episode 56 of the dsmsports podcast w/ hockey photography legend bruce bennett

Snippets from Bruce Bennett on the Snippets from Bruce Bennett on the Digital and Social Media Sports PodcastDigital and Social Media Sports Podcast

@njh287 DSMSports.net


Episode 56 featured Director of Hockey Photography for Getty Images and author of new book Hockey's Greatest Photos: The Bruce Bennett Collection,

Bruce Bennett

What follows is a collection of snippets from the podcast. For the full episode, visit DSMSports.net


http://www.dsmsports.net/


Bruce's career path

Started as an 18 year-old shooting photos at Madison Square Garden during warmups at a New York Islanders game and sent them to The Hockey News and asked them to buy it → jump-started his career in hockey photography

“The Hockey News...got me a photo credential and all my work then would go to The Hockey News. I would go home after games and make 8x10 prints and send them to (The Hockey News) for use in their weekly publication...



“Team photographers and local newspaper guys were there. And back then there were a lot of freelance photographers that would sell photos to anyone they could. These days it is a little more difficult, you still have the team guys and the newspaper guys and the photo agency guys, but it's no longer permissible to go into pro venues...and go out there and freelance...That's just not permitted anymore.”



[Bruce tells how he processed his own film and make prints and label each by player and physically mail them to clients]

“It always was a lot of photo equipment and even today in the digital age, that equipment is no easier or lighter to lug around.”

“One of the benefits I had over a lot of other photographers was I was always a computer geek...starting from an Atari computer and moving on to a PC...I took to digital and digital imaging pretty easily because it was something I was interested in...

[Bruce notes the importance of these skills in hiring new candidates today]



On the changing demands of speed for photo delivery

“It's more comfortable for me now than it was when I first started...It's quite an intense process between periods to get out all the images...a big part of the process is knowing your computer and having (a fast one)...

Being able to ingest a digital card or two into your computer between periods, pick out the best images, and caption them takes a lot of work and takes a lot of time...The more experience you have, the better you are at getting images out quickly.”



“You're still looking for the peak action and peak photographs. The other factor is....you could shoot 2,000 frames during the game, but you (still) need to go through all those images...

One of the biggest challenges is during the Stanley Cup...you used to have 36 frames on a roll of film and then you had to change. Now I can shoot over 1,000 frames on a digital card...So the thought pattern (changes).”



On Bruce's evolution with technology and mindset and how it serves him

“I think any of the guys in these jobs...learn early on...let's settle back and not be so trigger-happy because that's just going to end up biting you in the butt...When you have too many images to go through, that just makes the job that much more staggering.”



How everyone is a photographer now

“I don't have too much concern about people with their cell phones or their point and shoot cameras...I'm just concerned with doing the best job I can do. And that comes with my experience...And let's all remember that sometimes people think (it's all about camera)...it's probably a good photographer more than the equipment he's using...

I'd like to think that when people look at photos like myself and the other professional photographers, hopefully they see the difference in quality.”



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“I always look at pictures other people have shot and think 'Man, I wish I was that good at Instagram...'

Most people are going to look at a photo and go, 'Oh that was shot with an Instagram filter.' It kinds of takes away the hours I put in to perfect a technique and get something I'm really proud of. But the industry constantly shifts...It is what it is. If I put out an image people like, that's great. If someone else does (too), then you live with it.”



“There are enough outlets for all these photos and videos that people are doing. Especially the good ones that rise to the surface and get a lot of eyeballs and a lot of comments. To me, it's a very visual generation. The world is a much more visual place now. And all these forms of social media that get my images and all (these others) out is a good thing.”



On the metrics social and digital media provides with photos now

“It's always great to get a pat on the back (from social media)...It's always encouraging when people tell you how much they love your photography...Maybe it does sway me to do some different things and think outside the box a little .bit...I've always tried to do that. Do something different that people would react to...

“I would think 'where else can I put a camera that I have not done before'...'What would create a stir that people would talk about?'...I still continue to do that and see other techniques other photographers are doing to spur me on...and adapt it to hockey.”



On measuring his photos on the Getty Images site

“I look at the sales reports not only for myself, but for all our photographers worldwide and try to come up with a pattern...whether it's a specific league or specific kind of photography...Isolated vertical action was huge for many years, but not so much anymore...

We have to have our photographers adjust (to certain techniques)...Sometimes you can get a pattern out of it you can decipher...sometimes, it's completely perplexing why images are sold...”



“I'm not shooting with social media in mind. Financially, that's a small part of the picture...What really sells well or us is the editorial and commercial aspect of the photographs...

“We make sure we're providing photos clients are looking for...Every photographic endeavor, that's the way you have to go about things. Where are images selling...You want to make every sale. I want to sell every hockey photo...for every single need...whether that's social media uses or website editorial or commercial outlets.”



The changing economics of photography

“(Fans in the stands) don't have the professional training I have...I always think there's going to be a place for professionals, both still and video, to provide the content people are used to seeing. In some ways this has gotten dumbed down to any picture and any video is accessible. That's fine. I look at badly shot YouTubes and badly shot images; if they have something that I can't find (in quality)...there's a lot of junk out there. For the foreseeable future, anyway, there is still an active market for professional photography.”



“I don't know if it matters (whether print photography persists) at this point...I understand having two kids and being around (younger) people...the ease of looking at everything on an iPad and not physically carrying around a bunch of magazines. But right now where we are, there's still a market for all the forms of media out there. It doesn't alter the way we shoot games. You still want to get stuff up quickly because there are websites picking that stuff up immediately...

