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Show Pro Football Photographers Capture Superb Images in Split Seconds By David Lewis, pounds Linebacker Ram on mauling through the Cleveland Browns' offensive line. His beefy right arm hooks around Cleveland reserve quarterback Tom Flick's chest. The hapless 190-pou- who was attempting a downfield pass crashes into the turf. Nearby, a signalcaller 35 millimeter single-lens-refle- x camera equipped with a 300 mm lens and motor drive goes shlikk, shlikk, shlikk, grabbing shot after shot of the dramatic collision. see that?" shouts Kurt of the Rams' official one lupin, team photographers. Jupin has crouched patiently on the sidelines through two previously tame quarters of the "Didja Rams-Brown- s pre-seas- exhi- bition contest. "I was keying on him," lupin exults. "That's the first time today that somebody was keying on did something." I and his partner, Spencer Pendergrass, are lupin Byron Laursen among an elite corps: NFL team photographers With official "FIELD PHOTO'' passes flapping from their belt loops and top grade equipment in their hands, their assignment is to shoot superb images of specific players. They roam the sidelines, using both training and instinct to be ready for the lupin says "There are people out there who will try to undercut us, even work for free just for the field pass But the Rams management likes knowing that good shots will be on their desk Monday morning " and lupin started shooting sports for their Pendergrass respective college newspapers decisive action moments. "Schools teach you lighting and Both men report for work tobasics," Pendergrass says, "but night in jeans and comfortable you have to get out there and A official do it. We're still learning." Rams shirts. sports' hands them a list of key players Greg Cava, official photogto photograph, lupin and Penrapher for the defending NFL in names champion Los Angeles Raiders, dergrass rewrite the is a product of the advanced tiny script, and tape the lists to their lens barrels, for instant photography course at Art Cenwith load Both ter College in Los Angeles. reference. up Tri-Most classmates wanted black and white Kodak Pan film. Then they get to work, careers in fashion and advertising photography, Cava was the staking out a spot among the lone sports nut. He felt guilty two dozen or so other photokneeland until a professor suggested, graphers crouching ing along the sidelines, moving "Why don't you incorporate with the flow of play. ask how, sports into your work?'' Now competing against so many starting his third year as the other photographers, the two Raiders' photographer, Cava is won the Rams frequently a guest lecturer in dek that same professor's classes. work. "Being Cava goes on all road trips pendable is what they want," X I free-lance- as well as covering games His main set-u- home is a 400 mm lens on a 35 mm SLR with motor drive He also carries a camera with a 180 mm lens and a second with a 35 mm lens, for situations when p the action suddenly looms up as it did the time a close - temperamental halfback was tired of being photographed, steamrolled Cava after a failed end sweep But that's all part of the job too or maybe it's more than a job. "I set a personal goal every game," he says, "almost as if were playing" And like many athletes, Cava has something floating around" in his right knee, the results of hundreds of hours spent kneeling on the sidelines, plus an occasional collision with an athletic behemoth. "I still love my work," he concludes, "It's like making your hobby your still have that job. I I rs week-to-wee- Kodak and Tri-- X are trademarks. GQEJSlLOCCs ,:.,.,f Falcons' running back Gerald Riggs caught blasting through the Chicago Bears' line by John Blever, who learned football photography at his father's knee literally. Vernon Blever has covered the Green Bay Packers for several years. The two cover football action throughout the Midwest and South. Seahawks' team photographer Corky Trewln snapped the heated scramble for a loose football. position, Rams' stalInvoluntarily posed in break-danc- e wart Eric Dickerson was shot in by independent The Mackson. pensive sideline porphotographer Richard trait of Walter Payton is also by Vernon Biever. Lyle Alzado - mid-tack- le leaning on the opposition was captured by Greg Cava, team photographer of the Raiders. George Rose, a freelancer who shoots all around the National Football League, snagged our cover shot of Los Angeles Ram Eric Dickerson. break a II w i n t e r 1984 |