Jon Soohoo is the head team photographer for the Los Angeles Dodgers and has been photographing important moments in sports for more than 35 years and his photo of Kobe Bryant was used as the cover of ESPN’s memorial issue.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• When Jon SooHoo knew photography was going to play an important roll in his life

• One of the best lessons Jon learned while shooting under legendary sports photographer Andy Bernstein

• What the head photographer of the Los Angeles Dodgers is responsible for shooting and covering

• How many team photographers shoot a Dodgers game

• How personally Jon SooHoo takes team losses

• Whether or not he documents team losses

• How Jon SooHoo prepared to shoot the LA Dodgers world series game

• If Jon would get a world series ring if the Dodgers Won the World Series

• How to prepare for big moments during a game

• How many photos Jon SooHoo takes in an average game

• What it takes for a photo to stand out

• If player superstitions rub off on him as the photographer

• The one thing Jon would tell a new team photo intern before they took the field

• How Jon’s day starts when he arrives at the stadium

• What Jon gets asked most by Dodger fans

Resources:

• LA Dodgers Photographer Jon SooHoo on Twitter

• Jon SooHoo on Instagram

• Los Angeles Dodgers Insider with photos posted after each game

• Sports Shooter Academy
  

Did you enjoy this episode? Check out more recent interviews with other great guests!

Full Episode Transcription:

Disclaimer: The transcript was transcribed electronically by Temi.com and may contain errors that do not reflect accurately what the speaker said. Because of this, please do not quote this automated transcript.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:00:00 John SooHoo you didn't go to school for photography. You didn't grow up with a camera in your hand, but you did start shooting at the daily Trojan when you attended USC. I want to know what was it about photography in those early days that made it clear to you that photography was going to be a more important role in your life than what you were currently at USC studying?

Jon SooHoo: 00:00:19 Well, I had originally been a my mom and dad were alumni of USC. Actually, my dad was an alumni at USC and he brought me to every football game when I was a kid in the early seventies when USC was really good. And so I would go to the games with my mom and dad and my uncle task. And I was sitting in the seats up in tunnel 10 watching a really good USC teams back in the day. And at some point in time, you know, gossip product cause SC was getting so good that we were just like walled, you know, sitting in the seats, like wall to wall, elbow to elbow. And I was like, I was looking on the field. I was like, there's nobody down there. How do you get down there? So I was like, I just stood out.

Jon SooHoo: 00:01:00 My mom was, and she, you know, we didn't have a real discussion about it, but I just put that in the back of my mind. And then as I got to high school there was no photo program at LA Marshall LA unified school districts didn't have any really photo programs at all. It's just, you know, shocking. But not really. But anyway, so I played sports, I played basketball, ran track, and I always had this, you know, love for sports. Me and my buddy, John [inaudible] and we would play ball every kind of ball they ever went when it was football season, because we were the football around, you know, every, every which way it went. But when it came down to it, I got to USC. I had no direction yet. It was undeclared. I didn't know what it was doing.

Jon SooHoo: 00:01:41 I was commuting back and forth. But I always knew in the back of my mind, I wanted to stay in sports somehow. And then the thought of being on the football, the field at the Colosseum to shoot USC games was just like the ultimate. And so I went to the daily Trojan while I was at SC. And I asked to see about being a, becoming a black and white intern or whatever, a lab intern to do their they're processing a printing of somebody else's stuff, not my images, but I, I was, you know, that was what I applied the job for. And I got the job to be a dark room tech per se. And then that was like my first real season of, you know, being in the news, that newspaper journalistic era. And next thing you know, I started picking up the camera and got out of being just the darkened guy and started shooting USC women's basketball games.

Jon SooHoo: 00:02:30 I shot USC track all the non football basketball stuff. Cause those are for the big shooters, the big photographers at the daily Trojan. And so to get into these other sports, it's a lot less stressful because there was no, there was no as hard need as there is for like football, basketball, like, like there is at SC, but then at that time Cheryl Miller, the McGee twins Rhonda Wyndham and Cynthia Cooper of that era of USC women's became elite. And they would, you know, they won national championships like crazy. And I was on that ride. I ended up doing some shooting for USC sports information of them. And so everything evolved. The next thing, you know, I got my first credential for the shoot at USC football game back neck. I probably was like my second kind of a second year doing it, a lot of working as a, at the daily Trojan. And they let me go down on the football field to shoot USC, Tennessee. And next thing I was shot up black and white photo, I think Keith Brown or making a tackle on something, you know, one of the Tennessee volunteer guys and that ran in the paper the next day. And that was all she wrote. That was that's when I kind of knew that's what I really wanted to do. And so I don't really know how I got here, to be honest with you.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:03:46 I think I heard somewhere that you, you, that you were majoring in gerontology, is that right?

Jon SooHoo: 00:03:51 It's called gerontology. It's the study of the aging process and it's a it's a, it deals with it every every aspect of the aging process. So not only just the, not the physical part, like medical aid, but I mean, as far as the administrative part of, you know, all the crap, you have to go through pal, the paperwork that's involved, all the medications that could be possibly involved, all those societal issues that are involved. It was, it was a very it was a perfect major for me because I'm not a book smart guy, and I know I'm not academically one of the elite in any way, shape or form. So to find a major that was compassionate was key to my making it through USC.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:04:36 So did you, did you finish out your schooling with your major, you did

Jon SooHoo: 00:04:41 Bachelor of science in gerontology. I think we're going to graduate in class of eight.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:04:46 Okay.

Jon SooHoo: 00:04:49 Yeah. Now they're like, you know, I think they're up to either thousands per year or, you know, 708,000 per, per year since, you know, well, I mean the, the baby boomers are, are like, I'm like the end of the baby booming and parents and grandparents are either getting near the end or they're already gone, but, you know, it's, it was a huge factor back in that day because of the needs are, so there are so many needs of the elderly community.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:05:15 So at what point did you decide to yourself, you know what, I know that I just spent several years learning all that I could about, you know, the, the study of aging, but I'm just going to kind of neglect all of that and pick up my camera and start shooting.

Jon SooHoo: 00:05:28 Well, it was hand in hand, I was shooting at the daily children while school was going on. So it was not like I, you know, and honestly, well the gerontology parking one was like a junior going into my senior year into my junior year, senior year. So it was only like two years of solid schooling of that. So it was just the basic education, like everything else. And it just so happened that after I got done with class, I would go shoot a basketball game or football game or a baseball. I'll actually never baseball the track and field and, you know, shoot on campus stuff. But there's never a point when I was like an either or it was, I was just doing both. And so when it came down to my mom and dad, you know, wanting me to be successful at whatever, they gave me an opportunity to just like, go with the flow and let me do what I wanted to do.

Jon SooHoo: 00:06:14 And they, they saw my, I would bring home after I shot a football game. I would bring home the eight by 10 prints that I made for, for the paper, for, for deadline. I would make an extra copy and bring it home to my, my dad and my mom. And they would be like, you know, they're pretty excited to see it. I don't think they knew that it would be a professional coming out of it, but it was a pretty cool to see their, you know, they, they appreciate what I was doing. They didn't pressure me at all to get me on to try and get a real job per se. And then I was blessed to run into my, my, my boss at the future boss, Andy Bernstein at a USC women's basketball game. So, and that kind of led me on to where I am today.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:06:54 Yeah. That was a perfect segue because my next question for you specifically was about Annie Bernstein. You know, cause at the time when you started with the Dodgers, he was the lead photographer, right? He was the head photographer for the Dodgers.

