Adventures In Venueland

Andy Bernstein

Episode Notes

Grab your camera and join us down on the court as we head to L.A. to catch up with Andrew D. Bernstein, Director of Photography for Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theatre, and L.A Live, and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer. We talk with Andy about his 45 seasons of photographing the LA Kings, big Lakers moments – from the ‘Showtime Lakers’ to the Kobe and LeBron eras, being a team photographer for 12 pro sports championships, and covering 40 NBA Finals and 38 All-Star Games as the senior NBA photographer. Hear how Andy got into photography and pursued his career and craft while heeding the advice of mentors and passing that mentorship on to the next generation of photographers. We talk about the importance of talent, drive, networking, and motivation when honing your craft and continuing to reach new career milestones, and how his own obsession with his craft led to a relationship with another obsessive competitor – the “Black Mamba” himself, Kobe Bryant. Hear about the book Andy and Kobe worked on together, “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play,” a worldwide bestseller which now serves as an important part of Kobe’s legacy, where he walked through key life moments in his own words. We also talk about Legends of Sport, a sports content platform that Andy cofounded and serves as the host of the podcast on. Legends of Sport focuses on highlighting iconic sports moments, connecting the past to the present, and shining the spotlight back on legendary players who have since retired from their sport. Enjoy this photographer’s perspective on live events and venues, and a wonderful conversation filled with career tips and fun stories.