Those who play golf and even those who do not are enamored by the natural vistas on our most scenic courses. If you can’t be there in person, the next best thing is to gaze at photographs depicting a great course you hope to play or have already played. PGA pro Evan Schiller is one of the best in the business at taking these memorable shots.
The beginning
There are other great golf photographers but none with the background of Evan Schiller. You see, he has played the game at its highest level competing on the PGA Tour and even the U.S. Open. During the grueling hours of practice needed to get this good, his mind often drifted to the fantastic scenery that he was encountering. He moved on from his playing career to various teaching assignments and started to capture great courses from unique locations in his spare time. This passion has grown over the past two decades into a thriving profession and the deserved recognition as one of the best in his field. His talent has been recognized by Pebble Beach, where he is one of a few licensed photographers. His shot of the famed No. 7 at Pebble was used for the cover of the 2010 U.S. Open program.Others have noticed his skills, including The Masters Journal, The Ryder Cup Journal, Links Magazine, Golf Digest, Travel & Leisure Golf, and Golf Magazine. Schillers photography is exclusively featured in the acclaimed “Golf Courses of Hawaii.” His work is on display at the Images of Pebble Beach gallery located at the Lodge at Pebble Beach.
The shot
Schiller prefers to catch the beauty of his subject courses before they get too busy with anxious golfers. This means early morning or late evening, for the most part. He also looks for sunshine in between stormy weather patterns for best clarity.His photos usually capture a look at familiar setting and bring in elements of the environment often left out. An example of this is his photo of the 3rd hole at Spyglass. To start, not many photographers have journeyed to this spot, though it is one of the most precious in the 17-Mile Drive. At Spyglass, you start off through a shoot of tall pines before heading toward the ocean front holes 2, 3 and 4. This collection is similar to many of the holes at Cypress Point and much easier to gain access to.
His view of the 3rd starts with the sand dunes that roll down the hillside to the well-protected green. The crisp blue Pacific awaits in the background, bringing back memories of the many layers of clothing often needed at Spyglass. His photos take in the entire setting, rather than just the shot at hand. For aerial shots, he employs a lightweight helicopter as he did with the shot of the peninsula holding holes 6, 7 and 8 at Pebble Beach. This again is a shot I have never seen and it really captures the course’s location in the 17-Mile Drive.
The desert is another favorite subject for Schiller. This time we look at the mountain top 6th hole at Stone Eagle in Palm Desert. Taking the shot from way back gives a true perspective of its location. The true beauty of desert golf is on display here with mountains on all sides.
Over the years, he has captured many of the best courses in this area, especially La Quinta Resort and PGA West. Those photos are so vivid that they bring back sensory experiences for me: Clam chowder in Monterey and sunscreen in Palm Desert.
A book and calendar
This year, Evan Schiller released Golf’s Unfolding Drama on iBooks and iTunes. This includes some of his most dramatic images of golf courses taken around the world. This photographic journey takes golfers to Scotland, Ireland, Hawaii and South Africa along with Pebble Beach. He includes a story with each shot to get inside the head of this expert. He also has a calendar available appropriately titled “Golf Shots.” For more information on his work, visit GolfShots.com. Individual photos can be purchased there in all sizes. This might just be a great present for your favorite golfer.