BTVF: Who is Glenn Gervot?
G.G.: First and foremost, a ‘simple’ baseball fan for over 35 years.
I’m a professional photographer and the official photographer for the Federation since 2013.
In 8 years working for the federation, I’ve built an archive of over 30,000 photos!
As a pro, I’ve had the chance to win the Jury Prize at the CNOSF Bretagne competition in 2018 and the 2nd prize in the ‘Reportage’ category at the Paris Sport Photo International Sports Photography Festival in 2019.
BTVF: Being a professional photographer in sports and baseball in particular goes hand in hand with what quality?
G.G.: Knowing the sport is always a plus, but generally speaking, anticipating actions and emotions, precision, and always ensuring the action is not blocked and is at the heart of the photo are the qualities to strive for.
Being on the field early to scout the locations and recognize the best spots is also very important, to avoid leaving too much to chance.
BTVF: Since 2013, you’ve been the official photographer for the French Baseball Federation and as such have covered the major sporting events. What is the best and worst memory from your photographic journeys?
G.G.: Thanks to the federation, I’ve had the chance to travel to 4 of the 5 continents! It’s a bit surreal, I must admit, it’s already an amazing memory.
The best?
Probably the 2016 World Baseball Classic Qualifier. The preparation was done in Arizona, we had the chance to meet Ron Wotus, Bench Coach of the San Francisco Giants, during a dinner. The early signs of Bruce Bochy’s arrival as the French national team coach! Then we did the qualifier in Panama City.
The team won its first WBC game against Spain, with a strikeout by Pierrick Lemestre against Rolando Merino!! Simply ENORMOUS!
Yoann Vaugelade pitched a huge game against Panama.
Even if we didn’t qualify, the experience was crazy.
The worst?
Without a doubt, the 2020 World Baseball Classic Qualifier.
The team had something to play for and then COVID struck and we had to leave without even playing! Extremely frustrating, I had been waiting for this for 4 years!!!
BTVF: You’ve done portraits of the two most high-profile French players: Paz and Mayeux. How do you approach these portfolios, and are others planned?
G.G.: Very honestly, I was able to do something special for Andy that I haven’t been able to completely do for Melissa.
I’ll explain, I decided during a trip to the US to make a long detour and go through Midland, Texas, and shoot Andy with his MiLB AA team.
The road trip, the atmosphere, the city, add to the photos I was able to take of Andy.
This had never been done before, photographing a French baseball player in their American professional environment.
For Melissa, it’s true that COVID didn’t really help in creating a similar report. But who knows?
Now, I’ve been able to follow Melissa in both baseball and softball, with the French teams or in her various clubs.
I would say that like any portfolio, it’s very important not to focus solely on action shots. You have to try as much as possible to bring the reportage to life and show the game, the action, but also the behind-the-scenes.
For Andy, I was able to capture a moment where he was alone at the end of the game, in the dugout: A moment of solitude but also of self-reflection, which I hope I was able to convey in this black and white shot.
Post-COVID, I of course want to do the same for Yoann Antonac and Ernesto Martinez.
BTVF: Press articles, books, social media posts are eager for your images. Now in France, there are images for baseball cards. Tell us about this new adventure?
G.G.: It’s indeed very recent, and something I hadn’t really seen coming. I had in mind to publish a book before hoping to have the opportunity to make cards.
Baseball cards are a bit of my ‘madeleine de Proust’.
But you can’t control everything, and the cards, which were a bit of a grail (for any photographer attached to baseball), finally arrived first.
The meeting with Greg, from Potes Cartes, led to us being able to produce baseball cards in very limited series and of very high quality, close to American cards for the B European Cup in Sénart.
We were able to produce cards for this France Challenge that La Rochelle is hosting, this time on the new manager of the French national team, Bruce Bochy!!
These cards that I will give away during the Challenge are limited to only 35 copies!! Don’t miss out!
BTVF: What can we wish you?
G.G.: To continue to see and document this sport I love so much and to surpass 100,000 photos in my archives.
Interview by DC
