heard at loanDepot Park. Sold out fans just enjoying the moment. Flags waving from section to section, bands playing in the stands; people dancing in the aisles with their faces painted. It was baseball at it’s best.
And when it was all said and done, Venezuela had won the series. As I rushed on the field to capture the celebrations and hugs, I was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the team that delivered content from the 2024 Serie del Caribe. Can’t wait till it comes back to Miami again. Hopefully soon enough!
