This is my first post on this blog. The idea of creating "Behind the photo" came about during a conversation with my wife Vanessa. In fact, I don't even know if people still blog. Much less if anyone is going to be interested in getting in here. Anyway, I'll write this stop. Nothing too rigid or with a day and time to "upload some text". What I really want is to tell a story of some cool photo I've taken that can arouse people's interest. By the way, suggestions for photos close to your story told...
That said, I think it's cool to start with this photo of the CR7 sliding (the image is not at the end of the text, but it's nicer if you leave it to see the photo when you're done reading everything) at Parc des Princes.
I went to this PSG and Real Madrid game to photograph two PSG athletes Marquinhos and Thiago Silva. As for the stadium, the biggest view for photographers was already taken. There were around 60 professionals on the lawn. As if in fantasy, I took the photos of the teams entering the field and went to position myself. I like to be on the side of the pitch, very close to the corner flag, preferably on the opposite side of the bench. The first side I passed was crowded, so I went to the other. Surprisingly, the "corner" was there, free. I put my stool and felt. PSG would attack that side in the first half.
After 45 minutes, 0x0. Some good pictures of the athletes I had to photograph. The tendency would be, in the second half, to try for a spot on the other side of the field, but I decided to stay. photographing the defenders, because they will be two close to the first position of the game. And second, I had already noticed that Cristiano Ronaldo spent a good part of the first half open in the attacking wing of Real Madrid (right where I would follow in the second half). The tendency was for PSG to come out to the game and offer - the counterattacks to Real and Portuguese. Another thing that came out of me that I ALWAYS wanted, from Champions League games on television) was that, if the player didn't make Real's head make a goal, the chance of slipping on his knees was probably too big...
I didn't go to the stadium photographers' room, send in some pictures at intervals and return to my position for the start of the second half.
I always work with a Canon 1Dx with a 400mm lens and a 5D Mark II (decomper) with a 50mm lens. The 400mm is always at 2.8 (diaphragm aperture) and the 50mm is always at 1.4 or 2.0.
The second half begins, PSG's attack, Real Madrid's defense cuts through and gives them a counterattack. A player escapes through the left wing and Cristiano Ronaldo shoots through the middle. Cross on the head of the then best in the world and ball in the net. And here comes the Portuguese with everything in my direction. This time is a mix of luck and intuition. I'm closed on it with the 400m and it's coming. "What now? Do I get the other camera with the 50mm? I don't? What time do I get it? Damn, the guy is getting closer and closer. Is he going to slide"?
All this in less than a couple of seconds at most. Well, the result is this photo below. I think I did about 6 clicks of it sliding around with a 5D Mark II. Of those six, two with focus. The rest is all blurred.
I like this photo for its vibrancy, for its plasticity, but also for this smoky background. A little earlier, the PSG fans will light some flares that will produce this smoke. Then it became an image with about two cores: the green of the lawn and the white - of the background and the Real Madrid shirt.