Documentary Photography Idea Development

The main idea for my documentary folio is to photograph a local soccer team as the train together and play together throughout a season. Soccer is often a game charged with emotion and raw energy like many sports and that energy and emotion would be an important part of my folio. Sport teams at high levels have many people working behind them, helping them to succeed and this would be another important aspect to show. From player to coach to supporters to family members each element is often important to the team’s success and it would be vital to capture all those elements to correctly document the team.

Players have often spent years trying to reach the highest level possible, they have given up other goals and only want to reach the top level, this results in many players showing the rawest emotions when something goes against them in a game and also when something does go their way. Each player has a different role in the game and this results in different pressure felt by each player, from the striker to the keeper each player is different and it would be important to try and show it.

The coach is another important part of the team, without a coach most teams would not be able to function and would lose most games. Coaches often invest large amounts of time and energy into the team and when the team is not performing, it shows on the coach’s face, he can get angry and yell at his team causing stress to the players. When the team is performing, he is much lighter, happier and less stressed. An key element of the coaches role is to give directions and it would crucial to capture this.

Often behind each player is a family who has given up a lot to get their son or daughter to that level and this creates a lot of emotion on the sideline, which is needed to help to the story of the team. Fiery charged on-lookers will try to encourage their team on to victory and the main supporters of the team will are often quite an important part of the team. Sporting teams usually have a group of people working behind the team making sure everything goes smoothly and there are no mishaps. These people also support the team by carrying drinks and other supplies

Injuries that occur could also be very interesting to look at and how this affects the dynamic of the team and the team’s performance. After a player has sacrificed so much to get to such a high level, the grief and emotion of a season ending injury shows on their face and this can also affect other players.

When a team loses or wins a game, or a goal is scored there is a huge show of emotion especially if the game is a close battle and this is the final element important to capture.