WHIT WATSON GUEST SLOT
I was a guest on the Media Credentials podcast hosted by Whit Watson, and I was so pleased and excited about talking with him.
Whit, who also lives in Orlando, texted me out of the blue and asked me to be a guest on his show. A few days later, I saw him at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando. Whit has been in sports broadcasting and coverage since the mid-90s; he knows a lot of people and a lot about sports. I first met him at various Golf Channel jobs, and he’s deep into the golf game, as am I.
To prep for the podcast, I knew I’d have to bring my “A” game and be ready for anything. I jotted down some notes and names of people and places in my photography community. Whit is a personable, friendly guy and a real pro at interviewing folks so I felt at home and pretty comfortable right away.
HIGHLIGHTS OF MY PODCAST DEBUT ON MEDIA CREDENTIALS
Whit asked me some background questions, and it was kinda fun to tab through my mental memories and share what inspired me to be a photographer. He asked if I knew early on what I wanted to be. When I was sixteen, I knew I wanted to be a Sports Illustrated photographer. My breakthrough project was in the mid-90s when I worked at the Journal Tribune newspaper in my hometown of Biddeford, Maine, then moved on to the Bangor Daily News. We talked about the differences between photographing people vs. photographing things or locations
“You gotta get that twinkle in their eyes”
Some of the most memorable shoots and celebrities we talked about were the somewhat-challenging task of getting Tiger Woods and legend Arnold Palmer. “Nobody has to be nice to the photographer,” I said and pointed out that most golfers are humble, kind people.
I always feel like if you’re nice to the photographer, you’re nice to everyone. We’re like the beat writers sometimes, athletes and celebrities blow you off or delay appointments until you run out of patience. It’s not like we’re paying them millions of dollars for their time, unlike some of their sponsors.
Whit asked about my bucket list, and I told him I’d like to be part of a golf brand, to do the creative direction for a line. We even chatted about my connection with horses through my wife, Robin Cyr and our horse boarding and training facility Cyr Point Stable. I’m sometimes the hired hand at the barn, shoveling manure and fixing fences when needed, which is a nice change-up from handling delicate cameras and lenses.
My debut podcast experience on Media Credentials was a great experience, and I enjoyed talking with Whit a lot.