The transmission of images has changed, but we're still out there shooting every minute of every game and not concerned about web use vs. print use.:.”


Snippets from Bruce Bennett on the Snippets from Bruce Bennett on the Digital and Social Media Sports PodcasDigital and Social Media Sports Podcas

On Internet and digital piracy of owned images

“Getty came up with a process called “Embed.” It allows people to use Getty images on social media sites for free, as long as those sites are non-commercial...

In terms of copyright violation, Getty Images is also always on-guard for that sort of thing...There is a fair amount of cases where those things have to go to trial to protect our individual photography.”



On credit for images passed around on social media

“When it's coming from a sports team, we have a relationship with (the leagues)....I personally subscribe to the theory that the name on the front of the jersey is more than the name on the back. I'm just happy if it says Getty Images...On a personal level, it's great when my name appears with it...”

It's a little discouraging when your name isn't attached to (really popular) images...as long as the photo is being used in a properly licensed fashion, it's fine with me.”



On photographers building a brand

“I do look a lot of portfolios and field a lot o questions from photographers looking to get into the industry...It's extremely difficult and limited...I encourage all these photographers to get their own websites...and put together your best 10-20 images...and get it out there that you're looking for work...

You need to get your experience shooting (any types of games) and then when you have enough for a portfolio, you can try to up your game to the pros.”



“I don't even mind looking at a Facebook (gallery)...it could be a flickr gallery...just don't email me 10 high-resolution photos....I'm not going to tell you that you have an excellent future (in photography), if I don't see something that tells me (that)...

It's very rare that I've (discovered) someone (on the Internet or social media) without them contacting me first.

The other thing is on an Instagram...The basic premise of Instagram and the photos are all messed up with. They're not original files...We're looking for factual images. In the industry we're in, manipulating photos past a certain point of losing your editorial integrity is seriously frowned upon.”



Bruce's favorite arena, past or present, at which to shoot photos

Chicago stadium [United Center now] → “Great fans, rabid fans, great atmosphere, steep arena. The fans are so close to the ice, usually drunk. The horn. Everything about the arena is the best.”



The sport besides hockey Bruce would most want to shoot

“I think I'd have to retire. I would be done...During the last lockout, I began shooting a bunch of basketball games for Getty and I loved it. You see the players, they're up close...there's no helmets or face shields. There's muscles, there's sweat, there's trash talking...The toughest part or me was sitting on the floor with your legs crossed...I found it really creative and very different (from hockey).”



The photo in Bruce's career of which he is most proud

“One that comes to mind is Mike Bossy with the flaming hockey stick...We messed around at home with some cotton dipped in kerosene, stapled to the bottom of a hockey stick...It wasn't a particularly well-lit image...Just being able to do that and not set Bossy on fire was a big achievement for me.”



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On Bruce's preparation for a major game or Stanley Cup game

“Very different thought pattern game by game vs, Stanley Cup...Game-by-game, I'm often by myself...I'm in my (usual) position...By being able to see the whole ice, it gives you the sense of security that nothing is out of your grasp...

“With a Stanley Cup game...where we're handling it with a crew, it's a lot more work. Then, I'm concerned with not only my position, but...my second or third photographer. And coming up with a game plan. Mapping out where the photographers are, where the remote cameras...making sure that...we have the important every moment. Maybe a Cup-winning moment, from every single angle...

“(Also) handling the editors...do they know what kind of material do I need to be put out (very quickly) that night?”



What it's like shooting an outdoor hockey game

“The biggest problem is where do you put warmers (on your hands)?...You still need your thumb and index finger to be able to shoot...the hands are always a huge issue (to keep warm) out there.”



Bruce's thoughts on GIFs

“Those are kind of outdated. I think we're going to see more video that's introduced in coming years. We're going to have more photographers...shooting video and having stills come off their video, or the use of small snippets, like GIFs...in the marketplace, social media-wise and websites.”

“I'm not sure what the process is going to be (for Getty Images) or if we're heading that direction or not...all our high-end cameras have video built in...If I can shoot 30 frames per second and pull a frame out, the timing is going to be even better. It's a matter of whether I can change the video still into a viable digital still...and being able to do that in the same sort of time frame that I can send 5-10 images between periods.”



Bruce's favorite player or subject to photograph

The short answer is Swedish player Tomas Johnsson simply because he would make the craziest aces when he was playing. His face would show the anguish of the game, the pain, the fury...

The greater answer is the Great One – Wayne Gretzky – because I got so familiar with his movements...it became easier for me to track him and anticipate where he was going to move...he was someone I thoroughly enjoyed photographing.”



Bruce's Stanley Cup pick

“A number of years ago, I decided to predict the winner of every NHL game in a single year...at the end of the season, my percentage was 52% correct...so I don't think you would want me to tell you (a prediction)...

I don't (root for a particular team)...[Bruce notes positive experiences with the Islanders, Rangers, and Devils and prefers those teams in the Cup finals for easier travel!]”



How to find Bruce and his work on digital and social media:

Bruce is on Twitter @Bruce_Bennett and Instagram also @Bruce_Bennett

His website (where book is available to purchase) is http://www.brucebennettstudios.com/


http://www.twitter.com/Bruce_Bennett

http://www.instagram.com/bruce_bennett

http://www.brucebennettstudios.com/


Thanks very much to Bruce Bennett for sharing his experience, knowledge, and personality with us on the Digital and Social Media Sports Podcast!

For more, visit www.dsmsports.net and follow me, Neil Horowitz, on Twitter @njh287


http://www.dsmsports.net/

http://www.twitter.com/njh287