Golf Course Photography

A few months back I photographed the golf course at Desert Horizons Country Club in Indian Wells, California. It helped that I had photographed golf courses previously. Most of the photography is done to accentuate the depth and curves of the course. In this case, they also wanted me to capture some of the wildlife that makes the course home during the winter months. 

The pictures to your left are of the installation of prints that was completed last month. I am shown with Al Castro, the club's General Manager. Golf course photography is not dissimilar to landscape photography. The best light is right at or after sunrise and right before or after sunset. As landscape photographers, we are already used to getting up early and staying out at dinner time. 

To be honest, I will share several reasons why I got this job. Six years ago,  I was a member of this country club. That led to many friends who follow my landscape photography. One of those friends was on the decorating committee for the their new clubhouse. There were a ton of blank walls! The artist in charge, Berndt Heidemann painted over twenty large canvas prints. He was also asked to provide some photography of the course. We decided in advance that the hallway locations would make prints face-mounted to acrylic and hung with stand offs the most attractive option.

There are some rather famous golf course photographers in the Palm Springs area. Consider that there are over one hundred courses in a twenty mile radius, so the opportunities are there. But consider that these photographers have high fees. I do not. So when the artist in charge needed to cut some costs, he was referred to me. I don't give my photography away, but this was not a job that would require a $30,000+ expense as it would have with the other photographers. But in any bid you give, be sure to include multiple days for shooting, any travel expenses and the time it will take to hang your work.

You may be interested in golf course photography at clubs in your area. If you are not a golfer, first discover what the club might need in the way of photography. This could mean website images, a brochure cover or updated prints for the walls. Ask for permission to photograph the course. Then show your results to the general manager.

Here are some tips that might be useful:

• Scout your preferred locations first. Look for lines and backgrounds. Learn what the "signature" holes are for the course so you can be sure to include them.
• Use the curves of bunkers (sand traps) and hillsides to create flow through the images.
• Shadows are great! The best images make use of shadows to create depth, so be prepared to shoot fast when the sun is just above the horizon. Depending on the job, you are likely to have to shoot multiple days.
• Shoot low (close to the cup) and shoot high (use a ladder without damaging the course) and/or a drone.
• Overcast skies are not as nice for golf course photography. Make sure the course looks sunny and welcoming in most shots. Always plan shoots around the weather.
• Use lakes for reflections.
• Some courses have more attractive vegetation during certain seasons. Discover how adding colorful plants can enhance your images.

For this particular assignment, there were some definite challenges. First, there was a deadline, which meant I had to do the photography before seasonal flowers were looking great. Then, the course is surrounded by homes and condominiums which meant shooting to deemphasize those features while emphasizing the palms and background mountains. Because the palms are so plentiful and tall, it was challenging to not have them cut of on the edges of the frames. This meant some extra cleanup on the images.

If golf course photography sounds like an appealing side business for you, go ahead and take the next step.