‘I just want to tell a story’: N.S. teen turns passion for sports and photography into a career

Young sports photographer Zac Boone of Truro, N.S., is pictured with his parents, Sara and Andrew. (Emma Convey/CTV Atlantic)

While most teenagers watch sports, 14-year-old Zac Boone of Truro, N.S., captures it.

The young sports photographer has turned his passion into purpose.

“I try to get the action and the emotion in the shots. I just want to tell a story with my photo, and I want people to know what just happened in that photo,” Boone says.

Boone is an athlete and loves playing sports.

Photography was never the path he saw for himself until a year-and-a-half ago when a soccer injury left him sidelined.

“I went to the emergency room, and I had to get a lot of stitches, and I couldn’t play sports for like five months, so I started picking up a camera because I liked the idea of doing business stuff,” says Boone.

After noticing his interest, his parents bought him his first camera, a Canon T5i. Boone calls it a starter camera.

“I just got out there and started taking photos and I sent lots of emails to get credentials and things, and the events kept getting bigger and bigger,” adds Boone.

Boone works both independently and in collaboration with organizations and teams.

He shoots everything from amateur sports teams to professional athletes.

He has created an Instagram and Facebook page where he posts his work. He also creates graphics and has just started making videos.

“I did some individual stuff just for me, so two AHL games, and I also work for my local senior and junior hockey team… and just some hockey events around the Maritimes and Ontario,” Boone says.

‘His work is so good’

In March, he also shot the University Cup in Halifax. Boone says he does it for experience and networking.

This is also his first season working with the Junior A and Senior Truro Bearcats teams as their photographer.

“I started getting in contact with him to use his photos in some of our stuff. He started coming more and more and taking more and more shots and getting more involved with the team and getting on the bench to take shots of that,” says Noah Poirier, Truro Junior A Bearcats communications manager.

“His work is so good at his age and his work ethic as well. So at the start of the season, we gave him the opportunity to be the team photographer, and he took it and ran with it.”

Proud parents

Boone shoots during the games and edits in the media booth between periods and sends out the images to the players and team.

It’s not just the Bearcats who are proud of Boone — his parents, Sara and Andrew, are as well.

They say he has demonstrated willingness to learn and eagerness to collaborate with others throughout his photography journey so far.

“They have been really supportive; they just help me. They drove me to Halifax for the U Sports thing, even though that wasn’t ideal. But I am just so thankful for them helping me along the way,” says Boone.

He adds he loves getting feedback on his work and when those he features are happy with the shots. One day, he pictures himself in the big leagues working with the NHL.

“My dream and goal when I get older is to work for the Montreal Canadiens, I really want to work for them,” Boone says.

“I just think it’s getting me more noticed, and I hope people from the Montreal Canadiens see this so I can get noticed by them.”

Any inquiries for his photography skills are welcomed over email, which is posted on his social media pages.

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