(JRN504) A Photographer Worth 1000 Words- A Tribute to Anthony Causi

I met Anthony when we were both shooting a Brooklyn Cyclones game back in the summer of 2019.

I already knew his name because his photos are almost always on the cover of the New York Post and other New York sports social media accounts. I recognized him the moment I stepped into the dugout and I didn't even have time to introduce myself because he was one step ahead of me.

Anthony noticed my Cyclones polo immediately and within minutes he had my entire background on my job, how I got started with photography and what I'm studying in college.

After spending just a couple of hours together, I knew he was a special person. We talked for almost the entire game, from photography to our personal lives and even our favorite pizza joints in Brooklyn. Anthony didn't have to go out of his way to talk to a college student interning in photography but he did. He made the effort to get to know everyone working that game, and he paid special attention to me since I was the youngest and least experienced.

Many people like Anthony just do their jobs and make no effort to get to know others. This business can be tough and not everyone shows a ton of kindness. But Anthony was different.

We followed each other on Instagram and I promised I'd let him know if I found any other good spots to grab a pizza slice near the stadium.

That's the last time I would ever see him in person.

On March 22, Anthony posted a photo on Instagram of him in the hospital. The moment I saw it, I knew that COVID had gotten to him. My heart sank and I hoped that he didn't get a severe case. Even at his lowest point, Anthony managed to make light of it in his caption:

"I never thought I would get something like this. I thought I was indestructible. If I do make it out of here, I promise you this world's not going to know what hit it."

Anthony passed away three weeks later on April 12.

My Twitter and Instagram feeds were filled with tributes to his incredible life. He was 48 years old and had so much more to accomplish. I'm just thankful I was one of the lucky ones to witness him in action and get to have a conversation with him.

Thinking of his Instagram post sends chills down my spine because it truly was his last message to the world.

Once in a while, I'll think about Anthony and start to replay that night in Brooklyn over again. I always seem to come up with other fun things he said to get a laugh out of players or remember him yelling about the umpires making a bad call.

I practically met sports photography royalty, so I had to ask him a ton of questions to get his advice on the industry and how to become a better photographer. He had a lot to say, but there's one thing he said to me that I'll never forget:

"Don't do the same sh*t as everyone else. Get creative and produce the best you can by just being you. That's what makes a good photographer."

Below are six of my favorite photos Anthony took throughout his career. His talent is certainly missed, but the world lost an incredible human being that left a positive impact on everyone he met.

We could all afford to be a little more like Anthony Causi.