The 6 Best Sports Photographers in New Orleans

When you have a city full of sports teams like New Orleans, it takes some talented photographers to ensure each game day moment is captured in the best light possible. The NOLA Saints, Pelicans, Privateers, and others are fortunate that the Crescent City is home to some incredibly talented creatives who are ready for hire. If you’re organizing a sporting event and need professional coverage, here are the top sports photographers in New Orleans, listed in no particular order, for your consideration.

1. Mike Trummel of Eston Photography

Mike Trummel of Eston Photography covers college and professional sporting events in the New Orleans area and beyond. He’s also covers weddings, portraits, and anything else photography-related. As a member of the Professional Photographers of America (PPA), as well as the Nikon Professional Services, Mike is certified as a master sports photographer.

His clients are diverse in scope, including Game Face Media, Loyola New Orleans, the Louisiana Marathon, and other sporting event organizers. Mike’s work showcases his incredible talent for nailing the “decisive moment.” His captures are all about eye contact, flying mud, athlete’s in mid-stride or throw — dynamic movements that really telling the story of the sport and the players in that single frame.

2. Michael Tortorich Photography

Having studied journalism at the Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University, sports photography was a natural focus for Michael Tortorich. While many people eventually fall into photography after retirement or a winding career track, Michael started working as a freelance photographer and writer for local papers right out of high school and during his university studies.

As a result, he works to not only document but deliver “the perfect shot,” the capture that carries the story of the day all by itself! Michael’s captures highlights the energy, enthusiasm, and focus of his subjects. The athletes’ postures reflect their total immersion in the game, and Michael’s angles and compositions show this to maximum effect. While sports is his main area of expertise, he also creates model/acting headshots, family and children portraiture, as well as product photography. 

3. Andrew Simoneaux

Andrew Simoneaux is a gifted photographer in love with variety — from weddings to portraiture, nothing is unworthy of his lens. Taking advantage of his versatility, Andrew is also one of the best sports photographers in New Orleans. His sports images have an intimacy that’s impressive considering the long lenses used in this genre.

His images place us right on the field alongside celebrating athletes, group huddles, the perfect pass, and more. Andrew tends to use a subdued color palette with a documentary-style grade, perfectly suited to sports photography. Deep shadows and contrast gives his images a signature style that’s all his own.

4. Derick Hingle Photography

Derick Hingle fuses his love for both photography and sports in his work. He was introduced to the profession after spending time documenting the aftermath of Hurricane Kartina in New Orleans; he found himself captivated by the work. Sports photography is another angle on visual storytelling that comes quite naturally to Derick, and he’s since branched out into both college and professional sports work for over a decade.

He captures magic moments with athletes suspended in the air and multiple players caught in motion. We also love his close-up “portraits” of the intensity and concentration sports like gymnastics and basketball bring out in their players. With his coverage of a diverse range of athletic events, Derick is undoubtedly one of the most talented New Orleans sports photographers.

5. Robert Trent Spann of Images By Robert T.

Soccer headbutts with flaring hair, athletes pushing themselves through the rain, and camaraderie on the court are just a few of the ways Robert Spann, AKA Trent, shows us his vision for sports photography. As a New Orleans photographer, Trent specializes in covering every sort of event, from sports and concerts to weddings and car racing. We enjoy the high-contrast color grading he uses in his professional sports work, which entails punchy colors, bright whites, and deep shadows.

6. Marc Pagani Photography

An athlete is probably the best person to capture sports images and, as a climber and Ironman triathlete, Marc Pagani is one of the top sports photographers in New Orleans! Marc has been working since 1993 to capture award-winning images not just in New Orleans but on several continents both underwater and on land.

He’s also the author of the book Fearless Photographer: Travel, available in print and online via Amazon! Marc’s personal vision is often punchy in terms of color, employing high-dynamic range to showcase fine details from highlights and shadows. As a master photographer, Marc also teaches photography workshops and even uses the artform as a therapeutic tool. 

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