The World’s Foremost Golf Photographer, David Cannon, tells Worldwide Golf about his journey in life and how he got where he is today.
Nick Tarratt caught up with David Cannon at the Bonallack Trophy and Patsy Hankins Trophy at Al Hamra Golf Club to discuss his career beginnings and some unforgettable moments with Seve Ballesteros.
The Beginning
Growing up in Ascot, England, David Cannon started golf at 18 months old with a cut-down three-wood in his garden. However, it wasn’t until boarding school at St Edwards, Oxford, that golf took over his life. By 1973, he was playing off scratch, a regular for Leicester County, and part of England’s National Team training squad.
Unlike his friends, his dormitory walls were covered in sports photography rather than pop stars or models. Leaving school in 1973, he took a sales job but soon found himself drawn to photography after attending a rugby match with Neville Chadwick. He captured a photo at an All Blacks match, which was printed in the Daily Express—a lightbulb moment. Selling his car, he invested everything into photography, taking unpaid jobs to learn the craft.
In 1981, he met Bob Thomas, who offered him a job at his sports agency. Within three months, Cannon was traveling the world covering World Cup qualifiers in Belgium, Central America, Kuwait, and Nigeria. His passion for photography, travel, and sport had aligned perfectly.
Behind the Golf Lens
David Cannon’s transition into golf photography began in 1987 when he visited Dubai to capture the construction of Emirates Golf Club. By 1990, he was attending the Dubai Desert Classic, transmitting photos digitally—a pioneering move at the time. Over 36 editions, he has only missed one, due to COVID travel restrictions.
His career soared when he joined All Sport in 1983, becoming a director in 1986 and later selling to Getty. They revolutionized digital transmission, reducing the process from 20 to just five minutes. Newspapers relied on them for fast, high-quality images, cementing their dominance in the industry.
How Seve Changed My Life
Seve Ballesteros played a pivotal role in David Cannon’s career. In 1976, Cannon played alongside him in a Pro-Am at The Leicestershire Golf Club. Later, working for Golf World Magazine, he struggled to pin Seve down for contracted shoots during tournaments. He jokingly suggested flying to Pedreña for a one-day session, and to his surprise, Seve agreed.
In Spain, they completed the formal shoot before heading to the beach where Seve learned to play. He demonstrated putting with a tin can and napkin, then hit 3-irons off the hard-packed sand. Cannon knew he was capturing gold. After an exhausting day, Seve insisted they pick up every last ball—except for one that remained lost, much to his frustration.
Then came 1984 at The Open at St Andrews. Positioned at a 45-degree angle to the 18th green, Cannon captured Seve’s iconic fist-pumping celebration after holing his birdie putt. Most photographers had run out of film, but Cannon’s shot became one of the most published golf images in history.
Looking back, Cannon’s journey is one of passion, persistence, and capturing history—one frame at a time.
By David Cannon.
