Beowulf Sheehan ’90 photographs authors, mostly. Almost anyone you can think of — renowned novelists, or famous politicians, musicians and actors writing memoirs — he’s probably credited with a photo you’ve seen. George Saunders. Margaret Atwood. Joe Biden. Questlove.
His iconic images have been collected in a book, Author: The Portraits of Beowulf Sheehan. An exhibition of his literary portraits opens December 5 at Chicago's Alan Koppel Gallery and a photo essay in our winter issue will feature a selection of our editors’ favorites.
While chatting with Sheehan about his work, he mentioned shooting a couple football games as a student, back when he wasn’t thinking about photography as a career, just a hobby to explore when he could wheedle a credential. An idea struck: why not have Sheehan photograph Notre Dame-Syracuse in New York, where he lives now, revisiting his memorable college Saturdays from the new artistic perspective he has cultivated?
Sheehan also photographs dance, which becomes clear as you look closely at his football pictures. The magazine’s art director, Kerry Prugh, remarked on the sense of motion in Sheehan’s images, several capturing players in full stride, feet off the ground, as if suspended in midair.
With pinstripes and New York Yankees’ script on the uniforms and other gear, Notre Dame stormed into its Shamrock Series game at Yankee Stadium dressed in homage to the usual home team. Syracuse, and its fans, came bedecked in their usual orange.
A Chase Claypool touchdown catch and a suffocating defense helped Notre Dame shove its way to a 36-3 victory.
Defensive takeaways + dynamic offense = dominant win.
Alizé Mack squeezes out a few extra yards . . . and a drink of water.
Former starting quarterback Brandon Wimbush carried the ball as a running back as one Syracuse player tried to bring him down and another left the field on a stretcher.
More scenes from a high-scoring, high-flying afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
And our hearts forever . . .