Jon SooHoo: 00:07:05 He was, there were two, one was, I believe there was another is, was a Craig there's one, a couple of guys that were there as the color guys. And he was the black and white guy. I mean, how they designated back in the day is however they did it. But I, when I met him, I was shooting a USC women's basketball game at the LA in Los Angeles, the LA Memorial sports arena was where USC played their basketball and the Clippers played their basketball. So there would be times when there'd be a double header. And so the morning game was a USC women's game. And then the afternoon, evening game was the clipper game. So I was shooting my, the SC game and negating at the end of it. He came, sat down next to me, I guess I'm prepped to get his stuff ready for the next game. And then we started talking and he knew, you know, we found out about each other and then, and he needed a darkroom guy to do some NBA printing of his Clippers and his Lakers from those days. And so I started working for him doing black and white printing processing, the printing of somebody else's images of Clippers and the Lakers and the opponents. And that was the formation, the preliminary formation of MBA photos. I mean, which is a kingdom today, by the way.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:08:16 Yeah. Yeah. And in, and Andy is just like, he's just a legend when it comes to sports photography, anybody who's really into sports photography knows who he is. So as somebody who came up you know, kind of under him, what would you say was one of the most impactful lessons that you learned while working under any Bernstein?

Jon SooHoo: 00:08:34 Well, there are so many things to learn from him. He's, he's a, he's, he's an icon in my eyes. Number one, the photography skills. Remember I didn't go to school for this stuff. So I'm learning how to strobe arenas because of him. I'm bringing up these 2,400 watt packs, you know, on, on both hands and there'll be, I put it put four of them up in the sports arena and we've got to drop the lines and how to, I mean, how to light things. It's just an amazing, amazing thing that you just can't take for granted know those flashes going off in the ceiling. Somebody, somebody had to bring that stuff up there and it was usually me and, you know, through him teaching you how to do it, I was able to help him like the sports arena, like the forum, whenever we had like all star games somewhere else.

Jon SooHoo: 00:09:17 I believe he took me down to Albuquerque for either a McDonald's game, high school game that he got hired for, but I would go up there and just loved the pack, slug, the heads of the magic arms to make sure, I mean, it would be it's a phenomenal experience to be number one, hanging off the catwalk, trying to rig all this stuff up, but, you know, Hey, that was my education. And then I learned how to do portraits from him and how to, you know, how to work with whoever the athlete is. And, you know, you do have, like, you don't have like an hour with an athlete. You have like three minutes, if you get three minutes. And so learning how to shoot efficiently, knowing what your shots are, knowing how to do Polaroids, because, you know, there was no digital back then.

Jon SooHoo: 00:09:56 It was, it was filmed fellows. So learning how to shoot medium format Hastleblad Mamamia there are just so many things aren't involved. And then the other, other part of Andy that's that's very educational is that is the business side that I learned from him and how, you know, it's not free, nothing is free here. You know, you got, it had to be tweaking it towards, you know, clients that pay money to, for us to be doing what we do. And so that was, it was so much easier to do back then before all the, you know, the big monster companies took over and, you know, kind of, kind of water things down and brought in cheaper hires. And you know, that kind of thing where, you know, it, it was just a different, different beast back in the day where there were actually magazines too.

Jon SooHoo: 00:10:43 I would have never sport magazine or inside sport magazine, but those were pretty big back in the day. And Lee were pretty big with them and, you know, car companies are also new, upper deck was kind of, you know, big. They were like, you know, six car companies that were out there and giving day rates. And so just to be a part of that, all that, all that with shitting slides where, you know, it wasn't, you scan it and send it digitally. It was actual slide. You put it in a FedEx envelope and you send it directly to the photo editor of that magazine or paper or publication or car company. And then they would either say, yay or nay, you know, they, they use it and then they'd come back with a, a check and then, you know, the, the sales report come off of that. And, you know, it was just the, it was the beginning of NBA photos or the beginning of pretty much, well, they call it this focus on sport and the rest of focus West at the time, those were the two major agencies and all sport became part of that. And then I'll start all sport became like Getty ish. And then that was Getty is now where, where everybody's kind of at right now. So

Raymond Hatfield: 00:11:47 It's funny to me to think, you know, whenever you listen to other photographers and they talk about, you know, now with digital, the, of shooting on like two cards, like I'm not going to shoot it unless it's on two cards, got to have backups got backups. And then I just think back, you know, 15, 20 years ago when you had to, you know, develop a film and then send it somewhere in the mail, like that's way more dangerous than only shooting with one card, which is, which is just crazy. It's, it's cool to, you know, to, to hear, I guess, from the working professionals, really what that world was like for us, it's just so hard to imagine, but as, as, as time went on you, you stayed with the Dodgers organization and now today you are the lead team photographer, is that correct? That's correct. So as the lead team photographer, you, you know, you have to shoot more than just the nine innings, as you know, I want to know what your job is responsible for. What are you responsible to shoot? That's not related to the baseball game. Just about everything, everything,

Jon SooHoo: 00:12:45 Well, we have renovations going on in the ballpark. We have a brand new brand new outfield that has, I've been documenting that since, you know, even during COVID, I've been going out there to cover, you know, the growth and the different stuff they've put in. And so it's, and then during, you know, game during, before the game actually started, we have pregame activities, which aren't gonna happen this year, but would be, you know, Anthem singers and people throwing the first pitch. And then there's marketing shots. They've got to get signage in the back, you know, that any signage up it's it's all encompassing now, especially in digitally compared to the film days when it was just a roll of, you know, eight rolls of film under approve sheet. And then you give that to the PR guy to pick the ones who want it.

Jon SooHoo: 00:13:25 And then I print a five by seven. Now it's like everything else. I, now I have an editor that has that I plug my camera and it goes to him and he will, or, Hey, Josh or Katie they'll, they'll image it to wherever they need to go. And there's social media now, which is also wasn't there back in the day. So everything's dramatically, it's changing dramatically. And just, just pumping out stuff is this is what I mean, I don't really know how to explain it. Cause there's a, so it's so much quantity and I try not to let that overwhelm me, but, you know, unless I put the camera in, you know, I'm already done. So.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:13:59 Yeah. Did I hear you right when you said that when you were shooting on film, why would you shoot an entire game on just eight rolls of film?

Jon SooHoo: 00:14:06 No, no, no. It could be anything, but I would use the, I don't know if you know the term, but it's called a bulk loader where, you know, get a big, old hundred foot rolls of film and then you throw them into 36 roll. So it'd be anywhere from eight to 15 rolls of black and white. And then when I became the color shooter, I would shoot color sheet Fuji Chrome 100 probably do you know, 10 to 20 roles on a day game, because that was really the only way you're going to get color back in the day. Cause there was no night color film. There's no high speed color film that could cover, you know, baseball games back in the day. So it was black and white during the night and then colored during color slide during the day. So that would be easy cause I would bring that to a lab, but the black and white I would have to do myself.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:14:49 Yeah. So would you would you be loading up these roles while you were out like on the field or would this be done online?

Jon SooHoo: 00:14:57 Oh, that's pretty that's beforehand. I load up probably anywhere from, you know, I'd probably do the whole roll of a hundred footer into the canisters and have them ready to go for what's the however long it takes to go through it. I gotcha.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:15:10 Gotcha. Okay. So now today, about how many team photographers are covering a game?

Jon SooHoo: 00:15:18 Well, well, everything's still changing now because of the COVID that I'm I had to request a second. I usually I've had two photographers, me and another photographer be in house per game for the last, probably five years. And that was because, well, I would be shooting, we would shoot the pregame stuff together. And then when the game would start, the other photographer would shoot either across the way from wherever I would be, whether it's first or third. I would be requiring that photographer to, you know, to cover the rest of the whatever's going on on the field game wise while I go walk around and shoot different angles from different parts of the ballpark and do other, you know, cause there's stuff going on in the clubhouse there's stuff going on in the, in the dugout that's you can't be shooting if you're across the way at first base and the dugouts on third base.

