Diary: Women’s World Cup Photography with Elsa Garrison

With a career spanning four decades, Getty Images sports photographer Elsa Garrison has covered football’s biggest events—including three FIFA World Cups, four FIFA Women’s World Cups and the Olympic Games. 

Recently, Elsa Garrison was an official FIFA photographer for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. In this article, Elsa discusses her background in photography and shares her diary entries during the year’s biggest sports event. Learn more about what it’s like to be a professional football photographer during a World Cup and take a look behind the scenes at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. 

Diary Entry Four

We had more photographers as we approached the final, meaning we had different spots to work. (I was in a roaming position for the semifinal between Australia and England.) Some stadiums are easy to work at and some are more of a challenge—this one was a challenge.

I decided to take risks. After all, other photographers covered the match, so anything I came up with would be bonus. It was definitely a home crowd: not only in location, but the stadium had arguably 90 percent Australia fans. Before the match, I determined where I would go should it end in penalties, as I wouldn’t have much time to think about it. Found spots that were more on the Australia offensive end in hopes of getting the goals but also fan reaction.

Stadium Australia was the site of the Opening Ceremony and the Athletics for the Olympics in 2000. Oftentimes, fans are seated a bit farther away from the pitch at stadiums designed for other sports. That was the case here. 

I hoped Australia would score and run to the corner as they celebrated—and they did! It didn’t have the impact I had hoped for with the front row being so far back, but it told the story of record crowds of excited fans.

I wasn’t sure what to expect for the final. I had covered England’s matches in the group stage and the Round of 16 match against Nigeria. I hadn’t covered Spain yet, so I wasn’t familiar with their style of play. All the pundits predicted England would win comfortably. Despite this, I hoped for a tight competitive match.

I shot both teams’ arrivals, as usual. Stadium banners, wraps and signage had all been changed for the final. I usually shot arrivals with a Canon50mm f/1.2 L USM as it was the perfect focal length, and the wide aperture was perfect for a not-so-nicely lit hallway.

For the final, I went with a Canon RF135mm f/1.8 L IS to get something tight as they entered the hallway, and quickly switched the Canon RF28-70mm f/2 L as they walked past the sign that said ‘The Final.’ I wanted a full-length image as coaches and players walked past.

We had four photographers on the pitch for the final: one in the tribune (elevated spot centred) and one roaming the stands. We each had our pre- and post-match assignments. I was pitch left, near Spain’s bench. I knew where I had to be should we get to penalties and my match plan was in place.

Spain attacked the opposite end of the pitch from where I was stationed, and as my luck would have it, they scored in that end. Luckily for me, Olga Carmona ran towards the Spain bench and celebrated. I was so excited that I got something from that moment! 

In the second half, Mary Earps of England made a great save on a penalty shot and let loose. She has the best reactions—a photographer’s dream!

Both teams played tough. Alex Greenwood of England sustained a cut on her head but continued to play after she was bandaged up. These women are tough and that move certainly illustrates it!

As luck would have it, the final whistle blew as play was on the opposite side of the pitch. That’s the breaks sometimes. I did get one celebration run as Aitana Bonmati ran towards her teammate in the middle of the pitch. We had two other photographers who ran onto the pitch with steady cameras, so I got into position for the final trophy lift and got what I could from there.

My job for the trophy lift was to shoot wide and to capture the LED boards on the stage smoothly. LED boards are tricky. These boards were at a different frequency than the rest of the boards in the stadium, so I had to figure it out once I got into my centre position. No pressure! 

I used the Mechanical Shutter on the Canon R3, enabled the high-frequency anti-flickering setting in the red menu and set a manual shutter speed setting of 1/1218 of a second. I crossed my fingers that it would be a high enough shutter speed to freeze the players as they jumped in the air

It has been said that this World Cup will be remembered as the turning point in not only women’s football, but in women’s sports. 

