

Brazil and Cameroon were still playing in Brasília in the group stage of the 2014 World Cup. The Brazilian team was already winning by 2x1 when, 4 minutes into the second, Fred scored Brazil's third goal with a header.
It was a move after a corner in which the ball was perished for a long time in the Africans' area. Practically the entire Brazilian team was in the attacking field, including defender David Luiz, who was the one who crossed for Fred to score.
In this match I positioned myself (as always) on the opposite side of the bench. Favorite position, a few meters from the corner flag on the side of the field. I was working that day with a Canon 1DX with a 400mm 2.8 telephoto lens and a 5D Mark II with a 50mm 1.4 lens, which I always leave at 2.0. With this aperture, the blur of the image is very beautiful. It's a little harder to “stick” the focus, but when it comes, it's beautiful.
After the hit and hit in the area, the ball left for Neymar on the right wing. The ace crossed, the defense countered, Fernandinho dominated and activated David Luiz on the left wing, who crossed in Fred's head: Brazil's goal.
While I was trying to find the scorer of the goal with the 400mm (Fred passed behind the posts and came running towards David Luiz, but was covered by several players) the defender turned towards the stands and gave a "fly" in the corner flag. I lost the photo, because I was still using the 400mm. That's when I decided to take out the 5D Mark II with the “cinquentinha”.
Fred kept running and he and David Luiz hugged each other, sort of spinning in midair. I made two clicks (one of them was the one below).
Afterwards, David Luiz turned to the fans again. Screaming, gesturing. I made a few more clicks – he was already very close to the photographers at that time.
As I said before, when the focus “stucks” with such an aperture, the blur is very cool. It was one of the photographs I most enjoyed taking in this World Cup. Through composition, light, colors and plasticity. But mainly for taking risks and succeeding. In such an event, with 200 photographers in the field, working shoulder to shoulder, you have to have a differential to try to stand out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But taking the risk will always be worth it.
Comments