Jon SooHoo: 00:16:07 So I had that extra added dimension brought in there. Then we have a lot of, you know, we have so many owners and so many VIP peas that come that I can't necessarily be at, you know, everyone at the same time. So they've the Dodge has been very, you know, they've been very great about allowing me to have an extra person there to help pick up whatever I can't get to. And then this year is gonna be completely debt free. There's no pregame activity. There's no nothing's on the field other than the game. There's no high fiving. And so everything's really different. So it's gonna be, it'll be different for sure. It'd be mostly game action now because all that flavor stuff I can't get to because I have no access to that. Okay.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:16:45 Of course this is going to be such a crazy year for baseball. I can't, I can't wait. Honestly, I can't wait. It's going to be, I mean, we're, we're all gonna be swinging for the fences. It's just going to be so much fun to watch. It's going to,

Jon SooHoo: 00:16:55 I hope I hope it lasts. I'm just not sure how long it's going to last because as the numbers get, get higher, I mean, they're already closed down on the beach down here for the weekend. There was no, no 4th of July in any cause the numbers are just like jumping right back up again and who knows? So you take this stuff home too, you know, and so I can understand what players are getting kind of hesitant because we should all be kind of hesitant, but we have jobs in order to pay the rent.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:17:19 Yeah. Well, I mean, we'll see, you know, I can, I can obviously, as a fan of baseball, I can hope for the best. And we'll see. We'll see. So my next question for you is this is kind of more of a personal question and that is having been with the Dodgers for so long. Do you view yourself as, as part of the Dodgers team?

Jon SooHoo: 00:17:39 I, I actually do. It, it took me a while to actually get to that point where I'd be comfortable, but as each new owner goes through and each new GM goes through and each new guy goes through and each new, you know, there's a, there's a door that opens and closes and I've, you know, I've been blessed to still be in it, you know, 30, this is my 35th seasons shooting the Dodgers, you know, so it's just kind of a unique perspective in that I've been there with the O'Malleys all the way up until the new group now. And it's, it's just been, if I'm not considered part of the Dodger organization, then I don't know what, who would be, you know. Right,

Raymond Hatfield: 00:18:13 Right. Okay. That's good. That's good. Because that leads me into my next question, which is in a baseball game, in all sports capturing the celebrations of a win is, is incredibly important. And in both 17 and 18, the Dodgers made it to the world series ultimately did not take home the trophy, but having been with that team for so long, having seen that group of guys get as far as they did. And then ultimately, you know, not, not take home that trophy. Is there anything that you do to capture a loss for the team of that size?

Jon SooHoo: 00:18:48 Yeah. It's called a Leica. It's my range finder that has makes no sound at all. It's, you know, it's and you know, I pick my moments to me. This is the emotional times for me too. I mean, if, if the flea lose, I mean, when we've lost, it's been pretty, it's been, it's sucked and I'm not necessarily going up there and, you know, jamming camera's in the, in the guys' faces that I've just, you know, are crying. But you know, when, when they start doing, when it's the right time, I'll know when to pick up the camera and you know, I've been blessed to be, you know, in the past I've been in the team meetings for ever since, you know, Joe pretty much Jim Tracy was the manager, even before that, after, after Tommy left, that was pretty much home free to do whatever I wanted in the clubhouse, as far as, you know, my access.

Jon SooHoo: 00:19:29 Cause they trust me and I'm not going to do anything stupid with that trust. And they, they, they they've let me into the meat. Dave, Dave Roberts has been, you know, probably one of the greatest because he gets it, Joe Tory. Got it. I mean, all of the managers kind of understand. We're not a small market team. We're a big market team. Fans love it. And when they see the behind the scenes stuff, that's more important sometimes in the game stuff they'll never can remember what happened during the game, but if they see a guy hugging, you know, down on the tunnel or in the food room or that kind of thing, then that's probably more memorable than any of the games stuff I shoot.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:20:03 Yeah. What, what, what's going through your head in that moment though. I know that you said that you want to, you know, not get in anybody's face, but how do you go about trying to capture that story? I mean, I, I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. I really

Jon SooHoo: 00:20:15 Well it's, it's just it's pins and needles. I mean, I'm, I'm not, I, I try to, well, first off you're not gonna see everything I've shot. So you, what you're going to see is what, you know, the team has, let me present to social media to put out. But as far I'm not in there with my, my defy, with a flash going and you know, all kinds of noise going on. The Leica is very low, key, quiet behind the scenes, kind of a shoot it on the plane, they'll show the whole, you know, going to the hotels. I shoot it. You know, anything that is involving, you know, a good image. That's not obnoxious with a legal, loud, you know, clinky, what do you call them? Yeah, exactly.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:20:55 Mirror Slap. Yeah, exactly. Is that the a, is that the, is that the, Leica Q that you have?

Jon SooHoo: 00:21:00 I had, I started with an M6 back in the day in black, you know, black and white and, you know it was probably 2000 and probably it was 2000. That's when I first got my first Leica. And then I've graduated to the Q eventually I tried the monochrome for awhile had some personal issues, so I had to sell it. So the next thing you know, I got the Q and then I went to the Q2 a couple of years ago. And so that's just the bad-ass camera.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:21:28 So I have a I've I have a friend who he is the he's the lead photographer for the Indianapolis motor Speedway. And he just recently got the the Leica Q and he said that it's like really changing the way that he's shooting. So I always love to hear that when you're replacing these big, massive, I mean, pro DSLRs with with something much smaller and able to still get a great image.

Jon SooHoo: 00:21:51 It's funny, I'll carry my, my, my Leica in my little Fanny pack in front of me, but I'll still have the big old apparatus with you know, 20, I carry a suit 28 to 300 with me, the Nikon 28 to 300, which is, you know, that's a little, it's not the most professional lens, but you know, it, it gets the job done. And then when you're considering the images is going to be around like this size on an Instagram or whatever the social media is, what, what is the, the quality is, is excellent. The, the ISLs are so high on these cameras. Anyway. It doesn't matter what, how slow that lens is, but it covers the range from 28 to 300. I mean, what else do you need? But I always have that Mica in, in front of me just as they, you know, the, it looks like a sweet shot. If I want to do a miniature shot with a, you know, or a panoramic with it, or, you know, a moody black and white that's in the dugout. I mean, I'm going to, I'll pull it out at that point, but it's never a, it's always, cause I always considered like, like a me camera, just somebody that I'm shooting for me, you know, that's my, that's just my happy place.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:22:49 I love that. My happy place. It's always so good to hear like of other professionals who shoot so much that there's still passion in the photography and you know, that they can kind of, especially like you're saying, like with the Leica right there, that you can use that as kind of see it from a different mindset and get photos that are that are more, you are more you going back to the world series there. I want to know you know, you've shot games for, as you said, 35, 36 years. Do you prepare any differently for a world series game versus a mid series mid-season games?

Jon SooHoo: 00:23:17 I will. Absolutely. And I, I have to, I staff it out like crazy. I have a bring on extra photographers. We'll have one outside the normal one outside, inside first on that side. Cause I've Douglas on the third base. I'm right in the dugout on the stairwell when they come in. So that's the angle I have for going, you know, towards home plate and third base and everything that perspective I have on my side, but I have my other photographer on first base side and then I have one in center field, and then I have one and then I have two editors and a runner while I bought somebody. So my part's going on because there's so much more getting, you know, needs. So I ha I staff it out more. Yeah, that's pretty much, but I still maintain that. It's still the, I actually have put up a pole cam in the dugout with me for, with a fish eye on it.

