Best Sports Photographers in Oakland

No genre of photography requires such a keen eye or fast reflexes as sports photography, which is all about freezing the emotions, adrenaline, and action of games. From the moment a hitter connects with the ball to the airtime of a basketball player, a well-executed sports image can make the viewer feel like they were in the stands or sitting court-side when the moment took place.

Situated on the doorstep of San Francisco, Oakland is never far from all the sporting action of both professional and amateur leagues. It’s where several of the Bay Area’s most talented sports photographers have decided to base themselves and here are 7 of our favorites.

Santiago Mejia

Santiago Mejia is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and photojournalist who is also a staff member at the “San Francisco Chronicle”. He’s documented some of the Bay Area’s biggest sporting events, as well as some of the most significant news events in recent years. Santiago’s images always draw you into the action, with all of its ups and downs, as was on display during his solo exhibition at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. In addition to co-chairing the National Press Photographers Association's photo contest in the West Region, he is an alumnus of The New York Times Student Journalism Institute.

Scott Strazzante

Also on the staff of the “San Francisco Chronicle” is Scott Strazzante, who spent his early career working at a variety of newspapers in Chicago, including the “Chicago Tribune”. In fact, he was part of their team that won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 for their investigative journalism work. Scott describes photography as a “celebration of life” and has had the privilege to shoot big-name athletes, such as Michael Jordan. But he also loves documenting everyday people and sporting events, as well as weddings and personal portraits. Strazzante has published several books, including “Shooting from the Hip”, which features iPhone Hipstamatic shots taken throughout the United States.

Larry Rosa

With around 15 years of professional experience under his belt, Larry Rosa knows a thing or two about what it takes to capture striking sports images. He loves the challenge of capturing fleeting moments in time and how beautiful images can make memories come rushing back and live on forever. Larry has a knack for anticipating the moment before it even happens, which is what makes his sports photography stand out from the rest. In addition to his commercial work for Majestic Athletic/Fanatics and Major League Baseball, he regularly shoots weddings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

Brad Mangin Photography

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Brad Mangin has been working as a sports photographer for more than 30 years. He specializes in documenting Major League Baseball events for clients such as “Sports Illustrated” and won second place in the action category of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 52nd Annual Photo Contest. Brad has published three books about the San Francisco Giants winning the World Series and has also released “Instant Baseball: The Baseball Instagrams of Brad Mangin”. Aside from his baseball photography, Brad is also a staple on the PGA Tour, with most of the shots (surprisingly) taken on his iPhone.

DeNoise Studios

Established in 1998, DeNoise Studios specializes in photography, videography, and audio production out of their facility in Berkeley. They regularly document events and promotional material for sporting clubs and fitness companies, as well as working on a variety of creative and artistic projects. DeNoise Studios is led by a French-born creative and was originally conceived as a sound mastering facility for local musicians. Today, he heads a team of talented photographers, videographers, sound engineers, models, and makeup artists who can assist with everything from storyboarding to shooting, editing, and on-demand distribution.

Mad Focus Media

Miguel is the man behind Mad Focus Media, which is a leading photographic name in San Francisco’s basketball scene. He’s incredibly skilled at capturing the perfect moment and freezing the emotions and adrenaline of the game. Miguel describes basketball as “art in its purest form” and a “beautiful, rhythmic dance”. His passion for the game has evolved into telling stories about the basketball community - the good, the bad, and the beautiful. Miguel’s impressive portfolio includes work with the Compton Magic, Funding Circle USA, the San Francisco City Cats, and the West Coast Elite.

Scott Buschman

Scott Buschman has been photographing the people, places, and events of the Bay Area since 1982 and doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon. He was born and raised in San Francisco and discovered his passion for photography at a young age while learning to develop film and print photos in his family's darkroom. Scott graduated from San Francisco State University and began working as a photojournalist, something that he did for 15 years before establishing his own business. His images have appeared in numerous books and magazines, as well as being featured on the walls of the San Mateo County Courthouse.

Find a location in Oakland for your next film or photo shoot, meeting, or event.