Ep.294 W/ Brian Rothmuller/Sportscardphotographer Part II

SPEAKER 1: What is up everybody? Welcome to episode 294 of the Sports Car Nation Podcast. It is National Week. It is the, if you're listening to this on show Release Day, it is Friday at the National, I am here. I hope you are too. I hope you're having fun.

SPEAKER 1: I hope you picked up a few cards as I have. And hope to, I've either talked to you already or maybe run into you and talk to you soon. I'm walking around the show with Danny Black and some card men, cards for the autograph by both of us. If you want one, ask us, we'll give you one.

SPEAKER 1: But today's part two of our great conversation, which we started last week with sports photographer Brian Roth Mueller who does cards for tops upper deck, others, mainly baseball, some golf and, and some other sports and some great insights into that world.

SPEAKER 1: And it's not, if you don't know, you don't know. Right. And he's kind of, let us behind the cur and, and, and it's a great conversation. So that is part two. Of, of that conversation and, we'll take a 32nd break and be back right back with that conversation with Brian.

SPEAKER 2: For nearly 50 years. Sports Collectors Digest has been the voice of the hobby. Bringing you comprehensive coverage of the sports collectible industry from industry news, auction results, market analysis and in depth stories about collectors and their collections. Sports Collectors digest has everything you need to know about the hobby.

SPEAKER 2: S CD is also your leading source for listings of sports collectible dealers, card shops, card shows and the latest from the industry's top companies to check out all the latest news or to subscribe to the hobby's oldest magazine. Visit Sports Collectors, digest.com or call 1 808 29 55 61.

SPEAKER 1: Ok. Now part two of our great conversation with sports car photographer, Brian Roth Mauler.

SPEAKER 3: I could give you like a, a breakdown of what my day looks like. It would probably blow people's minds in terms of how long we're actually at the stadium and, and, and all that and, and what goes into it. So, you know, if I'm driving up to LA, I live in Orange County, which is about an hour from L A but it's never an hour.

SPEAKER 3: So, you know, I, I leave here around 2230 for a seven o'clock game, get there or maybe around four.

SPEAKER 3: And then Dodger Stadium has the worst elevator system in all stadiums so I have to wait for the elevator, go down the field.

SPEAKER 3: Batting practice starts at four for the, for the home team.

SPEAKER 3: So I gotta set up all my, all my gear and just sort of stand and hope something happens standing around a lot.

SPEAKER 3: And then, you know, you wait for the opposing team to come out. They come out around five.

SPEAKER 3: The best time to get photos is when the players first come out and they're about to stretch because they're just kind of, you know, loose, they got their sunglasses on, they're joking around.

SPEAKER 3: That's where a lot of the photos where, you know, image variations come from.

SPEAKER 3: Are, are those shots and then, and, you know, they'll do batting practice, sort of go back inside, get all my, all my stuff ready for the game and then, yeah, the game starts seven o'clock, in between innings. After, you know, something good happens, I, I have to go back underneath, the stadium to where our, computers are and post, you know, edit and post the pictures go back out.

SPEAKER 3: You know, it's probably a three hour, the games have been a little shorter which has been nice, but three hour game and then another half hour to 45 minutes editing after that waiting for the elevator. And then, yeah, I get to the parking lot and there's still traffic getting out of the stadium.

SPEAKER 3: So sometimes it takes, you know, 20 minutes to get out of the stadium and then by the time I get back to Orange County, it's, it's, you know, normally around midnight.

SPEAKER 3: So, so it's a long day and, you know, you can have games where you just don't, don't get anything and it's, you know, it can be, it can be frustrating when you have two or three of those in a row where you spend so much time and so much energy and you just sort of get a dot of a game. But yeah, you just gotta press on and then eventually you get a good one and you get a, you get a, you get a bunch of images that you like.

SPEAKER 3: So but it's not, it's, it's not all fun games. It's you know, we're dodging, dodging foul balls hit in our direction, making sure that we're safe and yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's a, it's a dream job, but it's also a ton, a ton of work that people, like you said, don't, don't even don't even know behind the scenes.