Jon SooHoo: 00:24:05 So either a walk-off going on at home plate or something in the dugout that I can go high with the, the pole cam with a fish on it. And it kinda like gets a little closer. And so it's been like a, it's a huge blessing to be in that location. Cause I'm actually not even a foot, I'm not in a minute, a photo position in where I'm at. I'm actually in actually in the dugout. I'm right next to the TV camera, man, actually like behind the TV camera, man. That's how obstructed this is. But you know, I'm considering my, my, my mobility and my agility as a basketball player to be able to slither around like one of the 2300 is not that big. It's just, you know, it's not like a big old 400 to eight in my hand or a 604. It's just, it's compact enough to cover what's going on the dugout or what's going to home plate with ease. So

Raymond Hatfield: 00:24:53 What about kind of after the fact, I guess, cause, or no, I think that back, let's talk more about the game, the game itself. So during the game, like you said, you know, somebody is walking around are you just trying to photograph, let me rephrase. Are you trying to follow the ball? Are you trying to follow a specific,

Jon SooHoo: 00:25:09 Well, it's all. What do you call game situations? I mean, if there's a runner on first, if there, if there's, you know, one or two outs and I'm kind of are one out or less than I'll go aims are all kind of figured out, but ball and ground ball sits. It's gonna try to turn to I mean, this is all game situations. So if there's a runner at second and singles hit as the place going to come home and just eat, being able to transfer my focus from wherever the battle was going back to fall on the runner from second to home, trying to get the catch lined up for a possible plate collision at the plate. I mean, there's different variables if I need a pitcher, who's, you know, it's just just try to keep up with the game.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:25:47 Yeah, yeah. That brings me to another question, which is how how aware of the game do you need to be, or how aware do you need to be of what's going on in the game while shooting

Jon SooHoo: 00:25:58 The game part is pretty easy to keep up with it. Cause I, I mean I care and it's like being a baseball fan who knows what's going on. But the part that I get kind of mixed up on is if you know, milestones, if like chase Utley is going to get, you know, one more hit and he gets, you know, 10,000, whatever, you know, I have, I don't know that necessarily beforehand, unless somebody tells me, so it probably be a better idea. I prepare and know this stuff, but it doesn't necessarily work like that. There's so much stuff going on between the pregame you put between the VIP is being there between you shoot the owners and the owners seats with their guests lady celebrity coming on the field. I mean, there's so many things going on that I'm not gonna necessarily know that milestone stuff.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:26:39 So one thing that I get asked quite often as somebody who shoots weddings from new photographers, they say like the one thing that they're scared of most is missing the moment, right. Is, is, is being at a wedding and missing a shot as a sports photographer with so many people on the field with so many, you know, cogs, essentially moving at all times. How much of that do, do, do you feel how much of that does that affect you?

Jon SooHoo: 00:27:05 It affected me a lot more earlier when I, you know, wasn't able to get moments cause I wasn't prepared. But knowing the game situation and knowing my equipment short of, you know, me setting it wrong to get the focus and jump out of, out of focus, which, you know, early auto focus days was, you know, happened a lot. Cause it would jump from what you're, you know, hoping to get you in. As soon as the real part of the play happened, it would jump right out of focus and I could figure out how the camera gear at that point. So just making sure the settings are right. I mean, I'm still missing stuff. I mean, don't get me wrong, but you know, what's a defining moment on a walk off. Is it the ball hitting the bat? I mean, no, because I mean, it may be, but there might be the after he hits, after the stroke goes through, he swung all the way around and he's looking to where the ball goes.

Jon SooHoo: 00:27:51 Maybe that's your shot or maybe it's the, you know, coming around third base to home plate, it's all, whatever the player's doing that makes it a shot. And there's no you'll know a good shot when it, when you look at it later. But the whole idea is just to not give up and keep, keep on shooting. And that's what I've, you know, I've had other photographers that I've, you know, either talk to or mentor that I, that came on that, you know, once they missed whatever they thought was the Viki shot, he left, he just picked up the stuff and left because it was so depressing. And I, and I'm the like, you know, there's all kinds of stuff going on with that. I'm like, what are you doing? Why you stay? We're all part of the team. You're not going to get every shot.

Jon SooHoo: 00:28:31 If you got five angles, if you miss that ball off, that big deal you have, but there is other stuff going on that makes that play memorable. Then I think it was, there was a, we had a game against the Padres where we had four home runs to tie it and then no Mark came off and a little walk off at the, in the next inning after. And it was a crazy, a crazy setting. And I, I got, you know, when you're, when you're on the third base side and the right hand and batter's hitting and he hits the ball and it goes to left field and you have a chance at an angle, but you've missed the ball, hitting the bat because it's already out in front. And even if you do, you got a pure back shot, right. If you're standing, if he's, if he's, if his backseat and then he turns on the, you know, maybe that's the shot, but the next shot will be when it comes around the home plate and all the guys are like ganging up and, you know, a big old, massive players. That's, that's the shot. Right? So it's, it's a good, it's a, there are just so many different ways to do this, that there's no defined moment. It's just, it's just the fine for where you are if we shooting from my question, my next question

Raymond Hatfield: 00:29:42 For you was going to be specifically about shooting world series games. And if the team were to win, would you, would you get a ring? Would you get a world series ring?

Jon SooHoo: 00:29:51 Well let's see. 88. I did not receive a ring. And that was kind of pissed me off like a lot, but you know, at this point in time and you get in front of God, he is going to care whether you have a ring or not, you know, so, but I've been blessed the last couple of seasons that the Dodgers game, you know, NL championship rings after we've lost the world series. The Dodgers gave me a ring for each year. So, so they go, I got a ring. So I mean, in the end, you know, it's just probably the Eagle that doesn't feel good when you don't get one, you know, but then when you get one and so, I mean, fro for 88, you know, Andy at the time was conflicting with the NBA. He had NBA conflicts in October. And so he was unable to be at the it's the world series games.

Jon SooHoo: 00:30:35 And so I was covering up by myself and the parade. I kind of read it by myself. I mean, I'm just white house visiting covered by. So, and so it's like all these different entities that, you know, the historical images that you see of the world series in 88 or what I shot. And so to not have that kind of love because of politically not being the right kind of employee, blah, blah, blah, you know, all these different, you know, levels of the but it just, it was, it was what it was and you know, I roll with it and I know that, you know, I've learned from it, not, not, you know, we don't always get what we want, you know, but it's all good. It all worked out fine. And so it's it's just the, to be respected more than anything. And that's what I find that

Raymond Hatfield: 00:31:23 Really interesting. I had always assumed, I knew that you shot a, the world series in 88 and I just had assumed that maybe you were like, you know, the intern who had just got there and that there was maybe a team of multiple photographers. I'll be honest. I was shocked when you told me that there's really only two photographers covering a game.

Jon SooHoo: 00:31:39 Only one on, you know, I'm the, I'm a full time employee now, which became that way into 2012. Up to that point, I was a outside, outside contractor and through Andy, during 80, when I was working for Andy, I was considered a subcontractor. So, but the point is is that you have no images without me shooting it. You know, if I, if, if you know, so the fact that Annie didn't get a ring, I didn't get a ring and you know, that kind of hurt for 1988. But we both grew from it. You know, it just kinda like, you know, figured it kind of out along the way. And so, you know, if it's supposed to happen, it will happen. It's not that I'm not sweating it anymore. Cause at this point in life and just happened to be alive. So,

Raymond Hatfield: 00:32:18 And having a job that many would, would absolutely kill for. Yeah. So you talked there about you know, all the images from the immediate world series that we see they're going to be yours. So I want to, and we've talked a little bit about the walk-off right? The importance of the walk-off. So I want to go back to that game. One of the 88 world series, I mean, one of the most iconic moments in all of Dodger history, bottom of the ninth, two outs, right? Everybody knows this story whos a Dodger fan run around first and it was Eckersley. Who's obviously hadn't even like let up a home run in more than a month when Kurt Gibson walks up to the plate, didn't even start the game, right. Injuries, everybody thought this was going to be a mess immediately, all 56,000 fans stand up, they just start going crazy. Finally, there is some hope. So I want to know for you in that moment as a fan, what is it that you're feeling? And then as a photographer, how are you preparing for the potential and in this case, eventual walk-off game, winning home run.

Jon SooHoo: 00:33:22 Okay. Well, first off that fan part, no chance during a game like that, no chance during any kind of a job we have responsibilities. And in, in a sense, like you talked about your guys where, how they miss, if they miss the moment. Well, I had to prepare for this moment, like, like no other, I did, what did I know? It was only my third year into it. We hadn't really been through, like, I hadn't been through something like that before where I would have to, you know, think about what I was doing and make decisions. Like number one, I was at frame 15 on a roll of 36. At that time, before he came up and you know, the significance of the game, you're a year behind and if he hits a home run, we win it. So I just thought enough to rewind that 15, even though, you know, economically you're like thinking, you know, you're going to waste the last, you know, something shots and pictures and was like that.