The final two matches I had in Sydney were held at Stadium Australia and had a capacity of over 79,000. Both matches were at full capacity. Television viewership and social media engagement on FIFA platforms were up from the 2019 Women’s World Cup. It was an incredible, inspiring and empowering experience that I will never forget. Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Diary Entry Three

The group stage was wild and unpredictable. The round of 16 and the quarterfinals also brought surprises. My first two elimination matches were in Brisbane—my “home” stadium—as I photographed every match from the group stage to the quarterfinals. My two knockout matches were incredible. Both went extra time and into penalties.

Every match, I put up a remote behind the goal. I use aCanon EOS 1DX Mark III and a lense Canon24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM. I trigger it with PocketWizard Plus IV remote triggers with a custom channel. 

I use a long-range frequency as my photo position is a good distance away. I trigger it by using a foot pedal next to my shooting position. I don’t trigger it with the camera hot shoe, which produces too many unnecessary frames—especially if someone else is editing them!

I was at 24mm most of the time. We were close enough to the net that it wasn’t too loose. I tend to set up near the middle of the net but, like most remotes, you never know if it will work. There was a stretch of matches where I didn’t use a single image from that remote—but I still tried! I use a bit of depth of field and put my aperture at 4.5. The lens is on manual focus, and I set it just inside the 6-yard box and tape my focus down. I only fire when action is in the area.

My first match was between England and Nigeria in the round of 16. I shot all of Nigeria’s matches and I met some of the team staff and players, so I had a soft spot in my heart for them! I knew it wouldn’t be an easy match after watching the group stage, and I wasn’t surprised it went to penalties.

Both teams played tight defensively. The first coin toss decided which end the penalty shots will take place and a second coin toss determined who kicks first. Before the match the other FIFA photographer and I discussed our plan should it go to penalties before the match as there is no time for talk once we reach that point. As luck would have it, the penalty shots were in my end!

Penalties are a special kind of stress, but the kind I love (I may be in the minority on that). My assignment was to shoot the goalkeeper with my 400 and fire my goal remote. I would capture the goalkeeper’s reaction if they made a save, but pivot to the penalty kicker if the shot went in. In these situations, my game plan is so ingrained in my head it is second nature. These moments happen in a matter of seconds, and there is no time to think.

Chloe Kelly of England delivered the match-winner. I quickly went to Kelly and Mary Earps, the England goalkeeper, as the rest of the team rushed in. I focused on Nigeria’s dejection after the initial celebration, as it is also part of the match story. The other big story was Lauren James of England stomping on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie as she got up after the two collided, leading to a red card for James. Her suspension for the incident is two matches and she won’t see action on the pitch unless England makes it to the final.

My quarterfinal match featured Australia and France. We all knew this was going to be close. France is no stranger to quarterfinal action and Australia played great their last two matches. The big question for Australia was whether Sam Kerr would start and if not, would she even play? Once it was determined she wouldn’t start, I needed to get images of her during warmups in case she didn’t play at all. 

Brisbane Stadium holds around 49,000 and it was sold out. There was a small section of France fans but as a host country and competitor, it was nearly all Australia fans. Most all the matches I covered were nearly at capacity, if not sold out. It was great to see. When Australia’s Kerr subbed in during the second half, the place went nuts.

France scored a goal that was disallowed because of a foul. Australia’s Mary Fowler had a great chance when the goalkeeper was out of position, only to be stopped by France’s Élisa De Almeida. That shot attempt was on the opposite end of the pitch from me, but I shot it anyway. It is not the cleanest angle in the classic sports photography sense, but it told the story of the moment and in elimination matches, everything counts.

Sure enough, we go to penalties. This time the coin toss sent the kicks to the opposite end from where I shot the match. I picked up my gear, ran to the other end and positioned myself near the corner flag on the bench side. This time, the photographer working with me would focus on the goalkeeper and fire his goal remote, while I would use my 400 and shoot the team’s reaction as they stood in the middle of the pitch.