SPEAKER 1: So, yeah, I appreciate you sharing some of your, your, your day like that because I think it's important for, you know, people think it's like, hey, you go to the game, you shoot for a couple of hours and you go home. It's, it's, it's not, you gotta get there early. It's not the game. Like you said, you got band in practice where some of those, great shots are gonna come out of like just them stretching, in the outfield.

SPEAKER 1: It's a full day. It's more than a, it's more than probably eight hours. Like you said, you're leaving at 230 you're getting home at midnight. That's a 10 hour from start to finish, with work, that's a 10 hour, almost a 10 hour day. And you really have to have a passion for you can't, I, I think you'll agree, Brian, you can't half ass it.

SPEAKER 1: Right. I mean, you could, but the proof is gonna be in the pudding and, and like you said, it's hard enough to get a shot when you're on your toes if you're not doing your due diligence, you know. So iii I know this, but I think it's important for other people to realize, well, it's a very cool job. It is a job and you're putting in the work and you're grinding.

SPEAKER 3: I think it's definitely, it's definitely, it, it definitely can be a grind. I mean, baseball is, you know, basketball is a little different, you know, you can show up later and it's, it's not as, you know, it's a shorter, shorter game, but baseball, football is an all day thing too.

SPEAKER 3: It's, it's, you know, the football, footballs in the fall are tough if I'm shooting a college game one day and then a pro game the next day, you know, that's a, that's a grind too. So, and football's constantly, you know, you're running up and down the sidelines, you're moving.

SPEAKER 3: There's no baseball, at least you're sort of standing around and it's, it's a little easier on your body. But football, you know, you, you're on the move for, for three or four hours.

SPEAKER 1: So is, you know, obviously most people now know about the new time rules, in, in major league baseball with the pitch clock and, and limiting throws over, has that made your job, easier or more difficult or maybe kind of both depending on the situation.

SPEAKER 3: I mean, it's easier in the sense that the games are shorter.

SPEAKER 3: You know, anytime there's a two hour game, it's like all the photographers are, you, you know, have huge smiles on their faces.

SPEAKER 3: But it, it can be difficult in terms of the amount of time you have to edit because the innings are shorter.

SPEAKER 3: I think last year there was a couple of games where in the beginning I, I would miss like two or three innings and I would be like, wait, how did, how did that go so fast? Like, you know, normally that would be like a inning and a half.

SPEAKER 3: So, there's a TV, you know, where we edit so, you know, you can keep track of of what's going on. But I mean, that's more challenging in terms of just being quicker with, with what you do and, and getting back out there. So you don't miss a bunch of stuff.

SPEAKER 3: In terms of the, the pitch clock during the game, each at bat, I have found that the game is, is a lot faster where if you, you know, if you're taking a pitcher and someone hits a foul ball and then, you know, you see something that you wanna shoot, you, maybe it's a, you know, a fielder smiling or doing something in between a pitch, you're gonna miss that next, you're gonna miss the next pitch because it's just, it's too quick.

SPEAKER 3: That happened to me in an Angels game the other day. I was like on a fielder and then on the batter and then went back to the fielder thinking I had plenty of time to go back on the batter and, and, and I didn't, so it's, it's, it's speedy in that, in that sense.

SPEAKER 3: I mean, some of the pitchers definitely work faster than I, and some of them, you know, run the clock down to the last couple seconds. But, I would say for the most part, it's, it's an advantage for us just not having, as long games as, as we could and, you know, the extra base runner in the, in the extra innings.

SPEAKER 3: I hate that rule, but as a photographer, I love it because, you know, the game is not gonna go 17 innings. We're not gonna sit there until, you know, 1 a.m. at night and still, still be working. And, yeah, so, at least the, the games will get over, get over quicker. But yeah, as a fan, I don't like the rule, but as a photographer I'll take, yeah, me either.

SPEAKER 1: But, so that what you just said, Burt makes me think about another question, let's say it is an extra inning game and, and for whatever reason, whether the teams scoring and the other team matches the score and it continues to go in extra innings.

SPEAKER 1: As a photographer, can you do you have to stay till the, the final out or can you say, hey, I'm done and I'm, I'm, I'm rapping. I'm, I'm calling it a day. What's kind of the advocate?

SPEAKER 3: I mean, if it's an extra inning game, then you know, you're staying because you want the, you want the celebration, you want all that stuff.

