photo by Tom Burton
World Cup has been great to watch with some truly amazing matches. Great players came prepared for the chance of making creative, assertive decisions that make or break the game. In a fraction of a second, they either capture the moment or miss it all together.
Like soccer, photojournalism is a craft of quick reactions and creativity and playing the sport feels a lot like working an assignment.
I’ve been in photojournalism a long time, but soccer is something I’ve some to later, especially playing the game. My kids played growing up and I learned the game that way and helped coach their teams later on. It’s only been the last few years that I’ve laced up cleats and played in weekly pick up games but the more I play, the more I recognize the similarities.
I love the skill of positioning in soccer. When you don’t have the ball and are waiting, you drift into the open position, waiting for a pass. If you’re sneaky, you drift behind a defender who doesn’t see you. It is so much like figuring out the best place to be for a photo, quietly moving into position and then pushing the shutter at the perfect moment. Getting the pass and the clean shot on goal feels just the same.
Being in on a corner kick you are packed in tight, throwing elbows and shoving, you position yourself to get to the ball with perfect timing. It’s the same as being in a media scrum, chasing a celebrity or getting the handshake photo at the end of a football game. You have to guess the right position, move quickly when the opening comes and get the shot in the one moment when it is available.