Fun fact about this match: it featured the most penalty shots taken in a World Cup match. There were 20 total penalty shots taken. Depending on who was up to take a shot, I would focus on that team’s reaction. It felt like it went on forever! When it came time for Cortnee Vine of Australia to take her shot, I knew that if she scored, it would be over. I needed to get reaction from both sides. I shot Australia’s initial reaction and panned quickly to France before ditching my 400 and running out onto the pitch for celebration. Because it was a home crowd, the Matildas celebrated heavily on the pitch. I got my workout that night.

Diary Two

Thirteen flights. Ten matches.

It’s hard to describe life on the road. I often equate our time away from home to that of the athletes we cover. There are a lot of nights, weekends and events that I miss because of my commitment to covering some of the biggest sporting events on the global stage. It’s the life I chose, but that doesn’t always make time away from family easier. We just wrapped up the group stage, and we begin the knockout stage next week.

To sum up my group stage—I was at the airport. A lot. There was a stretch of six days where I had a flight in the morning and a match the same night. It was great fun, but I was completely exhausted by the end. On easy days, I would get four to five hours of sleep at night. However, it was often around three hours, and I would nap on the plane. 

I lived on cold brew and banana bread from airport coffee shops. Dinner was sometimes hotel minibar Pringles and sparkling water. The biggest challenge was charging my camera batteries before my flight the next day. Packing a second battery charger can be a game changer at some events.

I usually arrive at the stadium four hours before kickoff. My routine is the same every match: I set up a remote camera behind the goal. I then run the ethernet cables to my match position and send test frames back to the editors from each camera. I photograph the jerseys in both dressing rooms three hours before kickoff. Around the hour-and-a-half to two-hour mark, I capture team arrivals and their visit to the pitch before warmups. I then send selects from all of those to the editors before warmups start.

Next, I shoot warmups. As the teams leave the pitch, I run and turn on the remote behind the goal. I shoot player entrances before the match and follow the steady camera as we shoot the anthems, coin toss and the referee team photo with captains. I then run to my match position, file all of that as the match is set to kick off, follow the action and reaction of the match and send select images back to editors in real time. I pull the remote card and send images at halftime. Post-match, I follow the steady camera onto the pitch to get player reactions and sometimes cover celebrations in the dressing room.

It is a lot for sure, and the only reason I keep my sanity is our editing team. I would be sunk if I had to self-edit. Our editing team at Getty Images is incredible and I am thankful for them every single day. As a staff photographer, I couldn’t do the work I do at these events without them. 

For World Cups, we have a photography team that covers the editorial needs for Getty Images (which is where I have worked World Cups previously) and a team that handles the needs of FIFA (which I am doing for this event). With a lot of elements to document every match, photo editors are essential.

What is special about working the Women’s World Cup for FIFA is some of the behind-the-scenes access. I am allowed in places that no one else is, and I take that access and the responsibility that comes with it very seriously. 

I wait to be invited into huddles and locker rooms pre- and post-match as that is a team’s time. These athletes give their all and I want to document not only the joys but the struggles and defeats with empathy and care. It is a fine line to get the images that tell the story of the tournament, but also to give players space to be in their feelings.

Not everyone has this access. At other tournaments, I have sat with a row of photographers behind the boards using similar lenses and technology. It is not easy to set yourself apart, but what I do is focus on the moments. I pride myself on learning as much as I can about a sport before I cover it. I know exactly how I am going to react in any scenario to the point it becomes second nature. But if you do miss a shot, be kind to yourself. The way I look at it is this: if I am blocked or the action runs the opposite way, then it wasn’t my picture to make that day.

It is not easy to make a different image when you are sitting in a row of photographers with telephoto lenses. For me, it comes down to lens choice and framing. 

I use prime lenses as often as I can (Canon RF400mm f/2.8 L IS, RF135mm f/1.8 L IS, and the RF50mm f/1.2 L) and mix in fast zoom lenses (RF24-70mm f/2.8 L IS and RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS). The bokeh of prime lenses adds a special look to images. The only time I use a bit of depth of field is on my remote cameras.