SPEAKER 3: I mean, if it's a, if it's a 15 to 1 game and you know, it's the eighth inning and you're just kind of like, ok, that, you know, all the regulars are out, there's no rookies in the game, you know, then I might go back and just do my, my edit a little early and, and not shoot the last two innings just to try to get out of there a little earlier.

SPEAKER 3: But, you know, there's been times where that's happened and I'll, I'll go in and then a position player will come in the pitch and I'll be like, oh, great. I gotta go back out there and, and take a picture of that because that May never happen again.

SPEAKER 3: And then, yeah, so, so I would say for the most part, you know, you're there, it's just that if the game is a blowout, you know, say they take Mookie out, say they take shoe out like, ok, I'm gonna go in and it like, there's, there's nothing left for me here.

SPEAKER 3: I, you know, I might miss something but the odds are so small that I might miss something at that point. So, you know, with the Dodgers, it's like, you know, we all do it but, you know, we try to time our around. Well, when is she gonna get up again? So it's like, ok, he just hit the last inning.

SPEAKER 3: We have, we, you know, you can just see a flood of photographers going in and, and editing because, you know, he was the last out and we have, you know, nine more batters. Hopefully they won't bat around, he won't get up again. But, yeah, you definitely have to time, time your editing around, who's up, who's gonna be up, who you're there to shoot.

SPEAKER 3: You know, all that sort of stuff. And, you know, also, you know, the light, if it's, if the, the light is really good and it's, you know, it's not, it's not night time yet. You wanna stay out there until, you know, maybe the light gets bad and then go in and edit a little bit. So, I'm constantly thinking sometimes overthinking.

SPEAKER 3: I mean, there's there, you know, we have several different positions where we can stand too. So, I'm trying to, you know, think ahead, like, ok, this person's gonna get up, he looks better swinging from the right side. I'm currently on the left side. Do I wanna go to the other side?

SPEAKER 3: If I don't do it this inning, do I wanna do it next inning?

SPEAKER 3: You know, I, I do a lot of research pregame on, like batters who I haven't shot before or, you know, new players just to see what their swing looks like and, you know, see what side potentially looks better.

SPEAKER 3: You know, a lot of players wear that huge thing over their, like their jaw on their face now, which makes it really hard to get a, you know, a good shot of their eyes, when they swing. So, you gotta, you gotta take that in effect, you gotta take it in effect it like, is it a pull hitter? Is it not a pull hitter? Like, I mean, sh he looks good from both sides cause he hits a lot of balls in all directions of the field.

SPEAKER 3: But some players just don't like you just, unless they hit a foul ball, that kind of looks like a fair ball and they really open up and you can see their eyes. But, yeah, there's a lot of, there's a lot of, research and just knowledge base that I try to try to think about beforehand, to give myself sort of a leg up, when I'm out there.

SPEAKER 3: So I'm not looking at my photos as I'm shooting them going. Oh, this is not the side to be on. Like I should have went to the other side because you don't have time to, to really do that during the game.

SPEAKER 3: If you're doing it during the game, then you're probably screwing up and missing stuff.

SPEAKER 1: So, yeah, there's, there's a strategy involved here too as well and like you said that you're thinking sort of even before the game, your approach or how you're going to shoot, the game and the people again, I think that's lost on, on people who think you just find a spot and that's it for the whole game.

SPEAKER 1: You, you just, shooting, the one thing I wondered about Brian is obviously your credential to get in and, and be in the access those areas. Do you have to let the team know, like ahead I'm attending today's game. Do they know like what photographers are coming or can you just show up and say I'm here, how does that work?

SPEAKER 3: So there's two types of credentials you can get, you can get a season credential, which means you can go to, to any game, or they have daily credentials, which are for the specific game. So, your editor just either applies for the games that you wanna go to or if you have a season credential.

SPEAKER 3: You know, you don't have to tell them they just to know that, you know, these, these outlets have season credentials, they're probably gonna be, be at the, at the game.

SPEAKER 3: So, Dodgers this year definitely cut down on the amount of credentials, I mean, for, for the US press just cause there is so much international people that they had to had to fit in. So, which wasn't new because that's sort of how, how it was with the Angels when, when Otani was there too.

