Record-breaking moments and Packers portraits

Preparation is everything, especially in my world as the Green Bay Packers team photographer. That preparation has turned into a routine before every game, from what time I show up to the stadium, to cleaning every piece of my camera gear before I pack it into my Think Tank rolling bag, which I take down to the field. My preparation can be very detailed, too, like keeping my cameras at the exact same distance/length/position from me while covering a game, so I can reach them without looking and stay in stride with my continuous shooting. I also jot down notes on what might unfold or important possibilities. I don’t mind being over prepared because I know it’s only a benefit, especially documenting a game where moments happen in a blink of an eye.

Christmas Day (Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns) was one of those games I needed to be prepared for because of two franchise records on the cusp of being broken. One of those milestones was Brett Favre’s career passing touchdowns record, which stood at 442. Knowing that Aaron Rodgers just needed one TD to break the record, my game plan was to solely concentrate on Rodgers until he broke the record. I was dedicating all my focus on that exact moment, so you could say that I wanted it to unfold fast and early in the game.

My plan was to cover Rodgers from the sideline, instead of where I usually set up, which is in the back of the end zone. I positioned myself almost near the line of scrimmage, knowing that would allow me to get an image of him throwing the ball and then his reaction. Luckily, the record-breaking moment came in the first quarter. I was successful on getting the throw and Aaron’s reaction as he was mobbed by his teammates. There were a lot of great moments that unfolded on the field, but I think the best reactions came in the bench area. The crowd was electric as they chanted at Rodgers. I captured this special moment of Aaron as he displayed his love back to the adoring fans. I love the look in his eyes and his hands against his chest. It was an intimate moment between one of the best players in the game and the greatest fans. It was a day filled with total gratitude.

This image was shot with a 35mm lens (ISO = 500, Aperture = f1.4, Shutter = 1/5000th).