The man behind the lens at Vancouver Canadians home games out at historic Nat Bailey Stadium understands that the flow of a baseball may produce just a handful of 'keepers' as they're called, but its that vision that keeps Yates fired up.
"I have taken tens of thousands of shots out at Nat Bailey Stadium over the past few seasons and have been pleased with how a majority of then have turned out. It's almost a little addicting because you are always in search of that one great shot. Sometimes you get it and sometimes you don't and that is what drives you to come back and try again", says Yates who has been with the Canadians since the 2006 season.
Having a top notch photographer has been a key to the Vancouver Canadians organization as many of Yates efforts find there way into the many publications produced by the ball club and onto the team's website.
"Paul really allows us to show our great fans what a Vancouver Canadians baseball game 'feels' like. His shots are awesome", states C's Assistant General Manager Rob Fai.
"The beauty in Paul's shots are all in the detail. You can see the excitement on a young child's face or the beads of sweat on a young pitcher's eyebrow as he tries and lead the Canadians to victory. I don't know if I could do it, but Paul does it as well as anybody else I have come across".
Yates got his start with the camera back at university as he became the University of Western Ontario's newspaper editor. From there, Yates would use his skills toward building his own company shortly after making the trip across the country to Vancouver.
Vancouver Sports Pictures has become a staple for both professional and amateur photography with Yates and a small crew working alongside him to grab those split second moments that can be forever etched in film.
"I started taking shots just to try and capture some of my children's memories, and it has led me here to becoming as busy as I could have ever imagined", says Yates almost surprised by how far this journey has taken him.
"What I like about shooting baseball is the chess game that comes with it. When I first started shooting baseball nearly five years ago, I didn't know the little details about the game and would always find myself with the wrong angle or a second late for the big play".
"I just started learning the game whether it was asking fans in their seats or simply putting the lens down to watch. I can tell you this, I learned one extremely valuable lesson as a baseball photographer. Don't chase the game, let it come to your lens".
That philosophy has served Yates and the Vancouver Canadians well as the suddenly 'veteran' cameraman has produced some of the best photos ever shot at Nat Bailey Stadium.
"His stuff is really strong and sometimes I find myself running to his FTP site to see what he has managed to get from that night's game. I am rarely disappointed. Paul has a gift and we are fortunate to have his eye here at the ballpark", adds Fai
"I love the pace of the game and the photos that come out of this stadium. I look forward to capturing more great memories for fans of all ages out at Nat Bailey Stadium", says Yates with a little pep in his voice.
With the action just weeks away, the Canadians know that Yates won't just take the photos, he'll make the photos once again.
