Planning: The Pictures

 Intro:

Again, I’m thrilled to share the current state of my portfolio as I am in the planning process for my portfolio project.

Over these past 2 weeks I have attended some of Jorge’s soccer matches for both school and club, as well as one of his one on one training sessions.

For my sports magazine feature, I wanted the visuals to do more than just show a game; I wanted them to feel like a "road to glory." Here’s a look at how this shoot came together and how it’s reshaping my project

Behind the Lens: The Technical Playbook

Shooting video images of athletes with the same turn of wrist as Jorge doesn’t happen by just pointing and shooting. I used three separate techniques to enhance the quality of these pictures: 

• Freezing the Peak Action:  The first shot of Jorge winning a header and just before the moment of impact, was captured using a high shutter speed of at least 1/1000, which allowed for the complete freezing of the turf ‘beads’ exploding from the ball as well as capturing the epicness of Jorge’s vertical leap against the massive “Home of the Bulldogs” football goal post. 

• Depth of Field & Isolation: For Jorge’s action shot in the orange jersey, I used a very large aperture (like, a low f-stop) which allowed me to create a cream colored background (bokeh) so that Jorge’s image would explode out of the frame and he would be seen to be the protagonist of the image, even with other players present.

• The "Hero" Angle: For the shot of Jorge taken from behind with his foot on the ball looking directly at the goal, I used a very low angle to take the shot, which makes him appear significantly larger than he is and monumental, which fits perfectly with the story of an athlete who has just come back from injury.

Analysis: Shifting the Narrative

This shoot significantly changed my portfolio. I had originally seen this as a traditional “season preview,” however after seeing how the pictures turned out, I have changed my direction.

Actually, the project is right on track. Seeing the details of the shots—like the captain’s armband and the taped wrist—motivated me to move further towards a “Road to Glory from Injury” concept.

The images represent more than just sports; they reflect someone who shows great leadership and goes through the physicality associated with a comeback.

 The contrast between the moment of deep concentration with his foot on the ball, and then instantaneously exploding off of the ground to execute a header, provides that “narrative arc” that was lacking. It is now more than just scoring goals; it is about how he comes back to make his presence felt on a soccer field. 

Reflection: What’s Next?

Now that the "hero shots" are in the bag, the next step is going to be planning the cover page. I need to find a photo that matches the hero energy that I am trying to portray.