SPEAKER 3: There's actually a lot more room for photographers at Angels than Dodgers. So it's been a little challenging but, you know, they're, they're great to work with, they're very aware of not trying to get in your way. And, you know, they're mainly there to shoot Shohei.

SPEAKER 3: So, you know, and another player gets up if, if you need to get in their spot, they're, they move out of the way and you know, I think it's, you know, when Shohei got up the other night with the photographer next to me is from Japan and he was, one of the coaches was completely blocking him cause he was standing on the stairs.

SPEAKER 3: So moved over a little bit to make sure that he get that shot. And it's just sort of those small things that, you know, you do that for them, they do it for you. And, it's just showing that you're aware of, of what's going on.

SPEAKER 3: And, so it's, it's been fun, you know, I, I think shooting sh, he is pretty wild in the sense that, he's got cameras on him at all times. I mean, he, he's been doing some light throwing during batting practice and there, you know, there's five TV cameras and maybe 10 international press cameras just on him the whole time and, you know, you would think that would wear on somebody but he handles it pretty well.

SPEAKER 3: So, but it's, it's definitely a blessing to be in the L A market right now with, with Otani, you know, being a doctor for the next 10 years or whatever it is.

SPEAKER 4: So, you are listening to the Sports Car Nation Podcast.

SPEAKER 4: We'll be right back after this break.

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SPEAKER 6: Let's go. You are listening to the Sports Card Nation podcast.

SPEAKER 1: You mentioned, you know, s SPS variations, trying to catch those type of shots potentially. Do you ever have, do you ever, I don't wanna say orders. Do you ever have like, hey, we need this, like going in like, like this is something that's requested, like I gotta get this shot.

SPEAKER 3: No, because I don't have any direct communication with the card companies.

SPEAKER 3: I, I'll say that to myself, like I'll say, OK, I need a picture of, you know, whoever it is when they, when they come out for batting practice, I'm looking for them doing specific things or, you know, I like to get pictures of the players in the dugouts for the game.

SPEAKER 3: So, you know, that's, that's on me like I need to get to this side to make sure I try to get a picture of them, before the game and, I sort of know what I'm looking for.

SPEAKER 3: In, in that, I would say that's mostly with baseball, like with basketball, there's, there's really not, anything that you can get, that's sort of different, like baseball, because there's so much, I mean, you don't really wanna get a picture of some guy just sort of warming up in basketball, like, with his, you know, his t-shirt on and his headphones on.

SPEAKER 3: Like, it's, it's not really, not really something that you would see on the card. So, yeah, it's, it's mainly what I'm telling myself that I need to get, and making sure that I put myself in the best position to get it and know that most of the time, even if you make a good plan, it's gonna get blown up by something. So not getting completely frustrated by that.

SPEAKER 3: You know, there's been times where, you know, players are coming out, of the clubhouse going into the dugout and they'll have a great big smile on their face.

SPEAKER 3: They'll be carrying all their gear and it's like the perfect shot and then a coach or another player will walk sort of right in front of him and give him a high five and I just, by the time he gets in an area where I have a clear shot of him, the, the smile is gone like the full gone and, you know, it's frustrating but it's like, ok, well, I couldn't have done anything differently, just sort of the luck of the draw.

SPEAKER 3: So, so you come back the next day hoping that, you know, you get, you can get that, you know, opportunity again and then maybe he's not smiling the next game. So it's, it's, you just can't be hard on yourself because there's so many variables, that you just can't control so you can just do the best you can.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah, I, I love these stories and I think it's important for people to know. Like it's, again, it's not just showing up taking, you know, 1000 pictures and then driving home and doing it again the next day. Right. It's just so there's a strategy involved here. Too much. Like you see a player pull a card out of his back pocket as to where he should be positioned with certain matters.

SPEAKER 3: I should get those.

SPEAKER 3: That would be great. It's like show up. Oh, I should have been on the other side like I need to be the other side, the third position. Oh, that would be great.

SPEAKER 3: I could market those for other photographers.

SPEAKER 1: There you go. The, the, the, you know, photography for dummies if you will sports photography.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah.

SPEAKER 1: You know, with I, I believe you could correct me if I'm wrong. Your, your photos have appeared on 4000 cards. Is that correct?

