Golf’s iconic images: Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy & Seve Ballesteros

I wanted to include one final image of a golf course close to my heart. This showcases drone photography, which is very much part of my workflow now.

The skill level required was greater when I was starting out 50 years ago without autofocus and limited film in the camera. But you still need skill when using a drone.

Putting a drone up doesn’t guarantee a good photo. The camera is how you see a photo in your head. The background, the light, the composition; all need to be as close to perfect as possible.

This picture at Royal Dornoch, in the north of Scotland, was taken at sunrise. I live in the town and it’s a great place to head back to after the bustle of a major.

It’s difficult to pick a favourite photo out of the hundreds of thousands I’ve taken.

As one of the few remaining independent golf photographers, I’ve built one of the most comprehensive private collections in the sport.

It’s hard to beat that first major and taking that photo of Seve winning but then I captured Rory’s emotions at Augusta towards the end of my career and it has been an utter joy and privilege to photograph every one of Tiger’s 15 major wins in the middle.

This week, as I cover my 151st major championship – in addition to every Ryder Cup since 1985 – I am honoured to be receiving the PGA of America Lifetime Achievement Award in Photojournalism.

While there are days that are long and stressful, I love what I do. I’ll know when to step away – but that isn’t now.