Marcelo Guelber Góes on Capturing Football’s Defining Moments: An Interview

“I’ve always known that sports photography was my dream.” With this belief guiding him, Marcelo Guelber Góes set out on a journey that would take him across continents and place him right at the heart of some of the most unforgettable moments in sports. Born in Brazil and now residing between Porto and New York City, Marcelo’s journey into photography was almost predestined—his father served as the photographer for the President of Brazil, exposing Marcelo to the art form at an early age. Despite starting his career in 2005 and working across various photography fields, it wasn’t until 2019 that he fully committed to his passion for sports photography, a decision that has clearly paid off.

When Marcelo talks about capturing the world’s greatest athletes, you can sense the gratitude in his voice. His recent triumph at the World Sports Photography Awards 2024 in the football category, with a shot of Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating in the rain, is a true reflection of his talent, dedication, and years of hard work coming together. “It all happened very fast, and I acted purely instinctively. I just had no time to think,” he recalls.

However, the path to this victory wasn’t easy. Marcelo speaks candidly about the challenges of being a freelancer, the highs and lows of a career spent chasing recognition, and the determination required to see a dream through. “In sports photography, seeing the door is harder than actually passing by it,” he reflects, illustrating the perseverance required to succeed in such a competitive field.

In this interview, Marcelo offers insights into his process, his approach to storytelling through the lens, and his views on the evolving landscape of photography in the age of AI and advanced technologies.

“The gold is where nobody is paying attention.” – Marcelo Guelber Góes.

Congratulations on your award-winning Marcelo. First, tell us about yourself and how you got into sports photography.

I was born in Brazil and currently live between Porto, Portugal, and New York City, United States. Back in his time, my father was the photographer of the President of Brazil, and my contact with photography started at an early age. I have been working with photography since 2005 working as a freelancer in different fields of photography. Still, I decided to do it full-time only in 2019 when I was clear about what I wanted to do and felt that I had more maturity to manage a career.

Sports photography has always been a dream of mine, and I am very humble to recognize that I am living the dream of millions of people worldwide by being a witness to some of the most fantastic athletes and sports events of my era, both in football and basketball.

You have been in the industry since 2005. How would you describe the decades you left behind you? Your career, joys or challenges you faced.

I was working very hard to get recognition for my work by winning a big competition. Thank God I have just won the World Sports Photography Awards 2024 in the football category with a photo of Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating a goal in the rain. Hopefully, this will lead me to new challenges and business opportunities. It is really good to know that I am on the right path and that my work over two decades is paying back.

I have been in photography for quite some time, but I have been a full-time photographer only since 2019. My journey in sports started only in 2021, and I have achieved some amazing results since then. Of course, having lots of experience in different fields of photography has helped a lot, and my learning curve has been phenomenal.
In sports photography, seeing the door is harder than actually passing by it. I have followed my heart and worked hard to be able to call it my career today. Being a freelancer is really hard, and it requires lots of passion, planning and more. But if you want it, go for it.

“Photography has never been about gear, and it will never be. The most unique thing you can bring is your humanity, and applying it to your work will make your work unique as you are.” – Marcelo Guelber Góes.

Tell us about the winning shot. When you captured it, did you know it would win you an award?

Before leaving my house and heading to the Estádio do Dragão, I was on the phone with my dear friend Alex Heidrich, and I told him that the sky was falling down in the rain. I told him that “the way I am lucky, Cristiano Ronaldo would score a goal and run into my direction with arms wide open in the rain.” It all happened very fast, and I acted purely instinctively. I just had no time to think. I had three or four seconds to frame and click. Every step Cristiano Ronaldo took in my direction made it incredibly hard to keep up until the angle made it impossible. But in the end, I knew I had made it.

I was so sure that I had made it that I left the game right away at the 75th minute of the game towards the media room to unload my gear and check the file on my computer.
In the media room, when I put my camera and lens over the table, I saw that the front glass of the lens somehow managed to get very wet. I was horrified that the image could be out of focus, but happily, not only was it in focus as it somehow enhanced in a very particular exaggeration, but the bokeh effects made this unique image. I had no doubt that I had made the shot of my life, and the only thing I thought about was the World Sports Photography Awards.

Can you walk us through your process on a match day? How do you prepare mentally and technically for a game, especially when you know a high-profile player like Cristiano Ronaldo is involved?

It all depends on where the game is. If it’s in my city, it’s very standard. Essentially, I have a normal day, and three hours before the match, I start to prepare all the metadata that will be necessary to cover the game. I usually leave my house two hours before the match. However, if the game is not in my city, like in Braga or Lisbon, it requires a bit more attention and time. So I like to do everything in advance, at least a day.

For the games in Braga, I have to organize a ride with my colleagues who will also be attending the game. For Lisbon, it’s the same, but sometimes I take the train instead of a ride. My working day could be as long as 12 or 14 hours between the time I leave and return to my home. Sometimes, depending on the train schedule, it’s necessary to sleep over.
The game itself is very straightforward. I personally don’t like to sit close to the traditional press, so I try to find something that has potential either by knowing how the key players behave when they score or by positioning myself where the visitors’ fans are as the players from the visiting team might celebrate in that direction. Therefore, it will always depend on my personal feelings about that particular game or the tasks that I have been assigned. Sitting around the pitch is always a big gamble, and football is very unpredictable.
Last year, I covered an EURO qualifier match in which Portugal scored nine goals against Luxembourg, and I got precisely zero goal celebrations. It happens.