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. So it's funny because when I, during COVID I started this spreadsheet that was, you know, all my cards. It had the names, the little picture of them. I got up to about 2000.

SPEAKER 3: And then my son was born and that spreadsheet has not been touched since then. So, so I would say it's probably around 4000. I, I, I, I wanted to go back and do it.

SPEAKER 3: But it's, it's such a, such a big project to do now because it's been two years, that I, I don't know if that will happen but, yeah, it's probably around 4000 and, I'm s, I'm sort of in my, in my sales logs. I sort of have 100 to 100 50 to 200 cards every month that, I get paid for. So, you know, that.

SPEAKER 1: That was my next question, Brian. Do you know what shots ahead of time are gonna eventually make their way onto a card?

SPEAKER 3: No, I mean, I'll have ideas like, you know, there's definitely pictures I'll take where I'll be like, oh, that's, you know, that's perfect for a card and, you know, in 6 to 12 months it's probably gonna be on a card.

SPEAKER 3: And then it will appear. So, I don't know beforehand. By the time I get my reports, normally the cards have, have been already out. So, I don't know, I don't know what they're gonna be on my reports. Don't say like, you know, Mookie bets, here's the picture and it's on stadium club, it just says top. So it's like, you know, it could be on any tops product, it could be on the front, it could be on the back.

SPEAKER 3: The backs are hard to judge in terms of photos because a lot of people don't take pictures of the backs, like, on ebay.

SPEAKER 1: Well, I was gonna ask you, how do you know, like, so you can open a pack and that's how you discover your photos and you on the card, like, in real time, like, you're finding out on the flag.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah. It's, like I said, it's like Christmas morning. It's like, when series two came out I, I think I watched, like, a break of someone opening, like a hobby box and, you know, he was, he was going way too fast to the car. So I was, like, slow down. Like, I, I think that one's mine, like, trying to take screenshots to see, you know, to, to look later.

SPEAKER 3: But, yeah, I mean, normally it's just, you know, if a set comes out, I'll put a safe search in ebay and then, you know, once, once cards fly up there, then I'll sort of look at them and, you know, I know the teams that I, and players that I shot from from the last year. And, for the most part, if I see a card, I'll know. Yeah, that's my shot. That's not my shot. Some people think that's weird. I was gonna ask.

SPEAKER 1: You about that. How difficult is that? Because, I mean, a lot of times they're shot from the same angle by a different photographer. How do you know, like, I, I know, you know, but like, how do you like how.

SPEAKER 3: Sometimes you can tell like just the position and stuff.

SPEAKER 3: Sometimes like the colors, like, just sort of look like the colors of the photos I take.

SPEAKER 3: Sometimes, yeah, it's just the angles or the pictures or I just remember, oh, I remember editing that picture. There'll definitely be times where I'll look at something, I'll be like, that looks like something I might have shot and then I'll look and I'll be like, oh, that's, that's at the game I was at, but that's not, not my photo.

SPEAKER 3: So, but I've gotten pretty good where for the most part, I'll know, OK, I shot them in that uniform against this team. So could be, it's definitely harder with, with the Photoshop jerseys because like, you don't know, some.

SPEAKER 3: So lately toss has been doing this thing where for O Tani, they took a picture of him at an Angels game where he hit a home run and they retouched it to the doc uniform, which would have been easy to see if the Angels like stadium was still in the background, but they took him out of the Angels stadium and put him into the Dodger Stadium.

SPEAKER 3: So there's like all these variables where I'm like, ok, well, that's definitely not from this year even though it's the stadium. And so it's, those are a little harder to figure out, especially with like pictures of Yamamoto. I, I got some argument on Social Media with this guy saying, how do you know that that is a Photoshop picture?

SPEAKER 3: I'm like, because you can't take that picture in Dodger Stadium. Like that angle is not possible. Like it's like not possible. They're like, well, what if you know some other photographer got I'm like, it's not possible like that, you know, you.

SPEAKER 1: Can only be in certain areas. Yeah, it was a pitch. You're not gonna be sitting on the bench next to a player, not in the game just to get this like did that, that doesn't happen.

SPEAKER 3: So those, those are definitely tricky to, to figure out who they are. And you know, the, the top series two packaging is a pitch of Juan Soto and, and I saw the picture and I was like, OK, that seems to be something that I might have shot last year when he was on the Padres and I looked and they did a great job of photoshopping that one.

