Everyone loves a great photo. Visuals engage our emotions. See a GIF on Twitter and engage with it. Watch a short video you see on Instagram or Facebook and comment then share. Especially for what we do and writing about baseball and prospects, it’s the image and capture that draws us in from the outset. That photography is a work of art and not often enough do websites and the media get to thank the source, other than maybe a line of photo credit. I want to do more than that. With so many of our articles and rankings lists, the featured image photo is the first thing you see, whether you’re scrolling through your Twitter feed or doing a Google search to find content. This column is my idea to thank and spotlight many of the amazing photographers who generously allow Prospects1500 to feature their work. I hope you enjoy it and please click over and follow every one of these talented individuals.
Benjamin Rush – forloveofbaseball on Flickr and on Instagram
Baseball and photography have been two of Benjamin Rush’s hobbies going back to when he was a child. As an adult, he began to combine the two and has been photographing baseball games for the past four summers. He works for himself during the day, and when baseball is in season he spends his evenings in a front row seat down the baseline at a college, minor league, or Major League Baseball game.
Bryan Green – begreen90 on Flickr
Bryan Green is located in Southwest Florida and can be found every summer braving the heat at Gulf Coast League and Florida State League baseball games.
Tom Hagerty/MiLB.com – lakelandlocal on Flickr
Born in Detroit, Tom Hagerty began capturing light at age 11 when he received his first camera. He now lives in Lakeland, FL and says photography offers a way to not only record his life and times but also to capture the essence of people, places, things, and events that interest him. (tomhagerty.net)
Gail Verderico – @1baseballchick on Twitter and on Instagram
Gail Verderico is a writer and photographer for Prospects1500. Gail lives in Southern California and enjoys traveling around the country visiting as many ballparks as she can. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.
Jim Zele/Zele Photography – @zbaseball86 and @ZelePhotography on Twitter, and on and Instragram
A native Clevelander living in New York. I’m a life-long Tribe fan who has been through all of the ups and downs that come with Cleveland sports. Many of my summer nights are spent behind my camera taking photos at Minor League Baseball games.
Regina Rickert – @acrphoto on Twitter and on Flickr
I’m a freelance photographer in central Kentucky, currently in my tenth year shooting primarily SEC athletics at the University of Kentucky with some SAL baseball and local prep sports thrown in.
Patrick Cavey – @PatrickCavey on Twitter, and Breaking Down the Future on Facebook
Long time contributor to several minor league teams in the Maryland area as well as to sites like Prospects1500. Founder of Breaking Down the Future.
Greg Bessette – gregbessette on Flickr
From St. Albans, Vermont, I’m married to Erin and have two sons, Evan, 10 and Owen, 4. I am a photographer for the Vermont Lake Monsters, the short season A ball affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. I’ve been photographing baseball since I was 15-years-old and have been watching live baseball since I was 6 at Centennial Field when the Vermont Reds were the home team.
Bill Mercey – hartford.baseball on Instagram and BillMerceyPhotos.com
Mercey took up photography after seeing bald eagles on the Connecticut River in 2009. That’s when he purchased his first camera and shooting moving targets got him into sports photography. He’s now the team photographer for the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats.
Jayne Hansen – @JayneWTHB on Twitter, on Flickr, and her What the Heck, Bobby? blog
Jayne Hansen started the blog What the Heck, Bobby? in 2011 at a point when the Astros farm system was at its worst. Since then she has interviewed well over 200 minor league players, has traveled countless miles and has taken tens of thousands of photos as a part of her MiLB journey.
Vince Schmidt – @AZ108365 on Instagram, and @AZ108365 on Twitter
Passionate baseball fan who loves to share his passion through photography. Former college baseball player and coach who moved from Illinois to Arizona to enjoy baseball 365 days a year, well except in 2020 so far. Thus my handle AZ108-365 Photography.
Minda Haas Kuhlmann – @minda33 on Twitter, and @minda.haas on Instagram
Minda Haas Kuhlmann is a property manager by day and a MiLB photographer by night. She’s been with the Omaha Storm Chasers (formerly Royals) for 13 seasons – five doing on-field promotions, and eight as a freelance photographer. She also covers the minors for @royalsreview.
Baseball Betsy – @BaseballBetsy on Twitter
Baseball Betsy lives in Dunedin, Florida. She started her blog BaseballBetsy.com in 2011 when she lived in Central Pennsylvania. She started going to Phillies Spring Training in 2007 and in 2012 she and her husband moved full-time to Florida to be able to blog about the Phillies at all levels for 9 months of the year. In her spare time she likes to paint, draw and travel.
Clinton “Doc” Riddle – @TheGrandeOldGame on Twitter
MiLB, College, and HS sports freelance writer/photographer. Has worked under the masthead of SB Nation, Baseball Prospectus, Baseball Magazine, Royals Farm Report, and Big Blue Banter, as well as contributing articles and photos to various US newspapers and sports websites.
George Landis – GMLSKIS on Flickr
Landis has been taking photos for about 50 years and loves photography now more than ever. Two of his favorite things to shoot are sporting events and Disneyland.
Freek Bouw (Phrake Photography) – @phrakephotography on Instagram, and @phrakephoto on Twitter
Baseball fan turned photographer born in the Netherlands. Photos can be seen on MiLB.com, European Baseball Magazine and many other outlets.
Rikk Carlson – @rikkcarl10 on Twitter
Carlson went to school for commercial art and advertising. He started painting stadium billboards and graphics for the South Bend minor league team, and was then asked to to take their team card set photos in 2005. He’s now shooting their team photos and sketching his own baseball art.
Jeff Hyde – @jeffhyde on Twitter, and Jeffrey Hyde on Flickr
Jeff is a huge MILB fan! He lived in central Pennsylvania for almost 20 years before work took him to Texas last fall. He’s looking forward to a lot of Texas League action once baseball resumes.
and why not finish off this column with a few of my own? I make it out to a few MiLB games too!
Scott Greene – @Scotty_Ballgame on Twitter, and @scotty_ballgame on Instagram
Husband, father, brother, uncle, son, good friend and colleague. Western Massachusetts Account Manager during the day; in to so many hobbies by night. Red Sox and Yard Goats baseball games, managing this Prospects1500 website, collecting baseball cards (#ScottyBallgameBreaks) and dynasty baseball leagues to name just a few. Don’t forget about Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling!
President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing by day. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.
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