Jon SooHoo: 00:34:14 I just said, you know what, it's a roll of whatever I've thrown it in my I'll just switch roles out of a fresh new role. And remember back in the day, it's manual focus, it's manual exposure. And granted the exposure is pretty much the same at that time, but the focusing has, you're doing it on your own while pulling the trigger. There's no auto focus to bail you out, you know, bail you out. And so he, as he takes us to pitches and account goes full and I'm just concentrating on him. And, you know, I was able to get like, like I said, about the backshot behind, you know, having the back facing you and whatever happens happens. And if you do that moment, you're going to cold miss whatever that moment is. Well, his moment I'm on the first base side for this part, this game, because Andy was on third base.

Jon SooHoo: 00:34:56 And so he essentially just pulled it down the right field line and it was almost like he did a background, like a tennis backend if he was a right-hander and he turned my turn my way towards the right field line. And so I was able to get a nice, you know, hand over hand and then the twist, and I'm gonna have his face as he's running down first. And then I, you know, thumbed at some point, the first base that I, you know, the goodness start losing focus at some point, because I'm just not that good at that following. So he turns around towards first and he goes towards second. And so now I'm looking, I move my camera out here to third base to joy. Malfitano who's the coach over there. And I know that at some point got to line him up with Kirk coming around.

Jon SooHoo: 00:35:39 So I believe, I know I missed the arm pump at second base, but I had bigger fish to fry cause I had to make sure I made, I had to cover from third base to home because that would be my only angle to see his face. And so aimed and turned. And, you know, he gives a Joey, a nice hug. There are a hand handshake there and then he goes to the plate. And the funny thing is that hoop my lab tech at the time when you have a female, a black and white processing film, well, you know, those metal reels, yes. How you do the roll of film? Well frames 29 to 35 were squished on the film in front of it. So what was missed was from third after Joey shook his hand to the first part of the handshakes at the plate were totally gone.

Jon SooHoo: 00:36:35 They were totally messed up, but the final frame frame, 36 was this one frame of him hugging Tommy. His face is aiming towards me. You see a huge group shot and a other group around him, but I was able to get one frame off before I ran out of film and you know, God looking out for me. And he gave me that last frame of the hug at the plate. And so it wasn't the ball on the bat. That's a moment it's that hug. That's going to be remembered, you know, in my eyes. That's what that, that's what that picture is in my mind. This is just that last photo of him hugging Tommy and all the guys around him at the plate. And that's, that was my, my, my saving moment. I was so angry at my tech at the time because, you know, he just, that could have been the end of it, you know, from third to home was kind of a big deal. But you know, just having that last frame is God forbid saved.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:37:28 I mean, there we go, going back to talking about, you know, photographers, wanting to shoot on nothing but two cards and here, you know, that's a perfect example right there, almost half of the photos where we're essentially useless except for that last one.

Jon SooHoo: 00:37:39 Yeah, exactly. And so it's like, it's, it's, it's from above. It's meant to be, or it's not. And so if you know your card, your camera can go down to, you know, deleting all card aisle, both sides of the bowl cards, you know, what's, what's the, it's just either meant to be, or it's not. And so if it's not, then you know, it sucks, but you got to roll onto the next event. So that's just how you have to look at it. Raymond Hatfield: 00:38:02 So his entire at bat took a, took the entire roll of 36. Is that right?

Jon SooHoo: 00:38:07 I pulled as much as I can, you know, I shot as much as I could going around, you know, as far as I can get like up to Manny Moto at first base. And then when he turned, I tried falling, you know, past second base around towards third. And then when he got hurt towards home, then I kind of unloaded a little bit more. And of course that's the stuff that got messed up and the processing. So it's a, and that was it. And I had my second camera and I was able to use a, with a shorter lens is that I had a one 82 eight on it at the time. And I got a shot of the group, like kind of getting, you know, what's, what's the jubilation happens and it ends, they kind of like the momentum, it goes towards the dugout to go into the clubhouse.

Jon SooHoo: 00:38:44 And so I got to ask a few shots of that, but, you know, it's all, it's all part of the process. And it was just, you know, two roles two cameras ago. And then, you know, there was just, that was one crazy ride that's allowed us, I've ever heard Dodger stadium and it's to this day, Justin Turner’s home run against the Cubs in the, in that playoff game was probably, you know, probably the next loudest and then no Mars walk off against the Padres, but there weren't that many fans in the stands then, but for Justin Turner or everybody was still in their seats and forgiving it. Although you see all the brake lights going off to the right field pavilion, there were still a lot of people still left in there. And so it was loud. It was definitely the loudest I can remember cause I was younger, 20 something years old, I was out something out as a, as ever. It was also cause for my first time going through it now, I'm just kinda like taking it as, you know, don't miss a shot. I don't get as emotionally tied as, as like I used to go. So

Raymond Hatfield: 00:39:36 I can imagine, I mean, after shooting for as long as you have it just, I don't want to say that it probably becomes part of the job, but you know, I would imagine that that your focus is now and maybe that maybe that it's, that you're taking your job more seriously in the Mo I don't know. I don't know what I'm trying to say there. I'll just move on. I'll move on. Done that. Where I wanted to go though, it was, you know, you take a lot of photos during a game. I think you said earlier, you might take 5,000 photos in a game. Jon SooHoo: 00:40:04 I have no idea how much

Raymond Hatfield: 00:40:09 Point is. I'm sure that you take a bunch of photos right. More than more than you would when you were shooting on film. What I want to know is what does it take for out of all those photos for one to really stand out as a, as a, as a powerful photo for you?

Jon SooHoo: 00:40:23 Well, powerful is not as important as necessary. There, there is no one specific photo that means much as far as, you know, whatever I think is going to go on a wall somewhere. Hopefully someday it's more like, you know, I'm there at three, three 30 to shoot batting practice on the field and come, people come down on the field that are guests of the marketing department are friends and whatever. And so those group shots of whatever I'm shooting with whatever player are as valuable as whatever was going to go on the back of that wall of mine, because these people will have it on their wall when they are on the refrigerator or on their, you know, whatever for some photo gift for some holiday, because they got a picture of Cody Bellinger, Justin Turner. So it's, it's more of you're factoring in everything. Every little group shot, you take every, you know, any hug that comes from one person to another. That could be, I mean, it's, it's all day it's, it has nothing to do with, you know, just trying to get on a wall. It's trying to make sure you make memories for the people that are actually in them. And then the postpartum is actually getting it to them.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:41:30 Oh, wow. That's a, I think a lot of people going to be surprised to, to, to hear that, to hear that as you know, as I think when it comes to sports, people think it's just very high volume, get the shot, get the shot, you know, maybe get it out or whatever, but you're really taking a human approach to photography. You're really bringing that human element.

Jon SooHoo: 00:41:49 You're a wedding photography. You're not just shooting the wedding party. You're shooting aunt Joe with the bride. You're shooting uncle fester list, you know, the wedding party, you know, so I mean, it's, it's all you have to take care of those images. Like I take care of my people. You have to take care of those people. Cause that's, what's going to go in that book. That's, what's going to go in that wedding book is exactly the same thing that you're doing. It's just that I happen to have, you know, either Cody Bellinger or Clayton Kershaw in these photos. And so, you know, as much as I think it for granted the person in that photo with him, won't, that's the most valuable thing of the year, you know, or lifetime that, you know, that would be mine

Raymond Hatfield: 00:42:26 Water right here. Yeah. In fact

Jon SooHoo: 00:42:27 It should be on everybody's mantle.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:42:30 Well, I think, I think one of your photos is right here on, I don't, I'm not sure if it's your photo or not. I found this at a flea market. It was a you know, just a large photo of a Dodger stadium. Nice wide shot.

