Andrew Bernstein: Senior NBA Photographer - AIR077

NBA History Conversations: Basketball Record

Episode • May 24, 2017 • 51m

Senior NBA Photographer and Director of Photography for Staples Center, Andrew Bernstein.

He hasn't played a single minute in the NBA. However, Andy Bernstein is a perennial contender for league MVP (Most Valuable Photographer). The 2017 NBA Finals marked the 35th-consecutive time that Andy has covered the Association's showcase event.

We discuss Andy's rise from amateur shutterbug - his love for the camera was fostered by a (teenage) trip to the Western United States with his dad - to becoming one of the world's greatest sports photographers.

Highlights of our conversation include Andy's memories of an iconic rendition of the national anthem at his first All-Star Game (1983), his crucial involvement in creating the (taken from his bio) position of Senior Director of NBA Photos - a position he held for 25 years - a discussion about the meteoric changes in camera technology over recent decades and of course, he details wonderful stories behind how some of his most-historic photos came to be.

Links discussed (include):
* Marvin Gaye's amazing performance at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game
* Follow Andy's wonderful output on Instagram
* Journey to the Ring: Behind the Scenes with the 2010 NBA Champion Lakers

People mentioned include Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Lon Rosen, Terry Lyons, Pat Riley, David Stern, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Porter McKinnon.

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