In photojournalism, time matters a lot (he emphasizes). I have a belief that photojournalism is up to 5 minutes after something relevant happens. If you send your photo 6 minutes after something relevant happens, it’s more likely to be content other than news, and content sells way less than news. It is super important to have a flawless workflow, and I am constantly working and investing time in upgrading my workflow.

“In terms of journalism, it is a very challenging time, but photography is a beautiful art form that won’t go anywhere.” – Marcelo Guelber Góes.

Have you ever faced moments where the environment or unexpected circumstances, like the rain in your award-winning shot, have impacted your photography? How do you adapt to such challenges?

Last year, I was covering a few MLS and NWSL in New York/New Jersey, and I had a few games stopped or delayed for a couple of hours due to lightning storms and heavy winds, things that I haven’t experienced before in my life. I felt safe most of the time, but it was exhausting to deal with. Even working in Europe, when I have those 12-hour shift days, I question myself every single time about what I am doing there because it’s a lot of effort for just 90 minutes of football.

How do you approach storytelling in your sports photography, particularly in capturing the emotions and narrative of a match beyond just the action on the field?

You either know something in advance from the news, or the story presents itself to you through the game, and we work from there. We have absolutely no interference in whatever happens in the game. Most of the time, we already know about something that might be going on from the news, and our starting point is easier to find, so we just have to find our way into it.

Players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar and Mbappé are the top celebrities in this big industry, and naturally, they are the most photographed people in the world. It’s very, very hard to get something unique from any of those players, as they have all eyes and lenses on them all the time.
So when you are working on the big games, you must keep your eyes on those players, but you must not ignore the rest that is happening. Football heroes can come from anywhere. So, you must avoid any distractions and always pay attention to everything that is happening around you. The gold is where nobody is paying attention.

“Photography is like entrepreneurship. Sometimes, we have to make more with less, and sometimes less is nearly nothing.” – Marcelo Guelber Góes.

As the winner in the Football category, can you tell us what kind of equipment you consider essential for covering a football match? What tips would you give aspiring sports photographers?

Photography has never been about gear, and it will never be. We live in a world where everything is becoming either automated, fake or AI. The most unique thing you can bring is your humanity, and applying it to your work will make your work unique as you are.

Photography is like entrepreneurship. Sometimes, we have to make more with less, and sometimes less is nearly nothing. With that said, for football, I like to bring a zoom lens like a 24-70mm F/2.8or a 70-200mm F/2.8 for formations and celebrations and a 300mm F/2.8 lens to shoot the game. Most photographers work with a 400mm F/2.8. I have a Canon, but I have also tried Sony and Fuji. They are different but equivalents. Find something that works for you and stick with it. Everything else is a personal preference.

What do you think about the advanced technologies and AI in photography now that mentioned it? What do you think the future of the photography industry will be like? Are these advances helpful or harmful?

In terms of journalism, it is a very challenging time, but photography is a beautiful art form that won’t go anywhere. Maybe because I have won an international competition, but my family and friends are more connected with photography as a narrative now more than ever, as they have been engaging with stories about other famous photographs that happened, like Doug Mills with the attack of Donald Trump or more recently the Jerome Brouillet from Gabriel Medina on the Olympics.

So, photography will still be relevant because nothing captures emotion better than photography. I am optimistic about the future, and I feel that I am more important now than ever.

“In photojournalism, time matters a lot. I have a belief that photojournalism is up to 5 minutes after something relevant happens. If you send your photo 6 minutes after something relevant happens, it’s more likely to be content other than news, and content sells way less than news.” – Marcelo Guelber Góes.

Winning this award is a milestone in any photographer’s career. What are your next goals? Are there any particular sports events or athletes you dream of capturing?

That’s a very good question, by the way. I have been more inclined to work on personal projects rather than a football season, and I might go for it after this summer. I am producing a portrait series that I can’t talk much about now.
I have never shot motorsports, but I am working my way to finding my first credential to cover F1. It’s my new dream to cover all the F1 circuits around the world.

I plan to cover the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and the next FIFA World Cup in 2026, both in the USA. But there’s no better place to be in sports than the Olympic games. I was not able to get a credential this time for Paris, but be sure that I will be in the next. So, I have plans for the Milan 2026 Winter Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games.

Would you like to add something?

My hair is starting to turn grey, and I like to teach a lot. I am seriously considering changing gears a little and helping other photographers to pursue their dreams. I have recently had a very positive experience with a few students who are now in the business and I would love to replicate and scale it. That’s all. Thank you!

Credit for the cover photo: Marcelo Guelber Góes’s winning shot.

See Marcelo Guelber Góes’s photos with IMAGO here.

Read more interviews with worldwide photographers here.