IMAGO photographer Justus Stegemann shares his journey from being a former athlete to covering the Euro 2024 as a sports photographer with The Game Magazine. Discover how he enjoys capturing the tournament's important moments, the players’ excitement, and most of all, its diverse cultures.
Justus Stegemann at EURO 2024: Framing Moments, Celebrating Cultures
From a competitive athlete to a celebrated sports photographer, and with an education in sports science, Justus Stegemann found his calling behind the camera after a lack of personal mementos of his athletic career. “When I ended my active career as an athlete, there wasn’t a single photo of me to look back on that time with pride. My motivation is to take such a photo for others.” His career in sports photography had a significant turning point at the 2020 German Beach Volleyball Championships. “As I sat on the sidelines, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of finally being where I had always wanted to be, without realizing it before,” he explains.
Now, as he covers Euro 2024, his goals are more personal: Justus wants to “fully enjoy these moments” and celebrate “many cultures” that rarely you “have the chance to experience all of them in one place.” Despite his appreciation for the unique atmosphere and the diverse cultures, he remains focused on the demanding routine of a professional photographer in a long tournament: daily preparations, equipment checks, capturing the spontaneous, unforgettable moments on the field and handling the pressure.
Read Justus Stegemann’s journey into photography in this interview, his coverage’s detail for EURO 2024 and his unique perspective as a former athlete and appreciation for sports which makes Justus stand out.
Could you tell us about your journey into photography?
I am a former competitive athlete and studied sports science at the University of Hamburg. When I ended my active career as an athlete, I realized that I didn’t have a single photo of myself that allowed me to look back on that time with pride. This realization motivated me to become a sports photographer so that I could capture such moments for others.
Do you remember what was your first major event as a sports photographer? How was it for you?
My first major event as a sports photographer was the 2020 German Beach Volleyball Championships in Timmendorfer Strand. At that time, significant COVID-19 measures were still in place. Nevertheless, as I sat on the sidelines, I was overwhelmed by the feeling of finally being where I had always wanted to be, without realizing it before.
Are there any special goals you have in mind to achieve at EURO 2024?
My goals for this tournament are less professional and more personal. European Championships are characterized mainly by the many traveling fans. I want to fully enjoy these moments. Rarely does one have the chance to experience so many cultures in one place and celebrate a peaceful festival. I am grateful for my profession and the chance to experience everything up close.
“As is well known, sports photographers use super-telephoto lenses. However, you should always have a second camera with a super wide-angle lens on hand because even though most of the game takes place far from the lens, you might suddenly find yourself in the middle of the action.” – Justus Stegemann.
How is a typical day while covering EURO 2024?
A typical day during the European Championship starts with a trip on the Deutsche Bahn. Thanks to special tickets, you can travel to the venue cost-effectively and climate-neutral. I plan to be at the stadium’s media center four hours before the match begins. That gives me enough time to check the equipment, prepare the metadata for the image captioning and get some refreshments. At the latest, I am on the sidelines one hour before the game starts to take the first photos. Two hours after the game ends, the post-processing is complete, and the day ends on the train or at the hotel.
What equipment do you consider essential for covering a football tournament? Any technical tips for aspiring sports photographers?
As is well known, sports photographers use super-telephoto lenses. However, you should always have a second camera with a super wide-angle lens on hand because even though most of the game takes place far from the lens, you might suddenly find yourself in the middle of the action. I’m participating for the first time myself, so I don’t see myself in a position to give tips. On the contrary, I use the opportunity to learn from European Championship veterans and am grateful for any advice.
“The physical and mental strain during a tournament lasting several weeks is very high. This can only be overcome by the great atmosphere in the stadiums, the heartfelt dedication of the volunteers, the professional organization of the hosts, and the solidarity among the media colleagues. Thank you to everyone who is part of this celebration of sport.” – Justus Stegemann.
Usually photographers have to deal with a high pressure of stress during the tournament, specially for delivering high-quality images under tight deadlines. How do you deal with this?
It helps me to make quicker decisions and not overthink things. You continuously try to improve your workflow both in terms of software and hardware. I like to compare it to a pit stop; it’s a great feeling when everything fits together perfectly.
Are there any particular moments you are focusing on in this tournament?
Exciting moments are the ones you can’t predict. That’s why I try not to be distracted by obvious situations. It’s okay to let your eyes wander from time to time. But let’s not kid ourselves: taking a nice photo of legends like Müller, Modric and Ronaldo is also a kind of souvenir for yourself. Who knows if there will be another chance to do so.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The physical and mental strain during a tournament lasting several weeks is very high. This can only be overcome by the great atmosphere in the stadiums, the heartfelt dedication of the volunteers, the professional organization of the hosts, and the solidarity among the media colleagues. Thank you to everyone who is part of this celebration of sport.
