How are the young photographers covering their first EURO tournament? Read from the IMAGO photographer Marcel von Fehrn as he shares his excitement and preparation tips.
EURO 2024 with Marcel von Fehrn: Stories, Stars, and the Thrill of the Game
Award-winning photographer Marcel von Fehrn found his way into sports photography quite unexpectedly. A young photographer who started his own business but was led by a worldwide pandemic to pursue his path in sports photography. “It worked out well, and from then on, I concentrated exclusively on sports,” Marcel says.
He focused on photographing football and quickly established himself in the field; just a few months ago, he was the winner of the “Sports Image of the Month” by IMAGO and FanQ, voted by over 3,000 fans in a public vote.
Looking ahead to EURO 2024, his first major football tournament, Marcel is excited to capture both the stars and the stories of the matches. “A European Championship in your own country, in the stadium where you normally take photos, that’s just cool,” he describes.
In this interview, Marcel shares insights on his approach to covering EURO 2024, which he believes “is completely different from the normal workflow in the Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2,” and offers advice for aspiring sports photographers.
“EURO 2024 is also about the stars. That’s why I’m mainly concentrating on the normal match scenes and also the stars of the respective teams.” – Marcel von Fehrn.
How did you start your career, and why sports photography?
I came to sports photography more by chance. I started my own business as a photographer in February 2021. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, I wasn’t able to build up my self-employment well. Since I have always wanted to photograph sports, I have been looking for opportunities to photograph football. That worked out well, and from then on, I concentrated exclusively on sports. So, I’ve been a sports photographer ever since.
Do you remember what was your first big event as a sports photographer?
The first significant event was the EHF European Handball Championship at the beginning of the year. I covered the games in Hamburg and Berlin. Just “being on the scene” has shown me that I’m now doing quite well. Plus, the atmosphere which was really great. It helped me personally to develop further. I had a lot of handball games in just a few days. In the end, I even covered three games in one day. This allowed me to try out a few things and apply them directly.
Were there any challenges that you faced in this tournament? What goals would you like to achieve in this tournament?
Of course, I want to take great pictures and show what the players can do. Personally, I want to get better. EURO 2024 is completely different from the normal workflow in the Bundesliga or Bundesliga 2.
The most difficult part of the preparations was actually the accreditation. The procedure was quite time-consuming. Apart from that, I improved a few processes to keep up in the European Championship environment.
How is a typical day for you while covering a tournament like EURO 2024?
As the UEFA EURO is my first football tournament, I can’t say anything specific about the tournament schedule. However, I approach each game like a normal match.
The day before or on the morning of the match day, I check my pre-settings on the computer. Is the labeling set correctly? Is everything set up correctly for image transmission? I also check all the batteries in the cameras and on the computer in the evening. I check if I have everything I need with me, including, most importantly, the parking ticket, if I have one.
When I arrive at the stadium, I find my seat, set up my equipment and check everything once. When the players arrive to warm up, the real work begins. I photograph portraits and the trainers during the Interviews.
After the warm-up, I set up my remote camera behind the goal. When the teams run in, I stand by the coaches’ benches and photograph the run-in and the coaches in front of the bench. Then, I photograph the game from my seat. At half-time, I check the remote camera for spectacular pictures if necessary.
After the game, I photograph the emotions of the winners and losers. Once these pictures have also been sent, I pack up my things and drive home. At home, I will edit the remaining pictures that I didn’t send from the stadium. At the same time, I load everything up again. Finally, I set everything up on the computer for the next game.
Do you have any technical advice for aspiring sports photographers attending this tournament for the first time? What gear do you consider indispensable for covering a football tournament?
To photograph a football match, all you really need is a camera and a telephoto zoom lens, preferably a 70-200mm. If you want to go more professional, then you should use a larger telephoto lens and a second camera with 70-200mm. Every sports photographer in professional football should have this. I use all my equipment for a tournament like EURO 2024. This also includes a remote camera.
General technical tips would be that the pictures should always be straight, and no arms or legs should be cut off. The ball should also be completely visible. Of course, the picture must also be sharp. You should only do a tournament like this if you already have experience in professional football.
“The day before or on the morning of the match day, I check my pre-settings on the computer. Is the labeling set correctly? Is everything set up correctly for image transmission? I also check all the batteries in the cameras and on the computer in the evening. I check if I have everything I need with me, including, most importantly, the parking ticket, if I have one.” – Marcel von Fehrn.
How do you deal with the pressure of delivering high-quality images?
I keep it simple and ignore the pressure. I actually work best when I just do it and don’t think about it. If I worry about pressure and deadlines or quality, the result will be good, but not the way I want it to be. It also doesn’t show my full ability.
Are there certain moments or players that you are concentrating on in this tournament?
Normally, I always pay attention to current stories. But EURO 2024 is also about the stars. That’s why I’m mainly concentrating on the normal match scenes and also the stars of the respective teams.
Anything else you would like to add?
A European Championship in your own country, in the stadium where you normally take photos, that’s just cool, and I’m looking forward to it.
