Professional success in this business hinges as much on the ability to foster relationships as having an artful eye and the ability to capture that vision with the camera. You never know where that growing social network of creative professionals will lead. It is always exciting and inspiring when unexpected, collaborative opportunities arise from these connections, as was the case with my recent assignment photographing NABO light welterweight boxing champion Karim Mayfield. I was introduced to Karim by his friend Dawn Sutti, a San Francisco-based hair and makeup stylist who’d been following my career updates on Facebook. Struck with the idea that my style of athlete portraiture and behind-the-scenes sensibility were a perfect match for documenting Karim Mayfield and his team, Dawn put me in touch with Karim and his manager and I soon found myself documenting my first, thrilling boxing match.
This image of Karim Mayfield defeating Raymond Serrano captures some of the adrenaline-pumping suspense and drama:
Keith Barraclough 