New guys in new uniforms: Albert Pujols

Posted on April 1, 2012

Albert Pujols of the Los Angeles Angels bats during the spring training game against the San Diego Padres on March 9, 2012 at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Brad Mangin)

 

One of the biggest jobs I have each year while covering spring training in Arizona (besides wrangling all my friends together for many fun dinners) is getting good pictures of all the stars who are beginning the new season with a new club. We need the new guys in the new uniforms. Luckily for guys like me there are so many off season moves each year that I always have a long list of guys to get. This year the new guy in the new uni who was in most demand was Albert Pujols, who traded in St. Louis Cardinals red for Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim red by inking a 10-year mega-deal with the Halos over the winter.

I photographed Pujols a few times last month while covering the Cactus League for Sports Illustrated. I had my best results on a beautiful day at the Angels home yard in Tempe when I took the 800mm Canon lens out to left field. I stood on the grassy berm with many fans in an attempt to get some nice and clean pictures of Pujols batting. Our legendary staff photographer John Biever already had the best stuff of Pujols in the bag that he shot earlier in the week, so my editor and I decided it would be fun to try and get some different stuff from the outfield. The view you get from out there can be cool if the light cooperates and if you can get a clean background. Luckily for me the air was clear and the back light was nice, allowing me to see Albert’s face when he swung the bat.

The added bonus for me while shooting out in left field occurred when Pujols slid into second base to break up a double play. He slid right at me, resulting in a cool sequence of frames, including my favorite above. By the time Pujols came out of the game after three at bats it was time for me to go back to the hotel and send my images to the magazine. None of my pictures made the magazine as Biever cleaned up in the story with his great stuff, but my editor was happy with my take and so was I. At the end of the day if I make my editor happy then I am happy. After all, it’s spring training. The best time of the year. Especially when I get to shoot new guys in new unis.