A New Sport, A New Assignment
Last night I stepped into an entirely new world of sports. I had never even seen a basketball game before, let alone photographed one, so this Match Day was exciting and honestly a little nerve-racking. For the first time, I had a practical assignment for Jorge Pérez, the Press Officer of Real Madrid Basket. Because this counted as (I assume) a graded assignment, I was sitting literally court-side with all the professional photographers. No pressure…
My goal was simple in theory but intense in practice: create a photo gallery of twenty images that told the full story of the game from beginning to end. I was also in contact with my classmate Yukun, who was writing the match report, to coordinate which players he wanted me to focus on.
Working With a New Camera
This time I was given a Canon R10, and I have to be honest, I did miss the Canon EOS R6 Mark II. The difference in sharpness and quality was noticeable, especially in such a fast sport. Still, I had to work with what I had, and considering this was my first time photographing basketball, I think the pictures turned out okay. There is definitely room for improvement, but I am happy I managed to complete the assignment.
Photo taken by my classmate Milan of me learning the pointing system before the match.
Experiencing the Atmosphere
The atmosphere inside the Movistar Arena for a EuroLeague game absolutely blew me away. I expected to enjoy the sport because it is fast paced, which is something I always look for in a new sport, but I never imagined it would be this exciting. From the warm-ups to the final buzzer, it was intense and incredibly entertaining.
What surprised me the most was how relaxed the players seemed before the game. They were laughing and joking, and the whole team felt very tight knit. And all while I was sitting just meters away from them. Before tip-off, Jorge Pérez explained where we could sit and reminded us that we were allowed to move around freely. When I asked if I should stay behind the professional photographers, he immediately said no, you sit where you want and take the pictures you need. That was very reassuring, especially when you feel a bit like an imposter sitting among so many professionals.
Learning the Game in Real Time
During the second half, I sat next to another photographer who kindly explained the scoring system to me. Even without understanding every rule, it was very clear how intense the match was. The game could have gone either way for almost the entire time. Real Madrid eventually won by only one point in the very final seconds, which made this night even more unforgettable.
The Hardest Part: Choosing Only Twenty Photos
After the match, I went straight to the press conference room where I had to do what might be the most difficult part of the whole assignment. I had to select twenty photos out of the 1,372 I took, write captions for each one, and send everything to Jorge Pérez by RMtransfer within the hour. I managed, but I will not pretend it was easy. (Below are the final 20 photos).
Photo gallery of the 20 photos I have selected for Jorge Pérez.
Looking Ahead
One thing I know for sure is that this is a sport I want to follow more closely. And if another opportunity comes up to photograph Real Madrid Basket, I really hope I get the chance again.
