At a Cochrane Generals game, professional newspaper photographers like to position themselves to the right of the goalie - it's the best place to get the shot.
At a Cochrane Generals game, professional newspaper photographers like to position themselves to the right of the goalie - it's the best place to get the shot.
In that same corner, there's usually another man behind the lens who guns for his own great picture, not for work or money like the pros … but because of a passion for seeing his son play.
“I love to watch my kids play sports, ” said James Rendell. “And they're a keepsake for me. ”
Rendell's son Connor, 21, is a power forward for the Cochrane Generals, a popular and successful veteran who consistently puts the puck in the net for the team.
Connor started playing hockey when he was four years old - and Rendell started taking pictures shortly after.
As the years went on, Connor continued through bantam and midget to junior B, and Rendell continued snapping photographs. Today, Rendell says he has “thousands and thousands ” of pictures on his computer of his talented son's hockey progression.
Like sport, sports photography is not an easy thing to master, and Rendell said his techniques have improved with time.
“It's probably taken me a while to get to where I am, ” he said with a smile. “I watch a lot of YouTube videos. ”
Rendell estimates he takes about 400 photos per Generals game with his Canon 60D DSLR camera, both at home and on the road.
Connor said the pictures give him and his hockey dad a connection different than a lot of other families involved in the sport.
“We can bond over the photos and still talk about the game, ” said Connor. “He'll show me the ones that he really likes. I love all his photos - I think they're really good. ”
Fans, families and players often ask Rendell for pictures, and Connor said his father is always willing to look through his shots to see if he got the goal, the rush or the play.
Recently, Cochrane Generals management asked Rendell if they could start using some of his photos on social media, and they also put together a collection of his best shots for a team calendar.
The 2017 calendar - available for purchase as a fundraiser for the Gens - is the culmination of years of watching hockey from Rendell's unique perspective.
Rendell said the recent public recognition of his work gives him inspiration to keep improving.
“It makes me want to take better pictures, ” he said. “It's a journey. ”
