By Karim Farahat
karim.farahat0823@gmail.com
Don Collier is a former picture editor of The Guardsman and a present pictures pupil at City College. He is the Spring 2025 recipient of the Yefim Cherkis Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship awards one pupil per semester with a money prize and an exhibition in Gallery Obscura. Collier aspires to be a full-time sports activities photographer and is recent off a pictures internship with the San Francisco Giants. The Gallery Obscura will probably be displaying Collier’s images till Dec.13.
How did you get into pictures?
I acquired into pictures once I was within the army. I used to be stationed abroad in Europe, and I bear in mind once I was in Rome, and I had an iPhone, and it felt bizarre taking images on a crappy cellphone. I had a coworker who was a photographer, so I requested him a few questions on it, and I purchased my first digicam in Rome.
What made you gravitate in direction of sports activities?
I’ve at all times liked sports activities. This was after I left the army. I discovered a couple of pictures faculty in Montana with no common schooling, so it was simply targeted on pictures for 9 months. I used to do extra outdoorsy images when on hikes, however my advisor recommended that I pursue sports activities and do a little bit of each. I acquired a press cross to a school soccer recreation in Montana, and I liked it, and I’ve been going ever since then.
What do you shoot on?
I shoot with a Canon. I’ve a Canon R6, Canon R5, a 1DX, and I simply purchased a Canon R3.
What are the photographs you took that stand out?
Two of the latest ones are from my internship with the Giants. One of them was Dave Flemming, a broadcaster for the Giants, and his brother, who works for the Red Sox. Once a 12 months, they arrive collectively, and on that day, they known as an inning collectively. They solely see each other a couple of occasions a 12 months, and I caught them sharing a great snigger, which I liked due to the real response.
The different one is throughout a meet and greet for a few of the Young Giants, they had been assembly Hunter Pence and Sergio Romo. The youngsters have restricted time, so they’re normally instructed to get the picture after which bounce, however the child within the picture requested Sergio Romo one thing. I didn’t actually know what it was as a result of I used to be trying via my digicam, after which I noticed Sergio Romo attain his hand out and provides him recommendation. I shortly caught the second, and I liked that. There was loads of that means when it comes to a toddler trying as much as his idol and getting recommendation, so it was dope.
Any tasks within the works?
Now that the Giants’ Season is over, I’ve been again to freelancing. I freelance with Cal Athletics, however apart from that, nothing main, simply capturing sports activities throughout the Bay.
What is subsequent for you in pictures?
I had the chance to attend an Eddy Adams workshop earlier this month, and I gained a sports activities task with Getty Images, the place I’ll have the possibility to shoot an NBA recreation. It will probably be with a Getty Photographer, so I’ll spend the primary recreation with him as my mentor and shoot the second recreation on my own.
I wish to work as a full-time workforce photographer for a sports activities workforce. I’ll end faculty subsequent semester, and I wish to proceed baseball as a result of that’s the place I acquired my in. Baseball jobs open at the start of the 12 months, so we will see.
Favorite City College Course?
Beginning Photojournalism (J36) with Jessica Liffland. I by no means had the chance to take Intermediate Photojournalism (J37), however she was an ideal instructor, despite the fact that it was only one semester; I realized loads from her.
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