Wise Advanced

Sport Photography Veteran Kevin Jairaj Scores with Winning Combo

Sport Photographer

In just a few short years, Kevin has not only become one of the most sought-after photographers in the USA, but also worldwide. He has been commissioned to do photoshoots, weddings, and events in London, Hawaii, Trinidad and Tobago, The Bahamas, Mexico, Jamaica, Anguilla, and Aruba in addition to the work he shoots in Texas and the rest of the USA. Kevin is also a favorite among the celebrity crowd and has photographed weddings and events for many musicians, actors, and famous athletes.

Kevin is one of only a few people in the world to hold the Triple Master Title from WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) as well as a Master of Photography from PPA (Professional Photographers of America). Kevin has also won Numerous 1st Place Awards in the very prestigious WPPI 16×20 and 8x10 print competitions in addition to having several prints selected in the PPA Loan collection over the years. He was also named a Top Knots of Wedding Photography by the very well-respected Photo District News magazine and his work has been published in countless newspapers, books, and magazines. He was named as a Profoto Legend of Light in 2017 and wrote a book for wedding photographers published by Amherst Media titled “Stylish Weddings.”

In 2023, Kevin was named as a Canon Explorer of Light in which he helps to educate and inform fellow photographers about photography through seminars and speaking engagements all over the world. Kevin has been commissioned by USA TODAY to take portraits of key members of the USA Summer and Winter Olympic Teams and has also had a recurring role in the Hit Discovery Channel Show "Fast N Loud." Kevin covered the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang for USA Today. In addition, Kevin has covered major sporting events such as Super Bowls, Final Fours, the World Series, and National Championship games. Kevin has also been the Official Photographer for the College Football Playoff National Championship since its inception in 2015. Kevin won 1st place in the basketball category in the 2022 World Sports Photography Awards and has had several photos place as finalists.

“The 4.0 cards with R1 / R5 II are amazing. I have never been able to capture and download images that fast before! In fact, we talked about speed being crucial in this type of work, and this combination (these memory cards combined with the new Canon cameras) is a photojournalist’s dream!!”

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Equipment

Memory Cards

Wise CFexpress 4.0 Type B

Wise CFexpress 4.0 Type B (Card Reader)

Cameras

Canon EOS R1 (Soon)

Canon EOS R5 Mark II

Camera Setup

N/A

Craving for sports photography portraiture, Canon Explorer of Light – Kevin Jairaj dedicated his life to telling a complete story of Sport Events through his unique vision. “I have loved sports all of my life and so when I had the opportunity to work with some clients in the industry, I jumped at the chance and never looked back.”

Football is one of the most popular sports in the United States and for good reason. For many, football represents more than just a sport. The fans show their passion in many ways such as wearing team apparel, decorating their house with memorabilia or sharing information about their team through social media. Every game is a major event, filled with passionate and raucous fans. The intense action from the players, roaring from the crowds, and music and energy blasting from the loudspeakers fill each and every stadium as Kevin tries to locate and fight for a good shooting spot. Sometimes he gets one, sometimes not. No matter, because Kevin always deals with it and makes it work.

From pregame to postgame, Kevin repeats five movements – shooting, running (up and down the sidelines and to the workroom), cropping, editing and uploading. Kevin is on fire! Speed is key. The faster he publishes his in-game shots, the better chance his images score green gold. “Everyone wants to see images very fast these days, so it is critical that I use the fastest and most reliable memory cards and that is why I LOVE my Wise cards! Speed is what it is all about in this industry. If you are too slow, your competitor’s images will get used (score that green gold), instead of yours,” said Kevin.

The new EOS cameras pushed Kevin’s game to another level during games. “One thing that immediately comes to mind is that the focus is at another level. I have always loved the focus of the R3, but the R5 II and R1 bodies are incredible! It definitely helps with acquiring more keeper images.”

Combining fast cameras with slow cards may be a bad decision made by a rookie. However, Kevin is not a rookie. He is a 15+ year veteran that knows his gear. “The 4.0 cards with R1 / R5 II are amazing. I have never been able to capture and download images that fast before! In fact, we talked about speed being crucial in this type of work, and this combination (these memory cards combined with the new Canon cameras) is a photojournalist’s dream!!” ← (double exclamation!)

The unique vision of capturing may take a sports photographer far, yet the right tools leverage each game to the upper league. “Save up for the right gear, as inferior cameras, lenses, and memory cards will hurt your final output. Also, practice, practice, practice at all levels!” Kevin added, “I always tell students that you can make great photos at any type of game from youth sports to pro sports. Action is action and emotion is emotion. It is just how you capture it to tell the story.”