4 Faces of Cowens

The emotions and facial expressions of basketball coaches often provide better photos than the game action.

Boston’s Dave Cowens displays a range of emotion and intensity during his debut as player coach against the Denver Nuggets, as the Celtics won to end a six-game losing streak (© Michael Maher, The Lowell (Ma.) Sun).

The Photo:
Dave Cowens of the Boston Celtics was one of the NBA’s most emotional players. As a 6”9” center, he needed to play with intensity to be successful against opposing centers who were much taller and stronger. Earlier in his career, Cowens was called for a series of cheap fouls during a game, and he ran across the court hard into the Rockets’ Mike Newlin, knocked him to the floor, proclaiming to the referee, “Now THAT’S a foul!” He once took some time off and drove a Boston cab because he wanted a break from the intensity of NBA life. So it was no surprise when Cowens, who was in his first game as Celtic coach while also still a player, leaped off the bench to exhort his teammates and direct referees during a tense time of a tight game. Positioning myself between the team benches, I used a long lens to capture several close-ups of Cowens’ many expressions, and published the four best. (I was a bit too close on one picture where I missed the tip of Cowens’ index finger.) The photos also reflected how frustrating it was for Cowens to play for and coach the Celtics that season, after John Havilcek had retired and before the Larry Bird era. These photos were transmitted via the wire services around the country, and you will still occasionally see one of them published whenever there is a story about Dave Cowens. Good close-up photos of famous people will often be reused for years.

3 Tips:
1) Emotional coaches can provide outstanding sports feature photos.
2) Sit near the player benches and concentrate on the coach for an extended period of time.
3) Close-ups are the best pictures, so use longer lenses as much as possible.

Bird in Flight

A pro basketball dunk usually has both a powerful facial expression and acrobatic action, all in one shot.

Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird slams one down at the front end of a fast break during the season opener against Cleveland (© Michael Maher, The Lowell (Ma.) Sun).

The Photo:
Larry Bird isn’t normally associated with slam-dunks because his strength was shooting and passing. However, early in his career, he would finish off some Celtic rushes down court with a slam-dunk, albeit not too frequently. This game was the season opener, and Bird was excited to start a year in which the Celtics would contend for (and later win) the championship, so the first time he got a breakaway down court, he dunked to charge up the Boston crowd and his teammates. On this shot, I sat perpendicular to the basket with a longer lens to catch his drive to the hoop and facial expression. Strangely enough, during the years I covered the Celtics, I shot several photos of Bird dunking, and he had his eyes closed like this in every one.

3 Tips:
1) Sitting perpendicular to the basket gives you a great angle to photograph players driving to the hoop.
2) Use an 85MM or 105MM lens and focus on the rim area.
3) Look for shots with players in the air showing intense facial expressions.

“Here, You Take It”

Watch basketball action closely, stay ready to shoot, and you can sometimes photograph a behind-the-back pass.

Boston Celtics’ Chris Ford throws the ball back to teammate Rick Robey after being pressured by Seattle’s Dennis Johnson (© 1980 Michael Maher, The Lowell (Ma.) Sun).

The Photo:
It’s always worth trying to get great photos by shooting from the sideline near center court because occasionally you might see some unique action pictures. On this evening, Boston Celtic Chris Ford (42) encountered Seattle Supersonic Dennis Johnson (DJ - #24)), who was one of the NBA’s best defensive players. When DJ jumped to block any Ford shot and bar his path to the basket, he quickly passed back to Celtic teammate Rick Robey (53), and I had an unusual photo of the ball being passed midway between the two players. Ironically, Johnson later was traded to Boston and became a key member of the famous 1980s Celtics’ championship teams.

3 Tips:
1) Sitting at center court gives you a unique angle on unusual photos.
2) Using a long lens enables you to isolate key players or specific plays from the busy background.
3) Be patient from this vantage point, because players will be running in front of you constantly, and photo opportunities will be less frequent.

Rejecting the Doctor

If you know the sports shot you want, plant yourself in the best location, be patient, and you'll usually get it.

Boston Celtic forward Kevin McHale blocks shot by Philadelphia 76ers forward Julius Erving (“Dr. J”) during NBA game won by the Celtics (© Michael Maher, The Lowell (Ma.) Sun).



The Photo:
The Celtic teams of the 1980s were led by their Hall of Fame frontcourt; center Robert Parrish, along with forwards Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. McHale was known for his tough inside play, where he consistently scored, rebounded and blocked shots, helped by his famously long arms. The Philadelphia 76ers were the Celtics’ fierce rival in the NBA’s Eastern Conference, and every game of the season was important in deciding who would finish first and gain playoff home court advantage. The defense in this game was tough by both teams, so I shot from a sideline spot near center court, trying to capture the defensive intensity with photos of steals or blocked shots. By sitting here, I could see the faces of the defenders as the offensive players drove at them. However, I couldn’t anticipate the plays very accurately, and instead focused on the players most likely to make strong defensive plays. For awhile, I kept my camera trained on McHale playing defense, and when Philadelphia’s Julius Erving (“Dr. J”) drove to the basket, McHale leaped high in the air to knock the shot away, and I had my picture.

3 Tips:
1) Midpoint on the court allows you to photograph defenders’ faces and defensive action at both ends of the court.
2) Concentrate on the players most likely to make defensive plays.
3) Use a 105MM or 180MM lens, depending on how tight you want the shot to be.

“You Can’t Tell That Guy Anything”

This week I'm sharing three photos because I won't post while I am on vacation for the next few weeks. Here a sports official and coach spar very heatedly, creating powerful expressions and body language.

Boston Celtics player-coach Dave Cowens argues too forcefully and is ejected by NBA referee Richie Powers during the fourth quarter of this season-ending game at the Boston Garden (© Michael Maher, The Lowell (Ma.) Sun).





The Photo:
This was the last home game of a very disappointing season for the Boston Celtics, as they missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The only reason I photographed this game, which would have no effect on the standings, was to get a picture of Celtic #1 draft pick Larry Bird who attended the game in Red Auerbach’s courtside seats with his agent Bob Woolf. Photographers swarmed around Bird to shoot pictures of him with Auerbach, but nearly all departed when Bird left early. I chose to remain for the game’s completion, looking for an emotion shot or unusual angle, and positioned myself between the two teams’ benches. After a questionable foul call against Boston, an infuriated Celtics’ player-coach Dave Cowens jumped off the bench and began jawing with referee Richie Powers. They yelled, bumped, got more and more irate, and Cowens was ejected. I was perfectly positioned for the entire confrontation between Cowens and Powers. I had so many good shots of their emotional discussion, it was difficult to select the best pictures. These photos later won many awards, but the big story from the game was Larry Bird’s first Boston visit, so the mundane photo of Bird was displayed large on the newspaper front page, while the phenomenal Cowens shots ran small inside.

3 Tips:
1) Confrontations with officials provide terrific displays of emotion and facial expressions.
2) Periodically position yourself near the player benches, especially when a coach is animated or agitated.
3) Stay alert and ready to shoot because this type of photo op is often very spontaneous and unexpected.