The Many Wonders Of Yankee Stadium

Sure, if you're a baseball fan you're likely heading to Yankee Stadium to watch the best team on Earth play ball (the Yankees, of course -- accept no substitutes). But if you're a true Yankee fan, you know that there's more to love about the stadium apart from the fact that it's Yankee headquarters. Need convincing? Try these reasons on for size:

SOURCE: wikipedia.org

i) There are some excellent eats at the stadium - Crackerjacks and hotdogs are all fine and dandy but there's nothing quite like Parm's delectable and filling chicken parm, Brother Jimmy's BBQ's truly wonderful pulled pork sandwiches, or the dry-aged steaks of NYY Steak.

ii) You can hope to be the next Freddy Schuman - Until he passed in 2010, fan and legend Freddy "Freddy Sez" Schuman was the Yankees' unofficial promoter. He was known for banging on a frying pan with a shamrock on it to bring the team luck and for encouraging the team and fellow fans with handpainted signs.

SOURCE: esquire.com

iii) Yankee Stadium was pretty innovative - The old stadium was the first ever three-tiered sports stadium in the country. It was also the first to take advantage of an electronic scoreboard and instant replay monitor (the latter came much later).

iv) Sinatra's "New York, New York" is a bit of an anthem in the stadium - It used to be that Frank Sinatra's iconic song was played over the speakers whenever the home team won and Liza Minnelli's when they lost. Naturally, Minnelli took umbrage and told them to play hers after the Yankees won or not at all. These days Sinatra's version is played, win or lose.

v) It's a gorgeous example of architecture. - The original was an icon of post-modern construction. After its redesign by architectural firm, Populous, the new Yankee stadium pays tribute to the original with a beautiful limestone and granite façade and by retaining the old stadium's recognizable frieze, while being outfitted with the most modern amenities.

These are just some reasons why Yankee Stadium is one of the most amazing places in the planet but perhaps you should really just check it out for yourself to confirm!

Retired photographer Judd Bergman divvies up his time between photography and baseball, specifically New York Yankees baseball. If that's also up your alley, follow this Twitter account to get quick updates on his interests.

Rekindle Your Love For Photography With These Project Ideas

Image source: Dailyherald.com

I understand that there are times in a photographer’s life when creativity won’t seem to flow. There are days when it seems like we’re too slow to capture a good moment or we just can’t see it. When these things happen, I have learned to not let it get to me. To bring back my fiery passion for photography, I make sure to have a personal project on the side. If you want your own project, here are some ideas: 

A photo a day challenge

 

Nothing gets you out of a rut than knowing that you have to get a photo daily. With this project, the possibilities are endless. There’s no running theme and you’re not really required to come out with a photo worthy of a spread in a magazine. Just take a photo of something that catches your interest to fulfill your challenge for the day. 

Pictures of home project

 

Whether you’re living in a suitcase or have set some well-made roots in a city, taking pictures of what makes your current home interesting will give you lots of material to play with. You could take photos of a part of your house, your neighbors, what happens in the streets, and more. You’ll never run out of interesting details to discover. 

Image source: Dreamstime.com

Interesting strangers project

 

Taking photos of seemingly ordinary people while letting them tell their story is a good challenge. I tried this for a few times and the results came out great. I guess photographers work better when they know the depth of the person or the event they’re documenting. This project just brings out the heart behind the art of photography.

What do you think? If you’re up for the challenge, I guarantee that you’ll be inspired to go on and keep taking good photos. 

Judd Bergman’s the name. I’m a full-fledged New York City dweller and dad of three. Now that I have already retired from my job as a travel photographer, I can take my grandkids to see the Yankees play live because I know that the blood of blue and gray runs deep within them, too. This blog has more of my thoughts on baseball and photography.