This group stage has been surprising. Several mainstays of Women’s World Cup football are out and a few new clubs have made it to the next level. I think it speaks to the growth of women’s football on a global level. While it was hard for me to see a team like Brazil with all-time leading World Cup goal scorer Marta not make it out of the Group Stage, it has been inspiring to see programs like Morocco, Colombia, Nigeria and Jamaica make it another round. It is going to be a wild knockout round and I can’t wait!

Diary One

About Elsa Garrison

People often ask me how I ended up a photographer—and, more specifically, a sports photographer. I was first introduced to it as a freshman [age 14–15] in high school. I had an elective to take, and photography seemed the best of the lot.

In those days, the only high-tech thing on the cameras was that it had a built-in light meter. Exposure settings, and most notably focus, were all manual. Most of my friends played sports and photographing their games was a way to share that experience. I loved the challenge of capturing peak action and emotion—and trying to get it all in focus!

Flash forward to college. I am studying photojournalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia, also known as Mizzou. I liked covering sports, but I thought I would become a well-rounded photographer and end up working at a newspaper upon graduation.

I worked part-time for the athletic department, which gave me access to a wide range of sports. Occasionally, a Sports Illustrated photographer would cover some of our basketball games. 

It blew my mind that you could cover only sports! I thought now this is what I want to do. When I said this to one of my classmates—who happened to be a man—he responded “Chicks can’t shoot sports”. I love a good challenge and I thought, “Oh yeah? Well, watch me!” So, I guess you could say I launched a career in sports photography out of spite!

2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

That brings us to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. But I’m strictly working in Australia. This marks my fourth Women’s tournament and my seventh FIFA World Cup overall. 

There are so many elements that I absolutely love. These athletes make it look effortless. While they are graceful in their movements, they are also fierce, tenacious and powerful. There is no sport like it in the world. As a photographer, there are so many ways to capture it that it can be overwhelming. But, like I said earlier, I love a good challenge.

This tournament, unlike previous ones, I am working for FIFA. That means I get a bit more behind the scenes access. I started off my World Cup in Melbourne, with Canada facing Nigeria. Even though it is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter down here. In Melbourne and Adelaide, it gets down to the 45°F [7°C] and the wind can cut through you.

As a FIFA photographer, I shoot from the bench side of the pitch. This gives me not only a unique angle on the action, but I can also see the bench area for coaches and reactions. I use four cameras during the match—one is a remote behind the goal—more on that later. 

My match action setup for the first two matches consisted of three Canon EOS R3bodies with the Canon RF 400mm f/2.8 L IS, RF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS and the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS. That may change as the tournament progresses, but this is my basic setup.

The FIFA photo team and I are here to document the look and feel of the tournament and to help the fans connect to their favourite teams and players. It is a lot of work, but it is incredible.

To start the tournament, we take the official portraits of every player on every team. They need to look uniform, even though we are all over Australia and New Zealand. To this end, we determined the exact lighting setup for a simple grey backdrop and a custom colour backdrop for each team to complement each team’s jerseys. 

Before the project started, we held a lighting workshop to make sure we all set up everything the same. It was a cool project, but travelling with enough lighting and backdrop equipment for two studio setups is a ‘unique’ kind of fun.

I shot two teams, Jamaica and Panama. I was paired with another photographer, one of us to shoot the grey and one to shoot the colour. 

We would travel to the team’s hotel and turn a conference room into a studio space. FIFA uses these images throughout the tournament to promote upcoming matches and the players use them for their social platforms.

Though the portraits were fun, what really drives me are the matches. What is special about the World Cup is that the group stage takes place all over the country—and, in this case, two countries. I am strictly in Australia for this tournament, but there is still a lot of travel involved. 

I am about to shoot my third match in my third city in just three days. It sounds glamorous, but it can be exhausting. I get my best sleep on planes. And, with my group stage schedule, that is a good thing. 

So far, the matches have been exciting and unpredictable. It is going to be a fun tournament. Thank you for joining me on this wonderful ride over the next few weeks.

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