Sports photography in focus: The story behind the shots

Image courtesy of Erin Maranto.

For most fans, game day is about being loud and present with the community around them. For Erin Maranto, it’s a balancing act of managing a crew and capturing the high-energy, emotional moments on the field.

The action on the field is fast paced, with Maranto describing the environment on the sidelines as “almost overwhelming” and contagious at the same time.

“There’s always so much going on," Maranto said. "The players are constantly in my face, in a good way, to hype me and themselves up. I’ve been hugged, shaken, high-fived and screamed at by the players because they are so excited.

“They are ready to be physical and play their best,” she added.

In the world of sports photography, it can take some time to get used to that infectious energy. Maranto’s approach has evolved from constantly shooting to slowing down and relying on her eye for the exciting moments, including celebrations and defensive stands on third down.

“I thought I had to get everything and would essentially overheat my SD card and then miss important moments,” she said.

Describing her process, Maranto also emphasized how, just like the athletes on the field, she’s constantly in motion.

“I also move around a lot to get pictures of other moments, ones that fans don’t always get to see.”

“That’s strategy meetings on the bench, captains motivating the players — to show every aspect of game day,” she said.

Maranto has worked countless games over her career here and loves game day.

“They’re the best part of my job as a manager and photographer.”

She recalls an NJAC conference championship game that she worked during her sophomore year. The game against CNU was a shootout, with the lead changing hands constantly. The Sea Gulls ended up winning by a three-point margin late in the game.

“I will never forget feeling like we could win it all or lose it every other second,” Maranto said.

She went on to describe the win.

“It was amazing. I have never been more proud to work for this team. I’ll never forget all of the players rushing onto the field to celebrate with the trophy. Then getting to hold the trophy and celebrate with them — it was an amazing night.”

When fans are leaving the stands postgame, Maranto’s night is just getting started. She needs to go through roughly 1,000–2,000 pictures taken over the course of a game.

“I don’t think people realize how much time it takes to go through all of these pictures. A lot of pictures look the same because you’re trying to capture a second of time, but you have to shoot consistently to get it.”

She spends just as much time going through her shots and editing as she does during the actual game, in addition to her prep work.

Maranto emphasizes learning from your mistakes and adjusting for future games.

“If you miss one touchdown celebration, know where you should be for the next one and make sure, you’re following the ball.”

Just like on the football field, positioning is everything. At the same time, missing a shot you wanted isn’t the end of the world.

To keep up with Maranto’s work, you can follow her photography page here.

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By COLE SIMMS

Sports Editor