Q&A: Fiona Goodall on filming the Women’s Rugby World Cup

Highly respected in her native New Zealand for her more than 20-year career as one of the country’s leading photojournalists, Fiona Goodall he also happens to be a fan of sports photography.

After capturing the 2022 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Auckland, we sat down for a quick Q&A with the now freelance photographer working for Getty images to find out what it takes to capture world-class sports photos. on the biggest stages.

Australian Photography: You worked as a photojournalist for many years. How does this influence your sports photography?

Fiona Goodall: As a photojournalist, you often have to capture the news as it unfolds in front of you. I try to incorporate my current affairs experience into my sports photography.

I’ve been a photojournalist for 27 years, so I’m always looking for sports news. When I photograph a match, I look for everything that will make the headlines tomorrow.

The goal is to make sure those crucial moments in a game are captured. Images that tell the story of the match and how it unfolds regardless of the outcome. It could be a particular tackle, a spectacular athletic try, an important referee decision or a clash between players.

AP: What do you look for in a successful sports photo?

FG: A good sports photo captures the energy and emotion of a specific moment.

It is the moment of contact between players that brings sports photography to life. The look on their faces, the emotion, strength and effort that will make the shot stand out.

A successful sports photo needs a clean background, so as not to distract from the story.

When shooting a TV competition, getting a shot with a clean background can be tricky.

You need to find angles that separate the players from the clutter – shooting from a lower angle, sitting on the ground helps, or high in the stand.

AP: What are some of the challenges that come with capturing events like the World Cup?

FG: At major sports competitions there is usually a team of photographers working in different areas to make sure every angle is covered and no action is missed. I was part of a fantastic team of Getty Images photographers capturing the action at this year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup.

If you’re not working as a team, one of the main challenges of sporting event photography is that you can’t be everywhere at once. In any game, there are moments that happen at both ends of the court, but only one of you.

The other challenge is that the game might not be right for you, literally. If a team is more dominant, and they attack the opposite end of the field, and you can’t move, you could end up spending the entire first half of the game with very few shots. I hope you have better luck in the second half and can catch up.

AP: Can you briefly share your equipment configuration?

FG: My Canon setup at WRWC included:

• 2x 1DX Mark III
• 1x 1DX Mark II
• 1x 200-400mm f/4L with built-in converter
• 1 x 70-200mm f/2.8 Mark III lens
• 1 x 24-70mm f/2.8 Mark III lens
• 1 x 16-35 f/2.8 Mark III lens
• 1 x 50mm f/1.4 USM lens
• 1 x 80mm f/1.2 USM lens
• 1 EL-1 Speedlite

AP: Can you explain your workflow at an event like the World Cup? How are the images taken, edited and ultimately shared?

FG: During the Women’s Rugby World Cup, we start by installing the integrated Wi-Fi in the cameras. The majority of my photos were taken with the 200-400mm f/4L, while the 70-200mm f/2.8 Mark III lens was used for crowd and close-up shots.

Throughout the game, I continually added voice tags to a chosen selection of shots and sent them (via an in-camera FTP) to a Dropbox folder. Getty Images’ editors in Australia then edited a selection of these images through the company’s own software to crop, correct and caption before posting them on the Getty Images website.

AP: How do you create images that are different from other photographers with the same access as you?

FG: I think a good knowledge of the sport and the players can help create different images.

For example, you might see a player like Ruby Tui or Portia Woodman of the Black Ferns take the ball, and you’ll know they’re going to attack the line or step on the opposition and it will be dynamic. Often it’s about setting yourself up on the side of the pitch where those impact players are going to hopefully run at you at some point in the game.

AP: What’s your most memorable image you’ve captured so far?

FG: My last memorable image is of the Rugby World Cup final. When the Black Ferns’ Stacey Fluhler ran in and touched the ball to score a try late in the game, it looked relatively ordinary. But luckily I stayed on the move and after landing the ball it flew horizontally through the air with the biggest smile on her face.

That summed up the game and the tournament for me. The Black Ferns have played so happily in the game, in each other, in the massive support they have received from the country and the Rugby World Cup.

AP: What advice would you give to people who want to take better sports images?

FG: Be well prepared for match day.

This means understanding the sport you are shooting. It is important to have a good understanding of the rules and dynamics of the sport to be able to anticipate what the next move might be or what the options are.

It is also good to know if a player is close to breaking a record, or if it is his last game before retirement, or if he has just returned to the field after an injury. These are newsworthy times to be ready for.

As a sports photographer, you should also study the location before game day. Carefully examine the venue where the competition will take place to identify the best angles.

It’s also crucial that your gear is up to the task during game season. Canon Professional Services repaired my lenses and returned them to me during the Women’s Rugby World Cup at Eden Park. I was also offered the option of using any of the Canon lenses I would need to capture iconic moments.

On game day, arrive a few hours early to set up your gear and workstation, and get yourself in the right frame of mind before the game starts. Once the game starts, it’s almost non-stop action.

You can see more of Fiona’s work at fionagoodallphoto.photoshelter.com.