Derbies are big occasions, not just for players, but for everyone involved. The stakes go up a notch. You don’t want to miss that moment. You want to capture that heightened emotion. Photographer Rachel Bach – @bythewhiteline – takes us through her day out snapping the season’s opening Melbourne Derby.
I arrived shortly before the teams started warming up, as I often do.
It is in the pre-match moments that I focus.
The gates hadn’t opened yet to the fans, it was quiet, and I settled in on a scorching afternoon for the first Melbourne Derby of the season.
As the players enter the field to warm up, I start firing the shutter. Rebekah Stott is playing at AAMI Park for the first time since winning the 19/20 grand final, and she’s radiating positivity, as she often does. Her energy is contagious, and the players around her share in it. By the time warm up finishes, however, it’s full focus – game face on.
I wanted to capture each team’s attack for one half, so I needed to choose an end.
Normally I would pick based on light, backgrounds, and crowds – to name a few considerations. However, I was hoping to capture Victory’s new striker, Lynn Williams.
When she last played in the league a few seasons ago, I only had one chance to photograph her. She’s an exceptional talent, and having her back in the league – even for a short time – is exciting.
I suspected Lynn might not start, and so I knew I needed to capture Victory’s attack in the second half to be close enough for a potential debut.
After the coin toss, the teams switched ends, so I had to sprint through the stands to get to the opposite side of the pitch for kick off.
As luck would have it, I was seated at the right end for all of the goals scored – including the winner from none other than Lynn Williams.
It was a tense match, and as a photographer you feel that.
Moments pass by quickly, but ultimately I try to capture those that sum up the emotion of the game.
In a match where we saw multiple goals, a red card, and tackles flying in from every angle, there was plenty to photograph. There’s no shortage of images that tell the story of who won and who scored, and therein lies the challenge.
I try to capture images that I find interesting – playing with light, with angles, with depth. Not focusing solely on the outcome means that if you’re not close to where goals are scored, you can still tell stories from the game.
Victory’s captain, Kayla Morrison, is out on the ground before the warm up even begins, despite tearing her ACL here one week earlier. In a true display of leadership, she’s encouraging her teammates, smiling, and laughing – despite what would be an incredibly difficult time for her.
Alex Chidiac’s return to Melbourne – albeit for Victory, not City this season – is another part of the day that I wanted to capture. From the moment she walked out, she looked ready to play. She drove forward whenever given the chance. I found myself mesmerised by her movements, as she wove her way through opponents.
When the ball is down the other end of the pitch, my approach changes slightly. Rather than chasing detailed shots, it’s a chance to look at the wider context. Groups of players flying through the air, the sunlight falling only on certain parts of the pitch – it’s an opportunity to be creative.
By the end of day, I’ve captured a variety of imagery that focuses on different aspects of the match. It’s not all about what happens with the ball.
After the final whistle, the disappointment on the faces of the City players was clear-cut.
Whilst they’ll rue missed opportunities, I doubt they’ll dwell. After all, they get another shot at the reigning champions in two weeks time. I won’t try to predict what round two of the derby will bring, but as always, I’ll expect the unexpected.