Jon SooHoo: 00:42:40 It comes down to all my shit ends up on a flea market or Costco.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:42:47 Oh, that's too funny. Well, regardless, wherever it ends up, I'm glad that this one ended up right here on on my wallet too. It gives me a little glimpse of of back home. So I appreciate that moving forward when it comes to shooting sports, a lot of athletes in particular baseball athletes, they're very superstitious. I've always been interested in for you being so deep in that environment, around all these other athletes. Does any of that superstition rub off on you and maybe the way that you shoot?

Jon SooHoo: 00:43:19 No. The, the only thing that really comes into play is the gear working. So superstitiously, I guess it's not, but if I'm, you know, before game, even captains I'm in my office, making sure my gear is working and then being able to alter the other to another body to make sure it is all functioning, but as far as, you know, you know, being in the same spot or not wearing that, changing your underwear and blah, blah, blah, it's like, nah, I think this is already predetermined. Why up above that's invisible have to be, it will be. And this is when it's, when it's lost, it's lost. It's, you know, it's just, this is what it is.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:43:55 So when, when you're talking about the amount of gear that you're prepping before a game you wanna walk me through real quick about all the gear that you're carrying on. You, you know, you see some photographers with four or five cameras, is that you? Or are you just a one camera?

Jon SooHoo: 00:44:07 No, hell no, I got I right. You know, pretty much right now. Well, my office just changed because I was in the clubhouse. I mean, I was literally literally right by the dugout door. That was my office. I, that was for the last two seasons because they booted me out of my, my, my club level office to put somebody that was more worthy of the well, that space than what I was. And so but I found a little nook down in the clubhouse area, you know, work and they put a little wall, a couple of walls off of me and I have my little cabinet in there. And so, but to that point I was, you know, I would carry it my 28th, at 300 with a stroke. One of the, I use an icon. So the SB like either 800 or nine 10 or whatever the strobe is at the time.

Jon SooHoo: 00:44:48 And that was my pregame setup. And then when the game time hit, I would hang onto that lens and that body. And then I put up my other D five with a 200 to 500 so shoot game action from wherever I was. And so that was it. That's my setup, but the strokes have to work, you know, you know, I also has to be set properly, make sure it's firing right. Make sure I'm connecting to my social media people through the internet. So just those little factors, that was my game prep for the last, probably three years now. So,

Raymond Hatfield: 00:45:20 So would you say that it's probably easier than most people assume that it is as far as I take that back? I don't, I don't want it to sound like, like your job is easy or anything here. I just know that I'm thinking, you know major league, very big production when it comes to the photography, you know, I'm sure that a lot of people listening right now are thinking, as I said earlier, I was surprised that it's only you and another photographer shooting these games. I would assume that it'd be more, I'd assume that it'd be much bigger. It's obviously a much smaller scale than all that. And I'm trying to figure out a question here, but I'm not, it's not coming to me. Th th does any of that? Is there anything in there that you want to say to that?

Jon SooHoo: 00:46:00 Well, it's, I've learned over the years and I used to carry well for a football game or carry a 600 millimeter. I carry a 300 millimeter and I carry like 50 around my neck. And so that would be what I'd be running up and down the sideline was. And then as time went on, if I could get my hands on 400 to eight and a converter for one body and then the 80 and 200 on my, my side here, I mean, it's just, it's just a matter of what, just the depends on what the game situation is. And I've noticed as time goes by that gears, heaviest is getting, it has gotten heavier. And unless you realize, you know, it's not as important to have a below 604, as much as it is to have a small wide angle lens, because my access is closer than, you know, all the other media photographers I'm like in the clubhouse, in the dugout, I'm everywhere.

Jon SooHoo: 00:46:46 That's a lot of times where it's not as needing of a 300 to eight. It's the, the 24 70 might be it the sixth, the 16 to 35 might be it. And so it's just a matter of, you know, how I play it, but I just know that you don't necessarily, I don't necessarily need a big old piece of glass cause I'm right in the middle of it now this year, because I'm going to be further out, you know, and I added the Sony a9II to my gear and I bought, I bought the 200 to 600. So I didn't know, I didn't know this at the time that I really need it because I was shooting football with it. But obviously it's going to be needed more because I'm not going to be near the dugout. I'm not, you know, I'll be looking to touch the field. So everything's going to be from either off, off the, on the first and third base and the seats, or I'll be in the outfield where the 206 owner will be perfect. So it's just a matter of gearing up. So you fit everything in. So sure.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:47:38 Especially being aware of, of where you're going to be shooting in how you're going to be shooting. That makes sense. That makes sense. If let's, let's just say tomorrow you know, you got a call that was like, Hey John, we're adding a bunch of new photographers. We really want to get a lot more photos here. We know that you're gonna call Raymond obviously to come and be an intern for the Dodgers. And of course I would gladly show up. But when I did show up, what's the one thing that you would want to tell me that, that I would make sure about photography before I even took the field.

Jon SooHoo: 00:48:10 Well, first off, if you don't go through Bert Hunter, Cheryl's sports shooter Academy, I'm not even talking to you. I mean, that's just, that's just all there is to it because in order to know this business, you have to know what is involved. And by coming straight to a ball game with, you know, your whatever lens, your, your, your, whatever camera set up, I don't want to have to spend time teaching you how to figure out the editing mode, a photo mechanic into photo shelter, into, you know, FTP in this with air. And, you know, I want, I want somebody seasoned enough to know what their responsibilities are and my editors have come from there. You know that are now, you know, editors, shooters Josh barber and Katie Chan and Carrie Giordano is is another graduate of the sports shooter Academy.

Jon SooHoo: 00:49:01 Juan O Koppel has been with me for forever. I hated need it because she grew along with me from the film era into the digital era. But without anybody going into sports shooter Academy, I'm not really, I'm going to patronize you because I'm gonna, that's just my personality. But if you're not serious enough to take that the Academy for a week and invest in yourself, and you sh you can't, and if you don't have the gear, if you're picking up at Costco, your body and your lens, then you know, we're not even the same conversation at this point. But if you go through that Academy and then I get a nice, you know, thumbs up, thumbs down from Bert, or the instructors there who are, you know, we're talking Wally from the LA times, they're talking to all these very butterfly shooters that have been in the business.

Jon SooHoo: 00:49:45 They're going to give me the straight up. This person is not as, you know, as energetic as this person. They're, they're not as good as shooter and they're, but they're really good on the other end of taking care of the mechanical ends of the digitizing and that mechanical part of the process. And so honestly, I'm putting everybody on the same level, as far as everybody could shoot great sports. Everybody can, but if you have no sense of teamwork, because this is a very team involved, I run a team ship. I don't run a, this is not an individual. I don't give a fuck about whether you have the greatest shot at home plate because of you missed the group shot on the field because you were being selfish. Then I don't want you here. So it's just a very team attitude that we have. I'm taking care of the whole organization, not just, you know, whether you get a great shot of a home plate, cause that's not the picture.

Jon SooHoo: 00:50:37 The picture for me is all the other pictures of all the group shots of all the, you know, the players and their wives players, you know, this, that, and the other, all the other parts that don't have nothing to do with the game. So if you want a job just shooting sports, then go to publication, go to paper or a wire service or a, or an agency. But I'm only interested in somebody who's going to fulfill the whole day, not just, you know, the three hours of game time. So you gotta pay your dues.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:51:04 Well, that's a, that's good to know I'm going to stop faxing my resume to the, to the Dodgers organization until I until I go through that course, for sure.

