Sports Shooter Academy

By Robert Hanashiro

I am very happy to confirm that Sports Illustrated staff photographer John McDonough will be a part of Sports Shooter Academy VII to be held April 7-10, 2010 in Southern California.

April is a very busy time of year — the Final Four, start of the Major League Baseball season, the end the NBA regular season and start of the playoffs — to have John make time for this workshop is an amazing thing.

SI staff photographer John McDonough at the USC - Notre Dame football game. In the background is Jordan Murph. Photo by Robert Hanashiro

“Sounds like it will be a lot of fun.” John said when confirming his participation in the workshop. On the rest of the faculty he said: “What a talented group!”

John joins an already extraordinary faculty that includes: Matt Brown, Wally Skalij, Michael Goulding, Myung Chun, Rod Mar and Sean Haffey. The staff for the workshop includes Jordan Murph, Crystal Chatham and Shawn Cullen.

The Sports Shooter Academy is a hands-on workshop that provide participants access to numerous sports events to cover including NCAA Division I baseball, track & field, softball, tennis, water polo and volleyball.  Sessions with AVP beach volleyball players, at the La Habra Boxing Gym and Santa Anita Park are also on the workshop schedule.

For more information about applying — better hurry there are only a few spots left to be filled! — check these links on this site:

http://sportsshooteracademy.com/2009/10/25/ssavii_application/

http://sportsshooteracademy.com/2009/10/14/welcome-to-sportsshooteracademy-com/

During the three shooting days, participants will cover sports events throughout the day under the guidance of the faculty. Each evening, participants will have their work edited and critiqued by the faculty one-on-one.

The Sports Shooter Academy is sponsored by Nikon, which is providing funding that allows full-time college and university students to attend tuition-free. Nikon will also be providing loaner equipment for participants to use during the workshop, including their latest professional digital cameras and lenses from fisheyes to super-telephotos.

Also supporting the Sports Shooter Academy is Think Tank Photo and Samy’s Camera.

Prizes will be awarded for the top photos made during the workshop.

John McDonough and Rod Mar during the Samy's Camera/Nikon Olympic Photographers Night. Photo by Robert Hanashiro