Shooting golf: the Farmers Insurance Open

Two things to keep in mind while shooting golf. First, a 400mm lens is a must. And, second, to make ‘the’ photo of the day you have to use a wide angle lens.

That was the case with veteran photographer Donald Miralle, whose photo of Phil Mickelson made the Wall Street Journal’s “Pictures of the Day” slideshow after the final round of the tournament. Below is my version of Mickelson, who was having a bad day, taken on the same hole under the same tree. What does Miralle have that I don’t? Well, a decisive moment for one…that and composition, color, etc…

My experience overall was less fruitful than it could have been. The media director saw fit to only give me a media pass, not the special green bib that allowed you in front of the clothesline separating the crowd from the players. Imagine my chagrin when I showed up with what I thought was all the go-ahead I needed, only to find I had to rub elbows with the normals all day. If I wanted a good angle for the popular players like Michelson, I had to work for it.

Then again, Miralle was shooting well away from the action when he took the photo I linked to above. I did what I could to make the most of my day, equipped with a meager 200mm and an eye that had never even seen a golf course up close before, but the ability to improvise is probably the most important tool in any photographer’s arsenal.

Here’s a slideshow of my set from the day.

Farmers Insurance Open Golf Tournament – Images by Will Parson