The 30 most iconic sports photos of 2023 from Getty Images
By Kyle Delaney
This was a spectacular year in sports and the incredible photographers at Getty Images have been there every step of the way, documenting the highest highs, the lowest lows and everything in between. We've rounded up 30 of the best sports photos of 2023 but also had the privilege of talking with Getty Images Director of Sports Photography, Maxx Wolfson, about what it was like guiding his team through preserving this year in photos.
FanSided: What are some pregame routines and warmups the photographers typically do? How do they prepare?
Wolfson: The key is to show up early and come prepared. That means getting things in order before arriving to the stadium. Clean your cameras and lens, charge batteries, and prepare your templates. It’s important for a photographer to do their homework as well — What is the story of the game? Key players? Any celebrities in attendance? Who is singing the national anthem or being honored? etc. Each team prepares media notes, and I always suggest following the beat writers on social media to get updates. All of those things are important to know ahead of time because they happen so quickly, and you don’t get a second chance to capture those moments.
What are some favorite sports the team likes to photograph and why? Least favorite? What are the differences in photographing different sports and events?
We are so lucky in the U.S. to have such a wide array of sports to capture. Our team really loves shooting anything outdoors when the light is right. Having natural light is always an advantage to our pictures. Nothing beats shooting an NFL game on a Sunday with a dream match-up and the lighting is great. Snowy, rainy weather can also add to the game and make a regular game a memorable one. Also, our team also loves the advantages of a controlled environment inside a stadium/arena as well. It opens up opportunities to do remote cameras in the catwalk, on the basket or inside the net.
Out of all the sports photographed this year, what was the most grueling in terms of atmosphere?
Hanging off the side of a mountain, crawling through catwalks, shooting soccer in the pouring rain, always are challenging. However, it’s what makes our photographers tick. They love the challenge and trying to tell the story in any way they can. While we can’t control the atmosphere, we can capture it and show the world what it was like at that event.
How do interactions with athletes differ by sport? Or are photographers a fly on the wall for the most part?
During a game or match, photographers never like to be part of the story or interact with the players. They’re not looking to disrupt game play or orchestrate moments. Where we do get chances to interact with the athletes are special portrait shoot projects such as the one the team did for the Women’s World Cup this year.
In these situations, the photographers try to get the best out of the athletes and it’s important to get emotion out of them. When this happens, it really pays off and you get some real, raw emotion and get to see the athletes beyond their sport and as people.
Is it safe to say your job has put you in places with people you never would've imagined? How do photographers feel about this when covering major events/athletes? Do you and them still have 'pinch-me' moments? If so, what was your last one?
I do, but I absolutely love sports. I’ve been so fortunate to have been to so many amazing events over the years. But there is something when walking onto the field and hearing the crowd roar. Even when I’m not working, I still watch sports, and have SportsCenter on all day. It’s important for me to know what is going on and making sure our team is covering it.
The last event for me that I had a ‘pinch me’ moment was the Ryder Cup in Rome. I love the Ryder Cup, and the European crowds are incredible. Getting a chance to hear the chants and roars as players tee off from the first hole is always memorable.
It still amazes me how calm and collected our photographers are going into the biggest events in the world. They always rise to the occasion but for them, they are doing their job and doing it well.
In the past, you mentioned that Super Bowls usually have 14 photographers. I'm curious, what's that number like compared to a casual NFL Sunday in week 12?
The Super Bowl is the event where we really try to put our team on display — it's a weeklong of events leading up to the big game, along with hype around the halftime show performance. While numbers vary game-to-game, we always try to make sure our staff photographers and contributors continue to innovate to get "the shot" whether through special access, instinct, luck, preparation or from unique angles via camera technology.
It's also an event we collaborate with our Entertainment team on so that we are getting every moment pregame, halftime show, of fans, post-game, etc. As always, we have some exciting things in store for 2024.
I know the famous David Tyree helmet catch is one of your all-time favorite photos. However, I'm curious what the runner-up is — do you have a favorite shot from this year, specifically? Or are there any moments that got away and still haunt you or the team from this year?
This was such a strong year for sports visuals so it's hard to say. I’m always drawn to photos that convey emotion and the image that I keep coming back to this year was the image of Sam Kerr kneeling after the Women’s World Cup Final, shot by our Chief Sports Photographer Maddie Meyer.
You can feel the pain in the loss in front of the home crowd knowing how close Kerr and The Matildas got to capturing the World Cup. Another photo that I need to get a copy of for my wall is the image of Olivia Ottaway surfing in Teahupo’o, which is the site of the surfing for Paris 2024. This image shot by Chief Sports Photographer Ryan Pierse is magical.
When it comes to taking a photograph, like this one at the 110th Tour De France — with the bikers and the sunflowers, how much planning is put into that? Is it just a matter of patience, skill, and a little luck?
Any image by David Ramos is pure skill. He is so talented! This image by David is what I discussed earlier about doing your homework and planning ahead. He clearly had a vision in mind for capturing this shot and getting the athletes at the exact moment passing through this sunflower field. David is one of the best in the world, and this image shows his incredible skill. Any event David is on, he comes away with pictures that no one else captures.
A picture like this shows the importance of capturing real imagery and moments in the world — and the value of human creativity when it comes to photography in today’s world. Getty Images is a trusted source and maintaining our editorial integrity is a huge responsibility for us and something that we take very seriously. Our customers and viewers all over the world need to know what they are seeing is authentic. The skill and expertise of our photographers are on full display here, along with so many other memorable sports moments that happened throughout the year.
Is "the ref got in the way" a valid excuse?
Ha! It’s an excuse, but not always valid. While sometimes it’s unavoidable, our photographers know the tricks to make sure that ref doesn’t ruin that moment. It happens, but it’s also another reason we try to have multiple photographers or remote cameras on big games.
Anything else to add? What’s can we look forward to in 2024?
As 2023 comes to a close, we have so much to look forward to in 2024. We start the year off with the College Football Playoff Games, which is always fun to see who emerges. The Super Bowl in Las Vegas will be a memorable one. Plus, we have some big events this year such as the Women’s Gold Cup, Copa America, the Euro’s and of course the Summer Olympics in Paris. It’s going to be a busy year, but we are ready. We have been planning for the summer of 2024 for years now.
The 30 most iconic sports photos of 2023 from Getty Images
