Inspiring Images: Vernon Biever’s “Lombardi and Kramer”

Inspiring Image

I have just finished shooting a college football season. I had a blast shooting the emotion of the game. For some reason I think that you see it more on the college level now than you do in the pros. I am a Green Bay Packer fan though, and if you can think of an iconic image from Packer history it was probably taken by a member of the Biever family. Vernon who took the above picture is the patriarch of the family. He started covering the Packers at the age of 18 for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal. He then became one of the first team photographers in the NFL. His images capture a great era in the history of the franchise. His two sons also share his love for photography. John Biever works for Sports Illustrated now, but you may know him from his Ice Bowl picture. His was 16 years old shooting alongside his father at the time, and is now one of the best football photographers that Sports Illustrated has. John’s younger brother Jim is the Packers team photographer today along with his son Mike. Photography is truly a family affair for the Biever’s. Vernon passed over three years ago, but his legacy remains with his photographs and the photographers he raised.

I love the above photo for a few reasons. I love the emotion on the faces of the linemen and the head coach at the conclusion of Super Bowl II. I have always enjoyed photographing linemen. They rarely get the respect that they should, and they are the cogs that make the team go. Here Jerry Kramer shares a moment with his coach. When you are a photojournalist you need to capture moments. Capturing the big catch or the big play is important, but this photo tells a much larger story.

Below is a short video showing the three Bievers together going over images that they have loved from their career. The above image is not in Vernon’s top two, but it is my favorite of his.