Jan 29 2025 94 mins
What’s up Rock Nation, today we’ve welcome the Hall of Fame NBA Photographer Andrew Bernstein. Andrew D. Bernstein isn’t just a photographer - he’s a storyteller who has spent over four decades documenting the greatest moments in sports history. From courtside at Lakers championships to behind-the-scenes with Kobe Bryant, his lens has shaped the way we see the game. A Hall of Fame photographer, longtime NBA shooter, and the co-author of The Mamba Mentality, Andy has built an unparalleled career capturing the essence of legendary athletes. Being that we both grew up in LA, we are huge Lakers and Kobe Bryant fans, so this episode was very special for us. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it takes to capture history through a camera, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!
Check out Andy here:
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Trailer
00:56 - Intro
1:46 - One Handed Crack
2:55 - Documenting Kobe for 20 years
5:20 - Making a book with Kobe
13:28 - How Andy formed a friendship with Kobe
16:31 - Iconic shot breakdown #1
17:39 - How Andy shoots an NBA game with 8 cameras
20:54 - Why no one is allowed to take pictures from the catwalk anymore
22:35 - The difference between shooting an NBA game with film vs. digital
24:56 - Andy was crazy obsessed with his craft like Kobe was
27:16 - Kobe hated the word “Potential”
30:07 - Iconic shot breakdown #2 - 2001 Finals Kobe with the Trophy
32:51 - Andy doesn’t edit his own photos
34:32 - Photographing Kobe’s last game
41:25 - Andy’s process for shooting an NBA game
44:28 - Andy on creating his company and working with the NBA
47:34 - How Andy shoots an NBA game
50:00 - Why Andy doesn’t talk to anyone during a game
52:37 - Kobe used Andy to get info about other players
53:47 - Andy’s dreams of being an NBA photographer
56:24 - What Andy learned from his Photographer GOAT - Neil Leifer
57:20 - Shooting on film and having to pull focus
59:25 - Shooting the photo that sparked AIR JORDAN
1:04:31 - Nightmares shooting film
1:05:46 - Andy’s camera settings
1:07:54 - Andy’s photography bible
1:10:00 - Why older NBA photos look so much more “Iconic”
1:11:34 - Getting “The Shot” back in the day was WAY harder
1:13:12 - Andy’s favorite lenses to shoot with
1:16:35 - Usage and Licensing with NBA photos
1:18:28 - Iconic shot breakdown #3 - Michael Jordan with the trophy
1:22:36 - Creating a photo book with Phil Jackson
1:31:42 - Advice to your 18-year-old self
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