@damianstroh’s journey to becoming a #CanonExplorerOfLight: “Explorer of Light is a pretty lofty honor for a small-town boy from Kansas. I selected the photo of the football players in the mud because it represents a lot of the beliefs that I have always held closely. Work hard, have fun, and don’t be scared of getting a little mud on your tires.
Sports have always been a big part of my life and have contributed significantly to my career path. I love playing sports, watching sports, and naturally photographing sports. I had three older brothers who boxed me around pretty well and taught me that quitting is never the answer and that if you worked hard enough eventually you’d get better. Great advice, but all the jump shots I hoisted trying to be a basketball player didn’t make me any taller.
I was introduced to photography in college while working a job as a darkroom tech. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with the power of the format and how satisfying it was to tell stories through photography. I worked in newspapers and magazines, most notably for Sports Illustrated where I was a staff photographer and had 72 cover photos for the magazine.
I was photographing a hockey game between Norway and the USA in 2000 when Canon called and asked me to become a member of the Explorers of Light Program. This is one of the greatest honors I have had as a photographer. It humbles me to work with such an amazing group of photographers who are all very talented, but also great teachers and advocates for photography.”
📸 #Canon EOS-1D Mark II
Lens: EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM
Ciao, Nihon.