'Through the Lens' will appear once per week during the offseason. Packers team photographer Evan Siegle deconstructs some of his favorite images from the 2018 season. Each week will offer a new photo gallery of some of his best photos from the past season
Simply Jimmy
Photo opportunities move fast, even before the game gets underway. Being prepared and having my own game plan is crucial. For example, whenever I document the coin toss I always bring two cameras –– one camera with a 35mm and the other with an 85mm lens. Obviously, I document the scene-setters and actual coin toss with the wider lens but my other camera and 85mm is used to create portrait-type imagery as the players take part in the coin toss. I don't have a lot of time, but it's a chance for me to create something visually appealing by using either a creative bokeh, framing or the opposing players as layers/textures. During Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills, I captured this image of Jimmy Graham while being framed between two Bills players. I love the use of the opposing players' arms to give the image an abstract feel. This image was shot with an 85mm lens (ISO = 400, Aperture = f1.2, Shutter = 1/8000th)
Jubilation Wins
Game-winning moments are nail-biters for me. Being prepared is a must too, knowing that the game could be won on just one single play. I always say that being a good sports photographer involves preparation, timing, anticipation and luck. Week 6, against the San Francisco 49ers, provided me with another game-winning moment and this time it was a 27-yard field goal. With three seconds left on the clock I raced to get into position. Luckily, I have a game-day assistant (Justin Hoerning), who is able to hold my extra gear. My plans were to photograph the game-winning kick, pass my long glass off to Justin, and then race out onto the field to grab some reaction shots. Here is a modified version of my contact sheet from Crosby's game-winning kick. My favorite image from the sequence was when Crosby was mobbed by his teammates just after the kick, but the best part was that Crosby redeemed himself from the week prior against the Lions. Jubilation wins. This image was shot with a 400mm lens (ISO = 3200, Aperture = f2.8, Shutter = 1/2000th)
Formations
It seems like weather always comes into play during our annual Family Night practice in August. Regardless what the weather brings, I always enjoy photographing beneath the lights and sold-out crowd. This past year, I got lucky because a storm was brewing, which formed some cool cloud formations. Knowing that the sky could make an image a little more dramatic I decided to pull out my 14mm lens –– the more sky the better. While roaming around I captured this image of the offensive players as they stood along the sidelines. I think the stormy clouds added a cool texture; the players' body language and the stadium lights made this image stand out. I love using textures or patterns to create an artistical image. This image was shot with a 14mm lens (ISO = 1600, Aperture = f2.8, Shutter = 1/4000th)
