Everything An NFL Photographer Does On Game Day | LA Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers

13 Feb 202414:33

Summary

TLDRMike Nowak, a seasoned photographer for the Chargers, takes viewers through his game-day routine, showcasing his equipment and strategies for capturing unique shots. He explains the meticulous preparation needed, from setting up remote cameras to testing wireless connections, to ensure seamless photo transmission. Despite challenges like faulty gear and unpredictable moments on the field, Mike's focus is on creativity and problem-solving. He shares insights on using different lenses, capturing key moments, and his commitment to documenting the team’s journey. The video offers a behind-the-scenes look at the dedication and passion behind sports photography.

Takeaways

📸 Mike Noak has been the Chargers' team photographer for 25 years, covering 524 games.
🌅 The team arrives early at 7 am to set up, ensuring everything is in place before the game at 1 pm.
🔧 Photography is described as problem-solving, where issues like malfunctioning clamps or dead batteries need to be quickly addressed.
📷 Noak uses different lenses for various shots, including a 400mm and 600mm for distant shots and a 135mm lens as his favorite for general use.
🏃‍♂️ He strategically positions remote cameras in places like under the arches to capture unique angles of the players running out onto the field.
⚡ The Chargers have implemented a smoke wall for dramatic entrances, and Noak captures the 3D-like effect as players come through the smoke.
📡 Noak’s camera is connected wirelessly to a system that allows instant transmission of photos to social media in real-time during the game.
👕 He takes uniform shots of key players before each game, showing fans what the players are wearing, with custom lighting for an extra effect.
🎮 Game day photography involves capturing moments during pregame stretches, team huddles, and dramatic plays on the field, often focusing on reactions and celebrations.
🖼 Noak emphasizes the importance of capturing behind-the-scenes moments and unique perspectives that fans don’t normally see, creating a deeper connection to the team.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video and what is his role?
-The speaker is Mike Noak, the Chargers team photographer, and it is his 25th year in this role.
How early does the team arrive on game day, and why?
-The team arrives at 7 AM, even though the game starts at 1 PM, to set up equipment and troubleshoot any issues before the game.
What types of lenses does Mike Noak use for different shots?
-Mike Noak uses different lenses for various shots, including a 400mm and 600mm lens for long-range field shots, a 70-200mm lens for versatile mid-range shots, and his favorite, the 135mm lens, for close-up action.
What kind of problems does Mike encounter on the job, and how does he address them?
-Mike encounters problems like broken clamps, non-working transmitters, and dead batteries. He addresses them through early setup and troubleshooting before the game begins.
How does Mike capture unique shots of the players entering the field?
-Mike mounts remote cameras in strategic positions, such as under the stadium arch, to capture players running out onto the field and using the new 'smoke wall' for dramatic shots.
What kind of technology does Mike use to transmit photos during the game?
-Mike uses wireless transmitters connected to his camera to send photos directly to the editing team. Once he captures a shot, he presses a button to transmit the image instantly to his team.
What type of shots does Mike take for social media before the game?
-For social media, Mike takes 'uniform shots' of players to show fans what they will be wearing. He uses lighting to enhance the photos in the locker room before transmitting them for social media posts.
How does Mike prepare for capturing game moments?
-Mike ensures his camera settings are correct, checks his lenses, and tests remote setups. He coordinates with other photographers to ensure all angles of the field are covered.
What does Mike focus on during the game besides capturing key plays?
-Besides capturing key plays, Mike focuses on reactions, celebrations, and emotional moments that tell the broader story of the game.
How does Mike feel about his role as a photographer?
-Mike enjoys his role as a photographer, particularly capturing moments that fans and the general public wouldn’t otherwise see, like the team's emotional celebrations and unique behind-the-scenes moments.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Day in the Life of a Chargers Photographer

Mike Noak, the Chargers' team photographer, introduces himself and shares that he's been in the role for 25 years, covering 524 games consecutively. He walks us through his routine on game day, starting at 7 AM in the parking structure. The crew sets up their photo, social media, and video workspaces. Mike discusses the challenges of photography, such as technical issues with equipment and the importance of problem-solving. He explains his choice of lenses for different shots on the field, sharing insights into how he prepares to capture critical moments during the game.

05:02

📲 Wireless Camera Setup and Social Media Workflow

Mike describes the wireless setup that allows real-time transmission of photos from his camera to the social media team. He explains the process of taking 'uniform shots' of players for social media posts, which give fans a preview of the team’s outfits. Mike highlights the importance of adding lighting effects to enhance the shots in the locker room. He emphasizes the need to stay organized, as forgetting equipment can impact the day’s work. Mike also discusses the pregame routine as the players arrive, and how his team captures content for different platforms.

