A View From the Dugout

It’s one thing to watch a baseball game from the stands – especially at CoolToday Park, which accommodates up to 7,473 fans and possesses a sprawling field matching that of Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves – but it’s quite a different experience from inside the dugout. As a professional sports photographer, I often find myself close to, and sometimes in the middle of, the action. Each sport demands a unique approach: Football requires you to anticipate plays and be ready to avert a charging herd at any time; Basketball is non-stop action and movement, and you not only have to dodge flying basketballs, but in bigger games, other photographers jockeying for position; Hockey – you’re at least shielded by glass … sometimes. A puck to the head will certainly make you rethink your career.

Baseball has always been my favorite. 40 years ago, I snuck into the front row box seats in Fenway, next to the Red Sox dugout, to get a picture of Wade Boggs.

Today, I am lucky enough to professionally photograph sports with the same passion and awe – no sneaking necessary. Of course, after moving to Wellen Park, I was drawn to CoolToday stadium. CoolToday Park is the Spring Training home of the Atlanta Braves, and during the summer it hosts the FCL (Florida Complex League) Braves: a team made up of young prospects beginning their journey to the ultimate goal, the Major League.

This summer, I’ve had the privilege to photograph the FCL. In most cases, there is little to no interaction between photographers and players, but as I stepped down into the dugout a few minutes before the game, I was greeted warmly with fist-bumps and smiles.

After the National Anthem, it was game time. I took my first position on the stairs by the clubhouse entrance. When in the dugout, there are two rules that are equally important. Number one, stay out of the way. You’re there to document the game, not become part of it. The second – stay alert and be aware of where the ball is at all times. Getting hit with a baseball is not pleasant, especially if it hits your gear.

I want to not only document the game but tell a story through images. While the action on the field is essential, it is equally important to capture the interactions and emotions of the athletes. I want the viewer to feel what the player feels as they sit on the sidelines, to become wrapped up in the precise motion of the play. Scores and statistics are readily available, but how the players themselves experience the game is a different, more personal, story.  

I seek to record fleeting moments often missed by the eye. I look for the instantaneous reaction to a big play, or the emotional aftermath of a disappointing one. I anticipate the movement of a player and catch him while he’s in the air. Long after the game is done, the artistry of the sport and the talent of the players remain. It’s exciting to watch a baseball game from the dugout, and even more so to share it with the world.