Photographer for Chronicle becomes a human hurdle
Chronicle photojournalist Carlos Avila Gonzalez is well known for his dynamic coverage of sporting events, but during Sunday’s Super Bowl game, he drew attention for barely avoiding what would have been a punishing blow from Kansas City cornerback L’Jarius Sneed.
Gonzalez was crouched behind the end zone with other photographers as 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy rifled a pass into the end zone. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel and Sneed sped into the end zone as the ball sailed over their heads — and Gonzalez’s.
Then came the two players hurtling toward Gonzalez. Samuel found a hole to the right and avoided the line of photographers, but Sneed had to extend his right leg and hurdle over the Chronicle photographer, clearing his head by a few inches.
Gonzalez was crouched low, reaching for a camera dangling from his neck and squeezing off a few frames rapid-fire without putting the camera to his eye. He quickly ducked, leaning forward as the players bore down on him.
“I didn’t feel a thing. I think he completely cleared me when I ducked. Kudos to him,” Gonzalez said, referring to Sneed.
Gonzalez was uninjured and, to his relief, so was Sneed.
“These guys make splitsecond decisions in ways different than we do, cutting through holes and diving for balls,” Gonzalez said. “I was really more concerned for him, to be honest. I know they can’t stop on a dime.”
Gonzalez quickly recovered from the near miss and went back to taking photos. Then his phone started buzzing.
“My phone was blowing up with texts from personal contacts,” he said. “I must have had 70 messages in 15 minutes. I was getting text messages from friends I hadn’t seen or talked to in years.”
There were so many texts that Gonzalez posted a quick message to his Facebook page assuring everyone he was OK and pleading with them to stop texting. After all, he had a job — and potentially more rapidly approaching football players — to focus on.
“My prime or first responsibility is to get pictures,” he said Monday, driving back from Las Vegas, “but not at the expense or risk of an athlete’s or performer’s safety.”
Gonzalez, who’s been with the Chronicle since 1997 and has been photographing sports for 32 years, has been hit many times — mostly covering basketball, where photographers are often within inches of the action. It mostly amounts to minor contact, Gonzalez said.
He had another close call when former 49er great Jerry Rice played for the Raiders.
“I decided I didn’t want to be on constant (video) repeat as the guy Jerry Rice hit who ended his career,” Gonzalez said. “I’m bigger than him and he was going to get hurt.”
He said he fell and rolled to avoid Rice, prompting teasing from fellow photographers.
He also had another close call with Samuel last season and had former Laker Lamar Odom land in his lap. He and his equipment have been hit by foul balls a couple of times covering baseball, including once in Dodger Stadium where the ball shattered the monopod bracing his camera.
“You know the risk,” he said. “You know what’s coming. But you decide to take the risk.”
Gonzalez talked about what it’s like to photograph sports up close and personal in a Chronicle podcast and in a story by Chronicle reporter Peter Hartlaub about photographing the Warriors in the playoffs.
Gonzalez said he enjoys being ribbed by his cousins and former students he’s advised for the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ student newspaper, but he prefers to remain out of the spotlight.
“I’m probably getting more attention than Taylor Swift for this,” he said.