SPEAKER 3: I mean, they probably spent a lot of time since it's on the packaging. But yeah, the pitcher on series two is a Photoshop picture of Juan Soto in his Yankees uniform from last year in his Padres uniform that I shot when he hit, hit a home run.

SPEAKER 1: They don't have to tell you they, they have poetic license at that point after, you.

SPEAKER 3: Know, they can do whatever. Yeah, I mean, within reason, right? I mean, they're not gonna put like you know, a hat on someone that's like a birthday hat or something.

SPEAKER 1: Or unless it's the holiday. Boxing.

SPEAKER 3: That is true.

SPEAKER 3: Candy came back. I've had some of those too.

SPEAKER 1: Well, that's, that's real cool. Very cool, man. And, and, like, literally to open a pack and see you work, like, I don't wanna say for the first time, but, like, hey, it's on this card.

SPEAKER 1: Like, that's just gotta be a, a pretty cool moment. I, I would think.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, it's cool. Like some of my friends they have, they have kids who are playing Little League and about a month ago I brought some packs down and we're opening them and they're like, is this your card? Is this your picture?

SPEAKER 3: And I'm like, that's my picture and one of them wanted me to sign it. It was like Julio Rodriguez card. I was like, I don't think you want me to sign this like it's gonna go down in value like he's like, no, I want you to sign, I'm like, no, I'm not, I'm not signing it.

SPEAKER 3: So that's fun. Like just opening packs with kids and you know, giving kids cards that have my photos on it and telling them that, you know, that I took that picture like what and.

SPEAKER 1: May and maybe you're aspiring a young man or woman to, to follow in your footsteps and, and you know, carry the Torch when it's when they get older, as well.

SPEAKER 3: So, yeah, my wife says that I should write a, write a kid's book about cards and photos and she's like, there's something there and, yeah.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah. Well, maybe we'll, well, and, and we'll have you back anyway. But if you definitely do that we'll definitely, have you back and, and talk about that. Do you go to games just as a fan? Do you get to do that or are you? So like from attending? So as work, do you kind of just wanna decompress? Talk about?

SPEAKER 3: It's funny because I used to go to so many games as a fan and, you know, it's totally different now.

SPEAKER 3: I went to, I think the last game I went to was a Braves game when, my wife and I were with visiting her family in Atlanta and I mean, we had great seats but the whole game, I was like watching like the photographers and like seeing what they were doing and like watching the light cause there was like, it was like really pretty sunset and so.

SPEAKER 1: You still got your game face.

SPEAKER 3: I couldn't turn my mind off, like I couldn't just like watch and like, not think about like, well, if I was here I'd be doing this and you know, it's funny because one of the great photographers in L A he shot for Getty for years.

SPEAKER 3: He was watching the Masters during a rain delay a Dodgers game this year and he was the same way he was, like, watching on TV. And he was like, ok, like, I would be over in that corner, you know, shooting in this direction. Like, he was still playing the game in his mind even though he wasn't there and just watching on TV.

SPEAKER 3: Which, I mean, that's, that's sort of crazy. I mean, that's, you get good at your craft too is like, you know, thinking it through like that. But, yeah, I haven't been to, been to too many games as a fan. I think once my son gets a little older, I think I'll start going some more.

SPEAKER 3: I took him to batting practice, to the Angels, like, like a month ago and, he last about 10 minutes on the field just being interested. But, yeah, he loves baseball but it's, it's, it's too early to, to get him to, to game, but that'll be fun. That'll be like a new version of a fan. But, yeah, it's hard to, it's hard to go to a game and sit far away when I'm sitting so close in action as it is now. So kind of spoiled.

SPEAKER 1: I II, I love the answer and it's, and it's not right. You, and plus you still got your game face on, you still, it's hard to get out of that mode. Like, even though you're not there working, you're thinking as if you are in.

SPEAKER 3: Well, especially with the Braves game too because I, I haven't shot there before. So I was like, you know, like in my mind doing research, like, ok, if I shoot here and, you know, in the future, you know, I should go to this side or that side or, you know, just trying to get tips and yeah, at some point I need to turn my brain off, which would probably be a good idea.

