American Pastime, Part-Time

Hiroshi Watanabe's work on the Durham Bulls is highlighted by Andrew Boryga's "Homage to a Standout in the Minor Leagues". Watanabe gives a new perspective on sports photography, focusing less on the action that happens on the field and dives deep into the inner workings of the ballgame itself. “I decided to focus on the mechanics, how everything works together, besides the baseball players."

This unique perspective of the sport comes from Watanabe's lack of experience shooting the baseball diamond, which given his past aspiration to hot the field as a kid comes as a very shocking contradiction and an uncommon link between shooter and subject. This and his foreign presence amongst the South adds to the simplicity of his photos. The shots he pulled feel somewhat eerie at times, with the lightpost among the clouds as an example. That uneasy feeling when looking at Watanabe's work is not something to look away from. In fact, he pulls one in to the game of baseball more so than any sports photographer focusing on the field in action.

One of the niches which truly makes this set of photos so vibrant is the symmetry in Watanabe's composition. "Trainer's Tools" is a pure example of the offbeat patterns that take place within these shots, where nothing is straight yet everything is cohesively patterened. This also speaks loudly to the individuals involved within the Minor League divisions: playing the same game without all of the endoresment deals and large salaries. If anything, it shows the division as a more grass-rooted American pastime than the Major Leagues.

One of the most striking photos from Watanabe's shoot are those of the scoreboard operator who sits in a booth for the entire game, watching it all through a window and pulling out the appropriate scorecard when needed. Watanabe mentions that all of the scoreboards zeros are cracked, since they are the ones that stay out on the board when the season isn't in swing. “It is indicative of the passage of time,” Mr. Watanabe said. “As long as there is no score, it all stays the same.”

Personal Reflection:

I've never been the one for sports, but I connect with Watanabe on looking back at a personal pastime after finding another hobby to occupy my time. Ever since high school I had always wanted to be a musician, playing shows all the way up till I was 17. Then one day I took a Screenwriting class and snagged my mom's Nikon for a class and I changed my course once college came around. Even though it's no longer the sole hobby that takes up my time, every now and then I return to playing music in my basement. Not going down that path and still having it in my life changed how I wanted to play and who I wanted to play for. It's become a more intimate pastime of mine, one that I don't frequent as much as I used to. That doesn't mean it has lost value.