Gordon King
There may be four quarters in a high school state championship football game. Or two halves in a championship soccer match. Or nine innings in a state title baseball game.
Regardless of how many halves, innings, quarters or periods there are in the championship game the most story-telling photos will most likely not be shot during those halves, innings or quarters.
West Valley High School’s Riley Steele, right, and Squalicum High School’s Lauren Gibb both go for the ball in West Valley’s loss to Squalicum High School in a shootout in the Washington state class 2A soccer tournament Nov. 22. 2013. West Valley took fourth place with Squalicum finishing third in the state. (GORDON KING/ Yakima Herald-Republic)
An okay photo but it doesn’t tell the story.
Another photo from the match:
West Valley High School’s Abigail Gaulke falls to the ground while going for the ball against a pair of Squalicum High School players in the Washington state class 2A soccer tournament Nov. 22. 2013. West Valley lost, taking fourth place with Squalicum finishing third in the state. (GORDON KING/ Yakima Herald-Republic)
Again, okay but not a photo which tells who won and who lost.
The story-telling photos will be shot immediately after the game ends. That’s when the emotions of the players will be most apparent. When, (to poach a quote the old TV show “Wide World of Sports”) “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” is shown on the players’ faces. That’s when the emotions – high and low – come out and you know who are the winners and who are the losers.
West Valley High School’s (l-r) Abigail Gaulke, Riley Steele, Lauren Peters and Alyssa Barden hug after West Valley loses to Squalicum High School in a shootout in the Washington state class 2A soccer tournament Nov. 22. 2013. West Valley took fourth place with Squalicum finishing third in the state. (GORDON KING/ Yakima Herald-Republic)
This is the photo which tells the story of that soccer match. These are not winners. This photo was shot a minute or two following the end of the game.
Sure, game action is important because those photos flesh out the story of what led to the win or the loss. But it’s those “thrill of victory” or “agony of defeat” shots that will tell the story.
