corner back and asked, "Are those your words or mine?" Jeff responded, "I guess they are mine." Coach Madden then said, "If they are your words, why don't you go in a corner and interview yourself?" Embarrassed, Jeff apologized to Coach Madden, saying that he was right, it is not the interviewer's function to put words in someone's mouth.

These were exciting times: star players, star coaches, sports. Furthermore, it struck Jeff that every time he got near the field, he got "this rush". He soon realized that if he wanted to work permanently with the 49ers, he would have to develop his own opportunity.

At about the same time, a very special friend of his died. Noting that he had few photos to remember his friend by, he started playing around with a point and shoot camera. One thing led to another, and he decided that if he could obtain a photo credential from a local newspaper, he could cover the 49ers' 1980 season.

Photo credit obtained, his rite of passage onto the 49er field secured, this marked the beginning of his profession. After two 2 - 14 seasons, the 49ers were in the Super Bowl as champions, and Jeff was an established
photographer on-the-field. It wasn't until 1985 that he took any photo classes!

As to the photographs, one of his photos is in the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio! It is of Jerry Rice catching his 101 career touchdown catch. Jeff admitted however, that Joe Montana was one of the best players he has ever worked with. Montana always had "two minute magic" which meant that he could turn on the jets in the last two minutes of a game and leave his opponents in the dust. He contends, "The best photo I think I ever took, was of the touchdown caught by John Taylor from the canon arm of Joe Montana in Super Bowl XXIII."

Sports, according to Jeff Bayer, can teach so much. The pent up emotion and the intensity of the game together with learning to be a good sportsman are lessons for everyone. His advice to budding photographers: "Be willing to work your way up the ladder, pay your dues and build a great portfolio. Then it's time to get great equipment, be creative, and always be metered accurately, as you never know what's going to happen next!" His advice to everyone: "When you find something you have a passion for, you should run with it, as long as you can, and as well as you can, because you never know when it's going to end."