Whether playing softball for the Christ’s Church at Whitewater Sluggers or photographing the Atlanta Braves in SunTrust Park, it’s all fun for freelance photographer Adam Hagy of Fayette County.
His days with the Braves can last from 3:30 p.m. batting practice through the end of a game at 11 p.m. But Hagy said, “I technically don’t work a day in my life. I grew up loving the Braves. It’s almost dream-like sitting by the dugout and interacting.”
Key for Hagy is watching for moments when action and emotion coincide. “You’re thinking of telling a story,” he said.
Telling the Braves’ story doesn’t end at the ballpark, however. He follows the team to community events, visits to children’s hospitals, and even shoots players’ family portraits.
Hagy also covers other sports, including Georgia Tech Football. “I like shooting action,” he said. Another thing Hagy enjoys is the variety of his work. While covering the August Tour Championship at Eastlake Golf Club in Atlanta, a lightning strike that injured several fans, quickly turned Hagy from sports to news. His photos of the event were shared around the world.
A member of Whitewater High School’s first graduating class in 2007, Hagy had not planned on a photography career. After earning a degree in supply chain management from Kennesaw State University, job opportunities arose in other states. On his grandparents’ advice, he stayed in Fayette County.
He took a local job archiving old photos for USA Today Sports Images, which provides photographs to news outlets. Later, he became a photo messenger, running images from photographers to editors. That put him close to the action. “I was hooked,” he admitted.
Hagy asked lots of questions, earned more responsibility, and received a professional camera from his boss. Shooting a local high school game eventually led to his first college shoot, a Clemson vs. South Carolina game where he captured a shot of freshman Deshaun Watson scoring a touchdown.
Without formal training, Hagy mimicked other professional photographers and sought tough criticism. “I kept learning from failure,” he said.
When it was time for his next career move, Hagy prayed for a closed door. He lost his job and Braves team photographer Kevin D. Liles brought him on board as a freelancer. “God’s given me reassurance with more and more assignments,” he said.
Describing his best shot as, “the next shot I take,” Hagy can turn a bad day around with his camera.
“Once you make one good picture, it makes the day,” he said.
