Blab Sports
Matt Slocum: Two Decades of Sports Photography for the Associated Press
Matt Slocum has been a fixture in the Associated Press (AP) newsroom for more than twenty years, beginning his journey as a summer intern in Dallas before relocating to the agency’s Philadelphia bureau.
During that time, Slocum has captured moments across a wide spectrum of sporting spectacles. He has photographed fifteen Super Bowls, seven Olympic Games, and a string of major golf tournaments, including the Masters at Augusta National. A Houston Chronicle piece notes that his familiarity with Augusta’s strict regulations has taught him how to position himself to catch the decisive moments of the week.
His Olympic portfolio also includes the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. An AP photo blog shows a medical worker escorting Slocum after he tested positive for coronavirus on February 9, 2022, illustrating the precautions taken by AP photographers during the event.
Beyond the global stage, Slocum has lent his lens to local newspapers. A KDVR article features him photographing the Eagle newspaper in Butler, a small city that relies on a 30‑person staff. The image captures the newsroom where his work illustrates local stories.
Slocum’s range extends to civic ceremonies. A Boston 25 News photo shows him at the Philadelphia Mint on November 1, 2023, documenting the final pennies minted. The image is part of a series that chronicles the mint’s history.
In the United States, he has covered several high‑profile sports games. An AOL photo shows him at Lincoln Financial Field during the NFL season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys on September 2, 2006. A Houston Chronicle image captures him in the 10th inning of a game between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies on August 28, 2023, where he photographed Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas making a line‑out. An SFGate photo places him at a Philadelphia Phillies game in 2018, capturing Giants’ Buster Posey in action. A 6abc shot from 2024 shows him photographing the Eagles’ victory over the Washington Commanders, a game that marked the Eagles’ sixth straight win.
Slocum also documented the Philadelphia Phillies’ 2024 season. A Click2Houston photo shows him capturing Carlos Estvez celebrating after the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs to clinch the National League East title on September 24, 2024.
The AP, founded in 1846, operates as a not‑for‑profit cooperative that distributes news to more than 1,300 newspapers and broadcasters worldwide. The agency has earned 60 Pulitzer Prizes, 36 of which are for photography, and its photojournalists adhere to a strict ethical framework that demands honesty and impartiality.
Slocum’s career path illustrates the typical progression of an AP staff photographer. According to a career guide on Jobicy, staff photographers are responsible for capturing high‑quality images that document events and tell stories. His experience—from covering Super Bowls to photographing the U.S. Mint—demonstrates the breadth of assignments handled by AP photographers.
In addition to his sports coverage, Slocum has photographed a range of civic events and local news stories. His work is distributed through the AP’s extensive network, appearing in newspapers, television broadcasts, and online outlets. The agency’s AP Stylebook and its sports polls are widely used by journalists.
Slocum’s long tenure with the AP reflects the agency’s commitment to visual journalism. His photographs provide a visual record of major sporting events, local news, and national ceremonies, underscoring the role of photojournalism in documenting contemporary history.
As the AP continues to cover sports and news worldwide, photographers like Matt Slocum remain essential to the agency’s mission of delivering accurate, timely, and visually compelling stories to audiences across the globe.
During that time, Slocum has captured moments across a wide spectrum of sporting spectacles. He has photographed fifteen Super Bowls, seven Olympic Games, and a string of major golf tournaments, including the Masters at Augusta National. A Houston Chronicle piece notes that his familiarity with Augusta’s strict regulations has taught him how to position himself to catch the decisive moments of the week.
His Olympic portfolio also includes the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. An AP photo blog shows a medical worker escorting Slocum after he tested positive for coronavirus on February 9, 2022, illustrating the precautions taken by AP photographers during the event.
Beyond the global stage, Slocum has lent his lens to local newspapers. A KDVR article features him photographing the Eagle newspaper in Butler, a small city that relies on a 30‑person staff. The image captures the newsroom where his work illustrates local stories.
Slocum’s range extends to civic ceremonies. A Boston 25 News photo shows him at the Philadelphia Mint on November 1, 2023, documenting the final pennies minted. The image is part of a series that chronicles the mint’s history.
In the United States, he has covered several high‑profile sports games. An AOL photo shows him at Lincoln Financial Field during the NFL season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys on September 2, 2006. A Houston Chronicle image captures him in the 10th inning of a game between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies on August 28, 2023, where he photographed Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas making a line‑out. An SFGate photo places him at a Philadelphia Phillies game in 2018, capturing Giants’ Buster Posey in action. A 6abc shot from 2024 shows him photographing the Eagles’ victory over the Washington Commanders, a game that marked the Eagles’ sixth straight win.
Slocum also documented the Philadelphia Phillies’ 2024 season. A Click2Houston photo shows him capturing Carlos Estvez celebrating after the Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs to clinch the National League East title on September 24, 2024.
The AP, founded in 1846, operates as a not‑for‑profit cooperative that distributes news to more than 1,300 newspapers and broadcasters worldwide. The agency has earned 60 Pulitzer Prizes, 36 of which are for photography, and its photojournalists adhere to a strict ethical framework that demands honesty and impartiality.
Slocum’s career path illustrates the typical progression of an AP staff photographer. According to a career guide on Jobicy, staff photographers are responsible for capturing high‑quality images that document events and tell stories. His experience—from covering Super Bowls to photographing the U.S. Mint—demonstrates the breadth of assignments handled by AP photographers.
In addition to his sports coverage, Slocum has photographed a range of civic events and local news stories. His work is distributed through the AP’s extensive network, appearing in newspapers, television broadcasts, and online outlets. The agency’s AP Stylebook and its sports polls are widely used by journalists.
Slocum’s long tenure with the AP reflects the agency’s commitment to visual journalism. His photographs provide a visual record of major sporting events, local news, and national ceremonies, underscoring the role of photojournalism in documenting contemporary history.
As the AP continues to cover sports and news worldwide, photographers like Matt Slocum remain essential to the agency’s mission of delivering accurate, timely, and visually compelling stories to audiences across the globe.
