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Athlete to Artist: Randy Johnson's 'Storytelling with Photographs' exhibit opens in Scottsdale

Randy Johnson photo gallery.png
Posted at 1:12 PM, Feb 27, 2024
and last updated 2024-02-28 07:07:54-05

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Through the lens of a legend!

Since retiring from baseball in 2010, Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson has picked back up his hobby of photography. His latest work 'Storytelling with Photographs' is now on full display at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

"With digital cameras, you can take a million pictures of the same thing, but I'm only looking for one to two pictures that really capture the moment," said Randy Johnson. "What you see in this room is a combination of about five or six trips to Africa of different areas, different regions."

Randy Johnson
Former Major League Baseball pitcher, and avid photographer, Randy Johnson photographs the NASCAR Nationwide Series WYPALL 200 auto race at Phoenix International Raceway Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Jason Babyak)

Randy started photography in high school and studied photojournalism while playing on a baseball scholarship at USC.

"I shot a lot of concerts because they asked me to go to these concerts and bring back some pictures," said Johnson. "So they could do like a concert review for the newspaper. I learned how to develop film and that whole process and kind of got my feet wet there."

Watch the full interview with Randy Johnson on his newfound passion in the player below:

Extended interview: Randy Johnson's 'Storytelling with Photographs' exhibit opens in Scottsdale

But once he was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1985, photography took a back seat. Years later, following one of the best pitching careers in baseball history, he picked up the camera again.

"When my career was over, then I was able to jump back into this," said Johnson.

Pitcher to picture taker, athlete to artist, Randy says the two professions are uniquely similar.

"I have tunnel vision, if you will, when I put the camera up to my eye, I'm only seeing the subject that I'm taking a picture of," said Johnson. "And when I was pitching, I only saw the hitter and the catcher that I was throwing to."

Check out this photo exhibit from now until April 28. Admission is free.

Click here for more information.