When I took the job as a photographer for Major League Baseball, I had no idea what to expect. As someone who grew up loving baseball and breathed it every day my love and passion for the game faded as I got older. Granted a certain owner named Jeffery Loria was a huge factor in my love fading, but baseball wasn’t fun anymore for me. That was until I started photographing baseball games for MLB.
I’ll admit I didn’t know what to expect when I began photographing baseball games on Opening Day. Was I going to be bored? What action if any was going to be there? How long are the games and would they just drag out? Once I got behind the camera I was able to see baseball in a completely different way.
Pregame Baseball Handshakes and Rituals
Baseball has always been, for its part, a game of rituals. Thoughts of Nomar Garciaparra adjusting his batting gloves and kicking his toes into the batter’s box come to mind. Here I am photographing these players and all their different handshakes they have for one another. I get to see how pitchers like Max Scherzer get ready for a game. I knew of rituals, but to see it up close was something else. I felt like a part of those rituals.
And along the way, I developed my own pregame rituals. When I’m in the dugout before the game I eat 30 pieces of gum, three at a time. I can only eat the apple and grape flavored gum. When I get a drink from the Gatorade coolers I have to drink once from the Gatorade, then from the water and back with the Gatorade. And I also do 10 pullups on the roof of the dugout before the pitchers and catchers make their way out.
I feel blessed that in my photographing baseball, I’ve also had the opportunity to photograph some of the game’s rising stars such as Juan Soto, Ronald Acuna and even established stars like Bryce Harper or Cy Young winners like Jacob deGrom. Their love and passion for the game has reignited mine.
I can truly say once again I love baseball. I enjoy my time walking through the ballpark, hearing the sights, listening to the sounds of the game and not to mention the smells of hotdogs and pretzels. I wouldn’t have rekindled this love if I hadn’t been photographing baseball games for MLB. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity and I’m loving ever second of it.
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