10:02

🏈 Pregame Stretch and Capturing Key Moments

Mike focuses on capturing pregame moments, especially players stretching on the field, and shares his strategy of transmitting photos to editors for quick social media updates. He works with a dedicated web link for fast photo uploads. He highlights the importance of framing and anticipating shots, particularly capturing emotions, facial expressions, and reactions, which can sometimes tell a better story than the play itself. Mike shares his attention to detail, from shooting through players' legs to getting the perfect angle of a huddle or player introduction.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Photography

Photography refers to the art and practice of capturing images with a camera. In the video, the narrator, Mike Noak, explains the significance of photography in his 25 years as a Chargers team photographer, capturing key moments of games and unique perspectives that fans rarely get to see.

💡Problem Solving

Problem-solving is a critical skill in photography, as described by Mike Noak. He emphasizes how photographers constantly deal with challenges like malfunctioning equipment, dead batteries, or the need for specific tools such as ladders. His job involves anticipating and fixing problems to ensure a smooth workflow during game day.

💡Lenses

Lenses are essential camera components that help photographers capture images from different perspectives and distances. Noak discusses various lenses such as the 400mm, 600mm, and 135mm, each suited for different shots—whether it's grabbing a wide-angle stadium shot or focusing on players in the end zone. Each lens creates a different effect based on its focal length.

💡Remote Cameras

Remote cameras are cameras that can be set up in various locations and triggered from a distance. Noak uses these to capture unique angles, such as players entering the field from below an arch or getting wide shots of the stadium. These cameras allow photographers to get creative shots that might be impossible with handheld equipment.

💡Social Media

Social media plays a vital role in modern sports photography, enabling real-time sharing of images with fans. Noak mentions how his photos are immediately transmitted to the social media team during the game. This process allows fans to see up-to-the-minute content, like uniform shots and action shots, which are posted on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

💡Lighting

Lighting is crucial in photography, affecting the clarity and mood of an image. Noak explains how he brings lights into the locker room to brighten up player uniform shots, as there is usually inadequate natural light. He also adjusts his camera settings, like shutter speed, based on lighting conditions during the game to ensure the right exposure.

💡Transmit

Transmitting refers to the process of sending digital photos from the camera directly to editors or social media teams. Noak explains how his camera system is connected to a wireless network, allowing him to send pictures immediately after taking them. This quick transfer is essential for sports photography, where capturing and sharing moments in real-time is important.

💡Game Day Setup

Game day setup involves the preparation photographers and media teams go through before a game. Noak details how his day starts at 7 a.m., setting up cameras and remotes, checking equipment, and preparing for various photo scenarios. This early preparation ensures that when the game starts, everything runs smoothly, and all equipment is functional.

💡Action Shots

Action shots refer to capturing dynamic, in-the-moment photographs during fast-paced events, such as a football game. Noak highlights how he tracks players’ movements, predicting where the ball will go and switching lenses quickly to capture these moments. He focuses on both the actual play and the reactions or celebrations that follow.

💡Teamwork

Teamwork in photography involves collaboration between photographers, editors, and social media teams. Noak illustrates this concept by describing how he and his fellow photographers split coverage during games, ensuring all angles are captured. He also works closely with the editing team, who select and post the best photos quickly, showing how coordination is essential for effective game day coverage.

Highlights

Mike Noak has been the Chargers team photographer for 25 years and has attended 524 games in a row.

The team meets at 7 AM to set up gear for the game, ensuring everything works before kickoff.

Photography involves solving problems, such as dealing with faulty equipment like transmitters, clamps, and dead batteries.

Different lenses achieve different looks; Mike uses a 400mm and 600mm for long-range shots and a versatile 135mm lens for close-ups.

Mike can predict the ball’s destination by analyzing the quarterback’s body language, allowing him to switch between lenses quickly.

Remote cameras are set up in strategic positions, such as underneath arches and near the smoke wall, to capture unique player entrance shots.

Mike’s remote cameras capture dynamic shots, like players running through smoke, and must be timed for changing lighting conditions.

During the COVID-19 season, Mike was the only photographer on the field, and one of his long-exposure shots of the team won an award.

For social media content, Mike captures locker room photos and uniform shots of key players, enhancing them with lighting effects.

Photos are transmitted wirelessly in real-time to the editing team, who immediately post them on platforms like Instagram and Twitter.

Mike uses his experience to create unique compositions, including low-angle shots, black-and-white images, and action sequences.

Mike positions himself strategically on the field, switching between long lenses for action shots and wide-angle lenses for crowd reactions.

He collaborates with other photographers to cover different parts of the field and ensure complete visual coverage of the game.

Post-play reactions and celebrations, like touchdown spikes, often make for more memorable shots than the play itself.

Mike enjoys capturing the behind-the-scenes emotions, such as locker room moments, that fans usually don’t get to see.