(New York City)—Renowned photographer Bill Thompson has long believed the splendor and majesty of golf landscapes deserve one’s full and complete attention. It’s the reason why he’ll display a large and impressive sampling of his work in January at the 2006 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida.
Thompson has pioneered a process in which his images are expanded to a mural format that closely matches the vision of golfers who experience the world’s great golf venues with their own eyes. His epic and sweeping photographs incorporate cutting edge digital technology to provide the details and peripheral delights so often missed by traditional small-form photography.
"It occurred to me many years ago that most golf photographs didn’t come close to providing all the visual treats and impressions golf affords us," Thompson. "Throughout my many years in photography I’ve constantly been looking for ways to completely retain the beauty and feelings we all experience at the world’s top courses."
When he displays his work for the first time at the 2006 PGA Merchandise Show, Thompson will showcase the techniques he has perfected in concert with computer expertise. "When a golfer steps onto the tee on a great hole his mind’s eye sees everything, not just a small landing area or flagstick," says Thompson. That’s the picture I try to provide. It’s the sum total of what a golfer sees and what the beauty of a golf landscape is." Combining the skills and patience of a master craftsman with the eye and imagination of an artist, Thompson is able to produce images with unmatched sharpness, including those commanding billboard-size dimensions. "I do produce smaller prints but photograph all courses with the idea the images will enlarge to an exhilarating scale," adds Thompson whose fine art work is in major collections and museums in Europe and the U.S.
Based in New York City, Bill Thompson’s travels have taken him around the world and his work has captured the attention of some of the game’s biggest names. "Bill’s golf course photos are so vivid that you can almost feel the breeze and touch the grass," says award-winning golf course architect Jay Morrish. Those sentiments are also echoed by the noted architect Tom Fazio, whose North Carolina office is home to a Thompson creation. "We appreciate Bill’s great talent and are displaying his work on our ‘Wall of Fame,’" Fazio says.
Thompson fondly recalls the commission he had to record the scene of the famed 17th hole at Sawgrass during the 2005 Tournament Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. "It’s a hole and a setting that reflect the singular challenge great golfers face in the defining shot of one of the world’s greatest championships," he says. Despite unseasonable weather during his stint there, Thompson’s efforts drew the praise of PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, who said, "Bill Thompson’s photography is unique and truly showcases the beauty and personality of golf."
As a result of photographing some of world’s premier courses and resorts, Thompson just completed a 15′ x 55’ mural for the PGA TOUR Superstore in Atlanta, GA. Commercial applications for Thompson’s work also include pro shop sales, upscale golf communities, advertising agencies, and tourist and travel bureaus.
Bill Thompson Photography is located at 78 MacDougal Street in New York City, NY, 10012. His images are displayed on his web site at www.billthompson.com and he can be reached by email at info@billthompson.com. Telephone inquiries should be made to (646) 831-0035.
Contact:
Terry Moore (616)
247-1931 E-mail
tmoore@usxchange.net
Tom Cleary
(616) 954-2760
tjcleary@aol.com