SPEAKER 1: Well, Brian, I appreciate you, you coming on and giving some of that behind the scenes inside. I think again, I know I've said this on more than one time here, but I think it's important to realize the work in detail that goes involved. You know, we get to open a pack of cards and enjoy the work that photographers such as yourself do.

SPEAKER 1: But I think people don't realize the grind and the effort for that final product to, to be there for us to enjoy. And I'm glad you shared some of that while I May know there's a probably a higher percentage that don't realize all the, all that stuff. And I think it's it's important to, to know that and kind of give credit where, where credit is due. And so I, I appreciate it.

SPEAKER 1: A as always, I give the guest kinda where people can follow you Social Media wise anywhere you wanna direct and go ahead and let folks.

SPEAKER 3: Yeah, thanks. So I'm mainly on Instagram sports card photographer.

SPEAKER 3: I do have a Twitter account, sports card photo, which not very use very often. Like if I see someone posted a tweet about a car that is a picture of a car that has my picture on it. I'll, I'll retweet it but mostly on Instagram.

SPEAKER 3: And yeah, when I started my Instagram account and it was basically the story behind the photo. So I would write sort of the process behind getting that photo, what was happening during the game where I was shooting from and I love doing that.

SPEAKER 3: And then when my son was born, I didn't have the time to do that. So I've just sort of been posting, you know, photos and cards.

SPEAKER 3: But, but hope to get back to that soon because it, it, it's a, it's a unique story about, you know, OK, what was happening during the game when that photo was taken and, and you know, what was the thought process? So gives people sort of behind the scenes of, of what we do.

SPEAKER 1: So, yeah, very cool. Look forward to seeing, you know, your work continue on, on cardboard and chrome and very important, right? Without, without you on, on the front lines there, we wouldn't have the cards that we have to enjoy. So keep up you know, it's a grind pace yourself. Keep up the great work and look forward to seeing some of that great work on cardboard and chrome. Thanks.

SPEAKER 3: Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER 1: Ryan's an awesome guy. Really happy to have mine. The last two episodes breaking down what he does, the importance of what he does. I know we take for granted just in general sports card photographers. And so I hope you learned a few things.

SPEAKER 1: It's not as easy as probably we think, in our mind. So, glad for, having them on and sharing what, what goes, into that and what it entails. So, again, if you're at the National, I hope to see you get to chat with you. Hope you're having a good time.

SPEAKER 1: And, you know, next, we'll have some content obviously coming out of us being, at the National as well. So, we're gonna, break now to, to hear from our hobby is the people, an announcer of the week, some closing thoughts and, we'll wrap up the episode safe if you travel, to the National, safe travels home as well.

SPEAKER 6: Time for our hobby is the people announcer of the week.

SPEAKER 7: What's up? Everyone? It's brodie. The kid always remember the hobby is the people peace out.

SPEAKER 6: If you'd like to be the hobby is the people announcer of the week, do a WAV or MP3 file. And send it to Sports Card Nation PC at gmail.com.

SPEAKER 8: That's a wrap for this week. Huge thanks to you, the listeners out there because without you, there is no ice.

SPEAKER 8: If you like the show, we truly appreciate positive reviews. Big ups to our great guests who drive the show and our awesome sponsors who make it all possible. Sports Cog Nation will be back next week. But don't forget to catch either hobby quick hits or Cod Mens coming up on Monday.

SPEAKER 8: I'll leave you with this.

SPEAKER 8: How do we change the world?

SPEAKER 8: One? Random act of kindness at a time.

SPEAKER 8: Remember the hobby is the people.

SPEAKER 9: Hobby News Daily is your home page of the hobby providing original writing, exclusive gem rate data. A daily morning minute podcast and some of the best content creators in the hobby. Remember hobby news, daily.com and at Hobby News Daily on social happy collecting.

SPEAKER 10: Iron sports cards is your number one source for all your PS A and other grading submissions. Their elite status improves turnaround times. Heck, they even provide the card savers. Their chat rooms provide updates on all your submissions.

SPEAKER 10: They also offer wax options and single cards to cover all the bases. Check them out on Facebook at Iron Sports Cards Group or on the web at Irons Sports cards.com. Or even give them a call at 1877 Ironps A Rob's got you covered.