Last weekend, along with interviews of three Chicago Bandits, which ran yesterday, I interviewed longtime Bandits photographer Dina Kwit. While she is usually busy, lately she has been extra busy putting together Through My Lens: A Photo Collection of Women's Pro Softball, her upcoming book.
Dina joined the Bandits in 2008 and has been capturing the beautiful, historic, exciting and fun times on and off the field ever since. She has seen it all over the years. World class athletes. Championships. Fan interaction. Dina has brought all of that to sports fans through her brilliant photography.
Lately, Dina has been pouring through her thousands of pictures to find the right ones to put in her book. Those pictures, combined with interviews, will make the first such book focusing on the NPF. Through My Lens: A Photo Collection of Women's Pro Softball promises a behind-the-scenes look that only Dina could get.
I started my coverage of the Bandits 5 seasons ago. I was looking for a one time coverage of something different and I fell in love with the sport, the team and the experience.
During those seasons, I saw how hard Dina worked and how keen her eye is. Not only did she get the best shots, she was always thinking of new angles or new concepts. I enjoyed watching her work and I definitely loved her pictures.
When I heard she was putting together the book, I immediately wanted to share the news. This is awesome for fans of the Bandits, NPF, softball, women's sports and more. You don't even have to be a fan to enjoy the beauty of her pictures.
If you are a fan though, you'll see all of your favorites in the book. There will be a lot of history and memories packed into the 200 pages. I'm sure Jennie Finch, Cat Osterman and Monica Abbott will be represented, as will hundreds of other players. You might even see me in the background somewhere (but don't let that scare you away).
To help in making this book a reality, there is a Kickstarter page. Through that page, you can donate to the cause and get various rewards based on your level of pledge. The goal is $5,000 and about 40% has been raised with 31 days to go. I am sure the goal will eventually be met, but I want to see it reached much sooner than the deadline.
The players, the teams, the fans and the sport deserve this book. Women's pro softball is such an underappreciated sport. The elite women athletes have worked hard to build and grow the sport. Dina has also worked hard for the sport. Now all of that work will be documented in this wonderful book.
To get a little glimpse of what to expect, you can follow Dina Kwit on Instagram and Dina Kwit on Facebook. She has been sharing a lot of her pictures through her #The100DayProject. It has been awesome seeing those pictures and it has really gotten me even more excited about the book.
Check out the Kickstarter page for Through My Lens - A Photo Collection of Women's Pro Softball for all of the info and to support the cause. Like I said in the interview, this book will happen, but let's get it secured quickly!
Thank you to the Bandits for their hospitality. Thanks to Dina for her time and consideration.
1 comment:
Very natural and informative interview. For those who follow fast-pitch softball, this is a perfect gift whether at Christmas or on another occasion. The edition will be very limited which will make it an instant collector's item, especially when inscribed by the author. I'm sure the players who appear in the book will also be eager to add their autographs after games.
Stan "Tex" Banash
Post a Comment