Week 4 - Who doesn’t love an old-fashioned rivalry?
How do you decide what lenses to use?
After my Week 1 vlog I was asked “How do I decide what lenses I use” so I wanted to provide some transparency into my shot list. On gameday I typically use 3 cameras, My Canon R5 and a 300mm on a monopod for action shots, A wide-angle lens for fan photos as well as atmosphere shots and a telephoto lens for tighter shots to show player emotion as well as an alternative lens choice when my 300mm is too tight for the subject. I also like to carry an alternative prime lens such as a 135 1.8 or an 85 1.2 which allows me to isolate the subject and separate them from the environment. As you can see on my shot list my deliverables for the first half of the game called for a 2 camera setup, my 70-200 as well as a 14-35. I didn’t carry my 300mm around the concourse as it was too bulky and I didn’t want it to be damaged as I moved around. For the 2nd half I picked up my monopod and began to follow the game action on the field. A 300 allows you to photograph subjects cleanly about 30 yards down the field and as the players run towards me I switch to a 70-200 and in the rare case of a celebration (such as Week 1’s fumble recovery in the endzone) I switch to a 14-35.
Since we’re playing on Thursday Night Football I arrived at the stadium at 4:30 to take scene setters before players arrived to the field. With it being the beginning of the season, it’s important to get as many photo assets as we can!
We’ll start off warmups with this shot of Malik Nabers locked in prior to the game, We send these photos to our social team for distribution . With the access provided to us as team photographers I always want to take advantage by creating uinique compositons that I otherwise would not be able to.
Including details like Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s cleats!
I kept my head on a swivel during warmups and ran into Sydney Mclaughlin-Levrone. Track was my favorite sport and as a runner Sydney is a legend so I was more than elated to capture her as she took in Metlife Stadium!
For the first time this season, we introduced light bands to our fans. The environment that it creates in combination with fireworks at night is a scene like no other!
For the first half of Thursday’s game I was tasked with capturing fan perspectives. I decided to start at the top of the stadium and work my way down through the concourse. I found that the most energetic moments occured when it was a 3rd down or the defense made a tackle for loss. As I was focused on the fans and not the field I had to read our fans’ emotions to infer what was happening on the field of play. This led me to capture this photo of a Giants fan celebrating in front of a Cowboys fan. I want the viewer of my photos to feel emotion as they consume my work and I feel this photo perfectly captures what a rivalry is. It’s not pretty, it’s raw and passionate and here you can see the conflicting sides and the emotion it brings out of its fans.
I also utilized shutter drag with an off camera flash to create these photos which I feel exemplify what it truly means to be a fan…loud, rowdy, and passionate about your team!
The 2nd half started with Dallas backed up on their 8 yard line due to a holding penalty on the previous play. As they broke the huddle I noticed something unusual in their formation, star wideout CeeDee Lamb was lined up as a halfback. I noticed this same formation as I casually watched the Cowboys/Ravens game last week in an attempt to get Lamb the ball more he would substitute in as a running back in certain situations. Recalling this from memory I decided to isolate him in my camera and luckily Brian Burns made a huge stop in the backfield on him. I used the 300mm as I captured the tackle and as the play broke, immediately switched to my 70-200mm to capture the ensuing celebration…a salsa dance that even Victor Cruz would be proud of!
Tyrone Tracy has a huge run in the 3rd quarter and the ensuing reaction was deserving of the play as he roared alongside the crowd! It’s always important to follow the player long after the initial play has concluded as those are the impactful shots that tell the true story of the game!
Malik Nabers added to his Rookie of The Year campaign by posting another 100 yard performance against one of the best cornerbacks in the league!
The ending to this game was a whirlwind of emotions. Dallas was set to attempt a field goal to put the game all but out of reach. However, the kick was wide right and there was still a chance for us to drive down the field and win the game. I made a plan to stay in the end zone in the case of a hail mary. After 2 attempts downfield it didn’t seem likely that we would score so I reverted back to my original assignment which was to photograph the quarterback handshake at the end of the game. As Dallas kneeled the ball down I sprinted onto the field, not to find Daniel Jones, but Dak Prescott. As the players meet in the middle of the field it can easy to get lost in the crowd and lose sight of your subject. Knowing this I decided to follow Dak until he crossed paths with Daniel instead of attempting to find him through the sea of players.
Lastly I got to meet one of my mentors in Callena Williams. Representation matters in the creative industry and I’m glad to have someone to look up to in this league! Until next time!
