Entertainment Sports MLB Legend Randy Johnson Is Now Living a Second Career as NFL and Wildlife Photographer Johnson, a Baseball Hall of Famer, now operates a studio that specializes in wildlife, travel and concert photography By Jason Hahn Jason Hahn Jason Hahn is a Human Interest and Sports Reporter for PEOPLE. He's worked at PEOPLE's Los Angeles Bureau as a writer and reporter since 2017 and has interviewed the likes of Kobe Bryant, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Brady. He has a B.A. in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University. He previously worked for Complex Magazine in New York City. People Editorial Guidelines Published on October 13, 2022 05:13 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Gene Lower /Sports Illustrated via Getty Former MLB player Randy Johnson has traded pitching for pictures. On Wednesday, a photograph showing Johnson — the former Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher — holding a gigantic camera while on the sidelines of an NFL game went viral on Twitter. "Learned today that randy johnson is now a professional photographer (??) and and shoots nfl games (???)" the tweet from Sophie Kleeman of Insider said. As it turns out, Johnson was a photographer before he was an MLB star. "My career as a Major League baseball pitcher has been well documented, but what is not as well known is my passion for photography, which began when I studied photojournalism at the University of Southern California from 1983-85," the 59-year-old explains on his website. "Baseball became my occupation for two decades, but my love of photography never left," he continued. "Following my 2010 retirement, I was able to focus my attention back to this passion." Little Leaguer Comforts Pitcher Who Hit Him in Head with Ball: 'Just Throw Strikes and Take Deep Breaths' MIKE FIALA/AFP via Getty Johnson's website showcases dozens of images featuring wild animals, landscapes and concerts. "Thanks to the people I got to meet during my baseball career, I've been fortunate to have unique opportunities in photography," he explained on the site. "I've gotten to talk to and learn from some of the best photographers in different fields." Johnson, who was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, said his work has been featured in Rolling Stone, Spin, and Metal Hammer. Pitcher Ben Joyce Sets Record for Fastest Pitch in College Baseball History: 'Unreal' "Photography has taken me on an amazing journey, but it's only just beginning," he said. "I look forward to visiting places I've never been, shooting things I've never seen, and getting better each and every day." Kleeman's tweet received more than 147,000 likes on the platform since it was posted on Thursday, with many users pointing out that Johnson's studio uses a dead bird as its logo. RELATED VIDEO: Who Is Aaron Judge's Wife? All About Samantha Bracksieck The logo is a humourous reference to one of baseball's most absurdly improbable moments. During a spring training game in 2001, a dove flew directly in the path of one of Johnson's fastballs and seemingly exploded in front of the Arizona crowd. A video of the moment has racked up nearly 6 million views on YouTube.