(New York City)—Bill Thompson has photographed many of the world’s greatest golf courses and his expansive images have always offered a breathtaking view of the sports greatest venues. That’s why his resolution for 2006 is to work closely with showpiece properties and destinations to create images that can be used to attract golfers and travel groups.
"With so many choices available in America and abroad, clubs need to create a spectacular first impression with potential visitors," Thompson says. "In the last few years many of my clients have taken our images and made them a cornerstone of their marketing efforts. A few years ago, our art might occupy a prominent spot in a clubhouse. More and more, clients are using it outside their operation and in marketing materials for themselves and cooperative advertising ventures."
For the first time, Bill Thompson will display a memorable sampling of his work this January at the 2006 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. It will highlight 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.
"I realized many years ago most golf photographs didn’t come close to incorporating all the visual treats and the great golf scenes afford us," Thompson. "For as long as I’ve been at this I’ve constantly tried to capture the beauty and feelings we all take in at the world’s top courses."
At the 2006 PGA Merchandise Show Thompson will demonstrate the techniques he has pursued, which makes use of his company’s considerable 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 unparalleled 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 7′ x 10′ Thompson creation. "We appreciate Bill’s great talent and are displaying his work on our ‘Wall of Fame,’" Fazio says.
Thompson fondly recalls the 2005 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. "Bill’s photographic ingenuity and attention to detail capture the true beauty of the golf course," says course architect Pete Dye. 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
E-mail: tjcleary@aol.com
