Tag: al photographer

Sunday I photographed The Regions Tradition for Bruno Event Team. It was my very first golf tournament to shoot, so I was excited…and nervous about the weather because rain was predicted all day and I haven’t ever had to shoot outside in the rain without the option of cover. It was time for me to get a game plan! There’s a first time for everything and I love a good challenge, but I also like to be prepared! Besides purchasing some rain sleeves for my cameras, this event was a really great excuse to go to Mountain High and buy the Gortex rain jacket I’ve been eyeing since early spring, but bought them for my kids instead – ha!

My Dad and my brother are avid golfers and have volunteered and played in the Pro-Am at this tournament, so I picked their brain about my shots and the course, looked online at other tour photos and read the PGA guidelines for photographers. I asked my dad to come along with me to assist and carry the umbrella as another layer of protection for my equipment. It would also allow us to spend time together while both of our worlds collided — golf and photography! He happily agreed, as I knew he would.

Even though the weather didn’t lend me the sunshine, blue skies and fluffy clouds I ordered, I had a great time being out there with my dad and photographing the fun environment of the event! And, I decided to look on the “bright” side of things…the umbrellas added some color to the shots, while the rain added texture.

A perk to shooting these events is meeting other photographers. I met the official PGA Tour photographer and sports shooter Chris Condon who was super kind and helpful to this first-timer. What a nice guy with incredible talent… and he’s a Nikon shooter! The portrait photographer in me wanted to shoot the tight shots like Chris and the other sports shooters were getting with their 400 mm lens, but my job there was to shoot the “feel” and environment of the event; so, I enjoyed using my wide angle lenses to capture just that. And you know what?! It felt good to get out of my comfort zone. Isn’t that what challenges us and makes us all better at what we do? I sure think so. I’m so grateful to my friend, Gene Hallman, for encouraging me to do so.

The next event I will be shooting is the AMA Triumph Superbike Classic June 22-24 at Barber Motorsports, so be sure check back for that post in a few weeks. Now, here are some of my favorite images from the Regions Tradition. Thanks for stopping by.

By this time we were wet and tired after a long day that started at 5:00 a.m., but here’s an iPhone shot of my Dad and me after the tournament was over. Love my sweet daddy!