The swing of things

Covering Phillies spring training offers sports photographers an opportunity to stretch beyond everyday game coverage. On one of my first mornings at the training facility in Clearwater, Fla., I noticed pitcher Taijuan Walker stretching behind a palm tree. I knew it could make a picture, but it didn’t line up naturally. Every morning, he stretched. Every morning, I tried again. Finally, I made the picture on my last day in the Sunshine State. When I made the photo of bench coach Don Mattingly, I looked for a way to eliminate all other visual distractions. The morning light created a unique pattern on the tarp that put the attention on Mattingly. Using red as the dominant color holds the image of pitcher Kyle Backhus together. I again took advantage of the morning light to capture the shadow and fill the negative space. The portrait of manager Rob Thomson was a combination of a little planning and a lot of luck. I knew there would be a small window at sunrise when the sky would add some visual drama. Luckily, it was when Thomson was ready for his photo. The Phillies outfielders are seen through palm fronds during a game. The contrast of the mostly green palette with the red in the Phillies uniforms encourages the viewer to search into the image. For the photo of catcher Rafael Marchán jogging from the clubhouse, the pattern on the background caught my eye first. I then waited for someone to come into the space. The bubble gum gave the photo an extra pop.