Behind the scenes: Seattle Times' World Cup photo team takes the pitch
It was 105 degrees on the field at Seattle Stadium and the stage was set for the U.S. to face off against Australia.
Seattle Times staff photographer Jennifer Buchanan, perched behind an advertising board at field level, was sandwiched between photographers from other news outlets as the FIFA Men's World Cup match was set to begin.
Three of her cameras flashed temperature warnings and were hot to the touch. Her fourth camera was positioned behind the goal, which she had to shoot blindly, with no way to see through its viewfinder.
For nearly three hours, Buchanan wouldn't move from this position, glued to the action through her lens. She had been at Seattle Stadium for four hours already.
When the whistle blows on game days, The Seattle Times' photography desk puts its own Miracle on Grass in motion, passing photos from photographers to editors to readers.
Buchanan has covered large sporting events before, including the Winter Olympics and multiple Super Bowls, but the World Cup has a special meaning.
"It's one of my favorite events every four years to personally watch, and being part of covering it is just a dream come true," Buchanan said.
On one of her off days between matches, she watched three World Cup games, including Japan's heartbreaking loss, the team she supports.
How the world gets to see the World Cup
For World Cup games, it usually takes less than a minute to get a picture from a photographer to an editor, and less than five minutes from an editor to our website.
During live updates, editors crop, tone, caption and publish photos instead of photographers, to make the process more efficient.
It also means there is less control of the narrative on the photographer's end.
"That's a lot of trust going both ways," said Buchanan.
To expedite the process, photographers send "voice tags," informing editors which players are in a picture, the minute of the game and other important information for captioning.
As a roar of cheers, boos and chants bellows in the background during games, Bettina Hansen, deputy director of photography, oversees the show from her computer, like a coach on the sideline.
"It's shown off what we can do when we use the strength of our full desk," Hansen said.
Hansen worked as a staff photographer at The Times for 10 years before stepping into her current position. She's covered three Super Bowls and an All-Star Game along the way.
"It's difficult to field that kind of volume of photographers shipping images back to you …" Buchanan said. "You're receiving bits and pieces of sentences, and you have to make a narrative out of it."
Hansen and the photo team started preparation for the World Cup in December of 2024.
"We've been preparing for these games for so long …" Hansen said. "It's been amazing to see how positive things have been so far."
How can a photographer be in 2 places at once?
Sometimes, the best shots are a gamble. This is especially true with remote cameras - where photographers can't see what they've captured until halftime, or after a game.
Photographers in the field use the remote cameras, which are placed in areas they can't stand during the game. When a photo shows the ball soaring into the net, narrowly missing the fingers of a desperate goalkeeper, a photographer likely relied on instinct, a remote camera and a bit of luck.
They are connected via radio frequency, and shoot these cameras without being able to see through the viewfinder.
Technical difficulties and remote cameras being knocked over during play is common, and finding a good picture can be like finding a gem," Buchanan said.
"It was really gratifying to have this remote make this picture for the World Cup," Buchanan said.
A sporting event like no other
Staff photographer Dean Rutz, who has worked at The Times for 38 years, has shot six Olympic Games, edited three more, and shot four Super Bowls and the Goodwill Games, but this is his first time covering the World Cup.
"It's so international, colorful and grand, on a scale that sport doesn't really achieve here until you get to a championship game," Rutz said.
Although there is a lot of planning and work to be done around games, Rutz describes the photo team as genuinely fun to work with.
"This is the best group of photographers I've ever worked with," he said. "We've had some great photographers come through the door, but this group of people works so well together."
On his way home after the Iran vs. Egypt game, Rutz passed team Egypt's hotel downtown. There were thousands of people outside dancing, singing and waving flags. He said that "just felt like the best of sport right there."
Unlike Rutz and Buchanan, Seattle Times photo intern Andrew Burke-Stevenson is still getting to know Seattle and the stadium.
Burke-Stevenson, a recent graduate of Boston University, covered the Iran vs. Egypt match from the tribune, an elevated "bird's-eye view" position at Seattle Stadium.
"At the edge of the Iran bench, there were still fans cheering the team as they walked out," Burke-Stevenson said.
Kevin Clark, another staff photographer, especially likes capturing the energy outside of the stadium.
"This is the most positive sporting event I've seen in Seattle, said Clark. "These people are just happy to be out. These aren't people that got tickets, these are just people going to be a part of the atmosphere, doing the march, and to be around other beer-drinking soccer fans."
The Times photo department's next match is Monday, when the U.S. will face off against Belgium in the round of 16.
"It's gratifying that we can put together a team of people who are firing on all cylinders, who make amazing images, and that we're able to share that from the biggest event in the world," Buchanan said.
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