As 2015 comes to a close, the Prost photographers get a chance to showcase their favorite photos from the year, as well as some of the stories behind them. This week, we take a look at the favorites from the Seattle crew.
Photos by Brandon Bleek, Max Aquino, Casey Woodrum, Jill Peck, Matt Warso, Chris Walters, Shelby Kessler, Nick Danielson, and Will Raunig
Brandon Bleek: Clint Dempsey netted a free kick in the 86th minute against Dallas to complete the come back and take a two one lead into the second leg of the conference semifinal. I love this picture because it captured what might have been the most exciting – and loudest – moment of the season at Centurylink field. It also captures a moment where new and young members of the Sounders future are celebrating with the man who is leading and mentoring them.
Max Aquino: Stefan Frei makes a critical save in the first half against FC Dallas on June 13. Goalkeeper saves are notoriously difficult to capture because you have to anticipate the shot and ignore everything else on the field, meaning you can easily miss a great defensive play. In addition, it’s tough to get a good angle on a save and the diving goalkeeper means that you cannot pre-focus reliably.
Casey Woodrum: Leo Gonzalez battles for the ball with Vicente Sánchez on the July 18 game against the Colorado Rapids. To me, this photo captures the players at their best. Both players are working to win the ball from their opponent; additionally, Leo is my favorite player.
Jill Peck: Lamar Neagle scores the first goal in the Sounders friendly against Club Tijuana.
Chris Walters: Obafemi Martins leaps over Michel in the second half of Seattle’s 3-0 win over Dallas on June 13. There are several things I like about this photo. First off, it shows Oba’s determination and hustle. It shows Oba during the time when he wore a face mask, adding the the uniqueness of the photo. Finally, it shows Oba hurdling Discount Bart Simpson™, which always makes for a good shot.
Matt Warso: This picture is from the August 1st match against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Ozzie is a favorite player of mine and I think this shot captures some of the fire and intensity that he brings to the pitch during every match.
Shelby Kessler: My first Sounders game was job shadowing Max for the game against Orlando. Obafemi Martins had just scored a goal and was rushing to celebrate with his team. Max had gone running to the other end of the field and I just started snapping pictures and got this beauty. It’s my favorite not only because it was an amazing moment, but because I took it completely on my own.
Nick Danielson: During the Sounders – LA Galaxy knockout matchup on Oct. 28th, Obafemi Martins embraces Erik Friberg after Friberg scored the go ahead goal to send the Sounders to the next playoff game. I love peak action photos and I took hundreds throughout the course of this game, but with the intensity of the close score and the deafeningly loud crowd, it was the emotional images that stuck with me the most. I was incredibly fortunate to capture a highly emotive moment between players and a moment unique to this game.
Will Raunig: Clint Dempsey scores against the LA Galaxy to open up the scoring in the playoffs. It’s a favorite because it kicked off the action in a seesaw game and shows the energy that took place, both on the field and in the crowd.
