Heffran Sports Imaging's photostream

I was at an NFL divisional playoff game in 2008 and I saw the guys running around the sidelines in the "Red Vests". As a semi-professional photographer who was mostly focused on high school and lower levels, I immediately decided to set a goal for myself.

I intentionally set one that most people would scoff at. I like when people listen to what I want to achieve in life and then laugh - as if it is not possible. I said to the person next to me that by the time I turned 40, I would be one of those "little red ants" on the sidelines - shooting images of the NFL and more importantly, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not just there as a charity case, but a working photographer who was credentialed by the NFL and the Pittsburgh Steelers... and, of course, they laughed.

I was 35 at the time. Over the next year, I really didn't make any progress towards this goal. I let personal obstacles derail me and began to believe the nay-sayers. Maybe that WAS a ridiculous goal? After all... how many photographers are out there "paying their dues" and riding their photography degrees into a high profile internship? How many of THESE people would I have to run around, jump over and sneak past?

Fast forward to Superbowl XLIII. The moment that Santonio Holmes caught the game-winning TD in the corner of the endzone and the shot was captured... that image on the cover of Sports Illustrated re-invigorated me. I wanted to BE THAT guy. Again, I was laughed at and told that it was a ridiculous idea and to think again how many people have worked the traditional route to get where I was going. How would I compete against them? They thought it was silly.

Contrary to what some may think, I did not sell my soul to the devil. I worked very hard at getting better at photography. But, even more, I leaned on my experience and skills at "relationship building". I realized that most photographers were not necessarily "people people". Immediately I realized that the road I would take would have to be different and it would be a time when it relied very heavily on WHO I met, WHO I knew, WHO remembered ME, and WHAT I was willing to ASK for.

Fast forward to August 14, 2010 - less than two years since I made that initial declaration of my intent to be an NFL photographer... I arrived at Heinz Field, went through the security procedures and handed over my ID... then I received my very own RED VEST. I had achieved my goal. I was NFL Photographer #127 - my profile image is of that day.

So, to all the photographers who helped me along the way - thank you. To all the photographers who were selfish and refused to answer a question that a "newbie" might ask, karma sucks - doesn't it?