Josh Okogie: From Defensive Dynamo to Budding Photographer
Josh Okogie, the Phoenix Suns guard revered for his defensive abilities and relentless energy on the basketball court, is exploring a new passion off the court—photography. This summer, Okogie has been channeling his fervor into capturing moments behind the lens, a hobby that began on a whim and has since evolved into a personal and creative pursuit.
A Photographic Journey Begins
Okogie's interest in photography sparked during a vacation in Milan, Italy, coinciding with Fashion Week. It was there that he picked up a Sony a7 III camera, encouraged by a friend to test his skills. Since then, he's been navigating the complexities of photography, eagerly learning and refining his techniques. "I've kind of figured out how the camera works, how to do the settings, how to do the white balance and all that. So it's been pretty cool," Okogie remarked.
Learning the ropes has come with its share of challenges. Okogie candidly admits to struggling with the fast-paced nature of live action sports photography. "It's very fast. Every time somebody dunks, by the time I take a picture, he's already done finished the dunk and he's already playing defense," he explained. Despite these hurdles, Okogie is optimistic about his progress: "I'm still not good. I'll say 90-95% of my pictures are BS, but I feel like I've gotten better—slightly—each day I've taken pictures."
Capturing the Game and Emotions
Okogie's fledgling photography journey has already taken him to various significant events. In Las Vegas, he captured live action during the NBA Creator Cup celebrity game, the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets summer league game, and his own Phoenix Suns versus the Golden State Warriors matchup. Through these experiences, Okogie has honed his understanding of anticipating the right moments and angles to get the best shots. "I feel like the biggest improvement I have to make is adjusting to the speed of the game and not only anticipating, but also about being at the right angle to get the best picture," he noted.
Respected photographers such as David Sherman of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Barry Gossage of the Phoenix Suns have become sources of inspiration for Okogie. "That's my guy. He films the Wolves and he also films a lot of other NBA-sanctioned events. So I've always paid close attention to David," Okogie said, expressing his admiration.
Ultimately, Okogie's goal is to capture the essence and emotion behind pivotal moments. "Because you want the picture to replicate the feeling of the play for those who weren't there," Okogie shared.
Balancing Basketball and New Aspirations
While photography has become a significant part of his life, Okogie's commitment to basketball remains unwavering. Recently, he signed a two-year, $16 million extension with the Phoenix Suns, showing his dedication to contributing energy on both sides of the floor. "My mentality is just to go out there and just try to give this team the energy that they need on both sides of the floor," he expressed, embracing the role of being the team's driving force. "We have a lot of talent on this team, but I want to be the battery of this team, if that makes sense. The motor of this team, to get people going, get people excited to play, get people moving."
Okogie's discussions with new Suns coach Mike Budenholzer have reinforced his objectives. He remains optimistic about the team's potential in the highly competitive Western Conference. "The West is going to be really competitive next year. I feel like we can be as good as we want to be. I feel like our ceiling is as high as we make it. I'm excited. I feel like if we get a good training camp and we start to jell, the sky's the limit for us," Okogie stated.
Okogie plans to continue his photographic endeavors during the offseason, with ambitions to shoot WNBA games, further diversifying his portfolio and sharpening his skills. As he balances both basketball and photography, Josh Okogie's journey exemplifies the relentless pursuit of growth, both on and off the court.