Jon SooHoo: 00:51:12 Well, we're shooter Academy is well worth it. Cause I tell you it's they do it out here in Pasadena. They bring you to, they bring in either a Nikon or Canon to have to let the photographers or the students practice, play with the gear. And then they have photo mechanic as onsite. And then they have, they have games at the local colleges that they work in coordination with. So the photographers to go shoot these football games or they'll shoot those basketball games, or they'll shoot these baseball games, they'll come back they'll process, improve the process and digitize them. And then they'll have the different instructors go through the images and, you know, give them suggestions or, you know, basic information about, you know, Hey, maybe you should try this. Or, you know, if you have a second body try that. And so it's just a different purse. It's like, it's like going to a, a, a photography school an art photography school, except this is condensed into a week. And it's it's for those who are really serious about getting into this business.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:52:09 I gotta say I'm glad that you're doing it. I don't think I could. I think I liked the the beer and the peanuts too much while watching baseball. I don't think, I don't think I could do it, but I'm going

Jon SooHoo: 00:52:18 Well, the differences that I have there, the relationships that come with it, I mean, I got Cody Bellinger. I got, you know, everybody's phone numbers on my phone, on my cell phone. I send them because of social media. I'm sending them images more than now, than ever. And so there's like, there's a, they need, they want me to shoot it because they know I'm going to get something good and I'll be responsible enough to get it to them right after. So it goes hand in hand and, you know, everybody could shoot with their phone, but whether they're going to be seriously, you know, good at imaging with it and get it to them and get them onto a wall somewhere or somewhere to be, you know, that they'll remember having a professional, do it. That's responsible is a heck of a lot more valuable to me than being a band, a fan in the stands, which I haven't really, honestly, I don't go to a game unless I'm on the field.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:53:05 Yeah. So it's such a, such a completely different experience than, than so many. I want to know now, if you, I want you to walk me through an average day, let's say that it was, I don't know, June 30th Dodgers were playing the reds. You know, how does your day start? What's the first thing that you do when you arrive at the stadium? Well off, I'll get there

Jon SooHoo: 00:53:26 Anywhere from, I'm aiming for like noon to be there from noon, get in my office, just kind of get settled in and get my gear ready to go, you know, and you know, back in the day, back in the day, last year I don't go hang in the clubhouse or the clubbies or, you know, the food room and hang out with the chef there. And just, you know, this is all downstairs in the club that was awful all off limits anyway. And then, you know, between that, if I had to starting at three, that time from noon to three goes really fast. And so next thing you know, there'll be on taking the field for BP and that's when all the groups show up. And that's when all I take all the, you know, grip and grins, all the, either players and fans or players and their guests, and that'll lead into the actual the pregame ceremonies of the Anthem singer and the first base tipping of the cap to the sponsors are blah, blah, blah, who are the special VIP days are.

Jon SooHoo: 00:54:15 And then that leads to the Anthem and kids take the fields. And next thing you know, the players on the field and the game begins I'm done shooting about nine 30, 10 o'clock ish, and on a real competitive game, it can go anywhere from 1130 or so. And then as I'm, you know, get done with that, the crowd will clear out, I'll take my cards back from my editor. And if I give them my cards and then I'll go home and usually go through my cards on my own and put them on my own hard drives, just so I can pick the selects that I want. Cause I don't necessarily need the whole game. So then the cycle begins again the next day versus same seven o'clock game.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:54:57 Wow. That's a, that's a long day. That's a long day. I think that's longer than a lot of people would, would anticipate for sure.

Jon SooHoo: 00:55:03 It's, you know what it's because it's such a routine. It's not like it's keeping me from anything. It's my life. You know, it's not, it's a way of life and it's, it could, it could be 24 hours a day. I think I'd be fine with that. You know,

Raymond Hatfield: 00:55:18 That's, that's dedication. I love that. And it's clear to see why the Dodgers keep you on for as long as they have. Cause I can tell just by talking to you that you, that you truly love this and that you're very passionate about what it is that you do and, and, and take it seriously. I love that.

Jon SooHoo: 00:55:33 It's hard. It's hard at times, so, but it's, it's good when the con you know, it's a, it's a good situation. There's no doubt. It's just that the harder part is when I go outside of the bubble of the being around who I'm around to go hang out with other, you know, like cult friends, and then, you know, I don't go to bars. I don't go do any of that crazy nightlife stuff that, you know, probably the most normal people do. But the reason why I don't go is because I don't necessarily want to hear about somebody's opinion about my friends who are putting their, you know, the bats out and their gloves out, doing what they do. I don't wanna hear you bashing on X, Y, and Z player. And I've heard this, like the entire time I've been around, I've been alive. And so I've just kinda like refrained from going into social situations.

Jon SooHoo: 00:56:17 That's why I played basketball twice a week. That's my social outlet. So if somebody starts talking too much and it's just an elbow coming, you know, it's not anything I can just debate in a bar, you know, just a different, different way of life. And so I've just kind of like limit who I hang out with just because it's not, I don't really want to hear it. You know, I get it, that sports talk radio, this is my, what I do. And these are like my brothers, you know, starting from like the Dave Roberts. So, you know, who I remembered him playing. And, you know, to this day, I'm close with him because I've known him, all his playing career and now his managing career. So to have somebody like, Hey, you did the wrong thing, you know? And then, well, that's fine. Once you tell him he's right here, shut up, write up that they shut right up after that. What makes you think I need to hear your shit, your comment about whatever my, you know, whatever my friends are going through, you know, say it right to him.

Raymond Hatfield: 00:57:06 Yeah. I love that approach. I love that approach. After I don't, I don't think, I, I don't think I'd be able to do that. I think, I think I would probably take the exact same approach as you is, is, I mean, if, if you're so deep into it, why, why even bother? Why does it even matter what other people would say about that? That's interesting. Yeah. Well, that brings me to my next question. I have a, a listener named Jim and he's a brewers fan. So, you know, you can take this question for, you know, however you want to take it, but he wanted to know how much room is there for creativity in sports photography, or are you just expected to get that shot and move on?

Jon SooHoo: 00:57:42 Well, it depends on the different houses that you're in. I mean, Dodger stadium, I pretty much have the, one of the places to go and roam wherever I want, because I have the, you know, I'm a, on the house guy, so I can pretty much move around. And I make a point of not being the same static, you know, on the field spot because, you know, I have the ability to not be, so I move around the ballpark. I use, you know, if I have to use my six, 600, then I'll pull it out. Sometimes I shoot from the top of the ballpark. And sometimes, I mean, the creativity is up for me to just move my feet to get a lot of the problem is that people get so comfortable behind their long lenses, that they get lazy and they'll get, you know, they'll stay in the end zone instead of moving down the sidelines.

Jon SooHoo: 00:58:22 And so, you know, whatever you may be thinking you're getting, because you're sitting there, you might be missing something just because you don't want to get up and use your feet to walk to the other end zone or walk to the sideline, you know, on the other side of that, you know, it's just a matter of, I just don't like staying still I'm I move a lot. So that's probably a lot of my success is just, you know, taking the chance, you know, and knowing that I have a photographer on the other side of the field to do the other stuff, you know, the other, the normal angles I'll feel comfortable going overhead to the, you know, reserve level in the left field corner and try something with a long lens from up there, you know, just to get some different person. They only, at this point, there's not much different going on that I haven't really thought of that, you know, that hasn't crossed my mind, but no, it hasn't 35 years worth of doing this. So just put the creativity never ends. It should never end, you know?

Raymond Hatfield: 00:59:12 Yeah. I think probably where many are thinking and kind of, I had this, you know, I just didn't know is, you know, how much of the game are you focused on versus kind of all the other activities. And I think that you explained that pretty well, which is that you kind of have to cover it all depending on who you're shooting for, I suppose, is that right?

Jon SooHoo: 00:59:29 Right. Well, the game is still the game. That's the best part about all this, all the other peripheral bullshit that comes about that's, it's still the game between the lines. And so if you know, you know, Jeters coming up and it's, you know, you don't get to see these guys too often. So like I shot, I made a point of shooting bombs all the time, whenever he came through whatever, but he was at bat, I would take it to the image, you know, point my camera at him instead of at our picture or whatever, just because, you know, greatness is greatness and you see those great players come through and missing them is not really something I ever tried to do. Cause I always try to shoot both, you know, both teams, at least there's their stars. So, and it's funny cause you know, being in the business for so long, a lot of the players that come through, go to other teams.

Jon SooHoo: 01:00:16 And so I know all these other players from other teams that aren't, and of course now managers like the Craig, the Craig counsels, the Don Mattingly's, all the people that have gone through Dodger stadium at some point I've gotten to know over the years. And so I have relationships with everybody. So when everybody talks about, Ooh, he's a giant fan and said, you know, blah, blah, blah. It's like, well, that's, you know, I'm a human fan. So if there's, you know, if Mark Sweeney is up with the, the, the giants or the Padres, I'm, I'm a Mark Sweeney fan, no matter what, unless he's playing against the Dodgers. So, you know, but other than that, I mean, it's, I've got to know Christian yell at you a little bit because of, he had a, the benefit thing down here with the Cody Bellinger. So everybody knows who everybody is and with the invent of social media, everybody's on everybody's account anyway. So of course you can message. You can message. You can get closer to guys, people now than you would never have been able to do, you know, during the Mick Piatsa era.

Raymond Hatfield: 01:01:08 Oh man, I can't even imagine. I cannot imagine how much different it would be for a player playing today versus players. I mean, even just five years ago, like Matt camp, you know, I mean, I can't imagine what it would be like for him coming up versus like a Cody Bellinger is coming up now who probably had a very similar, you know, experience in terms of, of the age that they were when they come up, but just in this different world.

Jon SooHoo: 01:01:33 Well, it was also my space. It was my space instead of Instagram or Facebook, but you know now, but at least the best part about all of this is that it used to be like the team brand. You would come up with the, be the Los Angeles Dodgers period. But now each one of these players has their own platform to be their own video, to be themselves. And so when like black lives matters, it matters because they're putting it out. Lebron is doing it himself. He's, he's pointing out the messages himself. And so there's no filter like it used to be back in the era before social media. I mean, can you imagine Jack Robinson having a Facebook account or Instagram, how much? I mean, the fact that everybody can be their own brand now and you know, anybody calling anybody out, it's going to get called out themselves because it'll get turned back around on them to see where they're coming from.

Jon SooHoo: 01:02:25 And so, you know, you're just seeing all the cars being played right in front of you. So it's just a fascinating, and the fact that they've got the players, you know, nowadays have their own platforms and you know, like Justin Turner gusts his foundation and he's doing some wonderful stuff with a dream LA dream center. And it's just all the different guys have their own different outlets. It's just that anytime somebody like pops off and some sort of, you know, unpopular way, it could go, you know, that's when it goes viral and then that's when shit takes off. But then that increases the numbers, whether it's good or bad, it's still increases the number and the analytics, which I guess matter more than, you know, a lot. So I know

Raymond Hatfield: 01:03:02 As if he didn't have to worry about enough with, you know, on base percentages and, and, you know, swing and angle and all these things. Now you gotta worry about social media analytics. It is a, I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. I'm glad that I just get to sit at home and watch for sure. Like again, like I said, with a beer in my hand and my wife by my side. So I got a question about about you and kind of your upbringing, your you're an LA native, right? You were born and raised there in LA. I want to know what it's like for you now being a part of and doing so much for this iconic organization, like for Los Angeles, what does that feel like for you?

Jon SooHoo: 01:03:43 It's a complete blessing. I know when I'm going through my academic years of going to school, I could never plan this. There's no major in being a sports photographer. I'm just, I know God blessed me with the ability to this possible opportunity to make this inroad, to shoot, not just Dodgers, but I shoot everything. And to have the experiences that I've had along the way has been very as many a complete gift. And I, I love every part of it and growing up, you know, fourth generation Chinese American my grandfather was the founder of LA Chinatown, the new LA Chinatown and having this history to be able to go, to be a part of the LA scene in some way, shape or form, however small. It's still pretty cool. The last, over 30 years worth of this. I mean, it's all the events that I've seen, the Superbowls, the NBA championships and all the different events I've gone to has been a complete, you know, it's awesome. And I I'll take any of this for granted. I mean, I'll, I'll fight to the last moment of, to work for the divers as long as humanly possible and laws, my knees work, and you know, my gear, my eyes are still seeing what I can translate to my trigger finger. I will continue doing, but I know it's a gift from God. There's no way I could look at it any other way.

Raymond Hatfield: 01:05:01 That is so great. Once again, just to hear that gratitude, I can hear that gratitude that you have in your voice. And it's a, it's very, it's very refreshing, but you're not taking any of it for granted. There's that? I don't remember who said it, but there's that term you know, never meet your heroes. And I gotta say you haven't disappointed you haven't you at all today, John. So I really appreciate it. Well, I know that I've kept you far too long, way longer than a, than I said that I would today. So again, I want to be mindful of your time, but before I let you go, is there anything that maybe I didn't ask you that you want to make sure that new and aspiring sports photographers understand about, about shooting?

Jon SooHoo: 01:05:42 Probably going to go back to what I told you before, as far as don't think your sports image of this particular play as a team photographer, don't think that one photo of an action shot, it's gonna make a difference between whether you get a job or not. It has nothing to do with your photography skills. I mean, you're supposed to be competent. Everybody is going to come and equally competent as far as I'm concerned, but if you're not responsible enough to do something with that photo after, if you're not responsible enough to take, be on time, if you're not responsible to be kind to other people, if you're not doing your part, you know, because photographers in general have a little, especially, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say, you know, most that go through photography, schools, academies, and whatever.

Jon SooHoo: 01:06:26 They come up to the little chip on their shoulder, and that may be relevant for a wire service or a newspaper photographer or a, an agency. But as far as a team photographer goes, it's personal relationships. That mean everything. And so if you don't take care of your responsibilities and if you're not a man of your word, if you're not a woman of your word, if you say you're going to do something and you don't do it, don't come to me for a gig because it's not, it's not going to happen. And then the other part of it is by way of sports shooter Academy, learning the technology. If I don't have Katie and Josh showing me the way how to do half the stuff, I mean, I have a basic idea what I want to do and I, you know, but without them, without, you know, Josh showing me the way it's pretty confusing, how to, you know, even to put a fricking hashtag on Instagram, it's like, how many I put on, what am I supposed to do?

Jon SooHoo: 01:07:17 How do I make that? How do I copy that one on, you know, whatever, but, you know, it's all learning. The technologist part is probably a lot more of it than that's my version of dark work. When I was paving, you know, when I was paying my dues was doing all the darkroom work. They have to do the darkroom work with the computer and their phones and the technology. If you do that part of it, and you're a good person and you're respectful to all races, including Asian males, there, there's a good chance. You have a happy life in front of you, whether it's in sports photography, or if, as a team photographer or in other, other walks of life.

Raymond Hatfield: 01:07:55 John, I I don't know how to end it any better than that. You've been so gracious with your time today. You've been a very, you've been an open book and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate this and how much I'm just, I mean, my heart is still racing inside Telstra. So this is before I left to go, do you want to let listeners know either, you know, where they find and keep up with you online?

Jon SooHoo: 01:08:17 No. You tell them where to go on my, my Instagram really pretty much all I do, but you know, honestly I'm only allowed to post my non-Dodger stuff at this point. And even then, I'm not really supposed to post any non Dodger stuff, not in any sports stuff. Cause they think of me as just the Dodger guy. But I mean, there it's, if you could just, my Instagram's like Jon SooHoo that'd be good. Cause beyond that, I don't have no other, you know, just send messages if you'd like, but for anybody really wanting to get into it, you know, sports should Academy is where to start. If you go to the Academy, you make, you know, if you apply to go to the workshops and let me know. And you know, I gave the speech the last time in a couple months ago actually. It's like right before the shutdown, matter of fact, the last one, the last Academy. So yeah, it's good.

Raymond Hatfield: 01:09:07 I will, I will put that on my dream board for sure. Yeah. Again, John, I appreciate it. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing everything that you did.

Jon SooHoo: 01:09:16 No problem.