Sidelines of a D1 Football Game, Gophers vs Penn State

Bleeding Maroon and Gold

At some point over 25 years ago, my husband and I became MN Gopher football fans and eventually morphed into closet fanatics. We first started watching them when they played in the old Metronome. I call those the dark years. Not a lot of W's happening there. A few years we had season tickets when the new stadium opened. We have done our fair share of tailgating at the State Fair grounds Gophers lot and after our kids graduated, we traveled a few times to bowl games. I have more maroon and gold attire vs purple and gold or even blue and gold (IYKYK). So, when the opportunity presented itself, me, a freelance sports photographer from the Carlton, MN area to be on the sidelines photographing a game this fall, I jumped. And when I discovered I would be at two games on the sidelines, well, let's just say things couldn't get any better. This is one of the rare times in my life that it was who I knew that got me down there. Thanks D!

2008

Last season in the Metrodome. My son Dean in the Metronome for one of the Gophers last home games before the new stadium.

2009

My family and I outside the new TCF Bank Stadium during one of the opening games.

2018

Few members of my family after running in the Goldy 5K run. The race ends inside the stadium.

2019

One of the oldest rivals in D1 college football is between MN Gophers and WI Badgers. The teams play for the coveted Paul Bunyan Axe. So when there was a Gophers W drought from 2003 until 2018, my hubby and I could not resist seeing the axe in spring 2019 as it made its way across MN.

Getting in the Stadium

Once I secured the pass to photograph the games, I was sent instructions on all the important items; where to enter, what time I could arrive and where on the field I could be. One thing that was made clear is that these were not only the team's guidelines but NCAA. No messing around, a violation of the rules could ban you from future games on the field. Who knows what my future will be on the field, but I was not about to do anything to jeopardize that!

Once you enter the press gate, you sign in with security and nab your photographer credentials and vest. The photographer press room is immediately there. It has desk like countertops all around the room with chairs and ample plug-ins. Many of the photographers were grabbing a spot and getting ready for the next time they enter the room again- likely at half-time. If I wanted to, I could have left some items there but being a newbie, I brought everything I thought I could use with me. I had two camera bodies on my go-to camera holster and carried some hand warmers and extra batteries in my jacket. Typically, I wouldn't burn through batteries that fast, but when you don't get on the field that often for a D1 game, YOU WANT TO BE PREPARED.

It's not Just the Game.

As a sports photographer, I have always taken pride that my photographs were from the moment the team steps on the field to when they leave and all the emotions in-between. This game was no exception. The pre-game and post-game is all part of the experience. This game was the last home game of the season and was honoring the senior players.

Picture taken with a Nikon d5, 70-200, F2.8 lens. F4, ISO 1250, at 200mm, 1/1000

The Moving Pieces

I know the game of football. I've been married to a football coach for 29 years. I am used to covering high school football games. Those sidelines are not crowded, there is some leeway on where you can be and you have ample room to move around. But, what I was not anticipating until you actually watch the sidelines of a D1 FOOTBALL GAME, is how many moving pieces there are and just how many people are on the sidelines. While to spectators, it may look chaotic, it is HIGHLY ORGANIZED. Everyone has a place on the sidelines, everyone has a purpose. I was down there mainly to take pictures of one player. When there is that many people on the sidelines, it is easy to lose track of someone, no matter how hard you try. I have covered this player in high school football both for the local newspaper and for the team. I know his running style and socks, (yes socks, not everyone has the same kind) so fortunately, it's easy for me to pick him out when he is running on the field.

The Sidelines

This pic is a great insight into the sidelines of a D1 game. Look closely and you will see other photographers, TV crew, cheerleaders, security, the beloved mascot and his slide/equipment, upcoming recruits and their families and special guests of the team. There is a very clear yellow line that everyone needs to stay behind. My approach is to sit on the ground right by the yellow line and stay there as long as possible. At the Penn State game, the temps were high 30's at the start of the game. It didn't take me long to realize that the turf was heated. (Thank you, Minnesota Vikings for that!)

Minnesota female sports photographer, Amy, Duluth Minnesota

Minnesota sports photographer, Amy, Duluth Minnesota

The Student Section

The Minnesota Gophers student section are not just spectators, they are the lifeblood of the game. When you see a game in person, you see they somehow move in unison. This picture happened right after a blocked punt. I was in the student section endzone, and the stadium erupted.

Picture taken with a Nikon d5, 70-200, F2.8 lens. F2.8, ISO 1250, at 100mm, 1/1250.

Minnesota sports photographer, Duluth Minnesota, Amy

Close to the action

As sports photographer, there is nothing better than being on the sidelines. But it is also where a play can instantly come at you. Everyone has seen the replays of a photographer being taken out by a player. I don't want to jinx it, but I've been fortunate to avoid that. But when I saw this play coming my way, it was a little nerve racking. I made the split-second decision that I was out of harms way. The right call for this time.

Picture taken with a Nikon d5, 70-200, F2.8 lens. F3.5, ISO 1250, at 70mm, 1/1250.

Trying to get the Shot

Sports photography is all about timing, instinct and I'll be honest, a little bit of luck. For this shot, the player I was taking pictures of was playing defense. This is a good example of timing or lack of it. I would have preferred to get the shot where I could still see the defense player's face right before he went in for the tackle. There is also the MN player on the left side of the image that is in frame. Because I shoot low, you can still see some of the Penn State player's face.

Picture taken with a Nikon d5, 70-200, F2.8 lens. F3.5, ISO 1250, at 200mm, 1/1250.

Final Observations

One fact that I discovered years ago is SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY is a MALE DOMINANT PROFESSION. Outside of the female student media workers, I only saw one other female photographer. At my previous Gophs game vs Nevada State, I was the only female (non U of M student photog) on the field taking pictures. I had someone ask me once if I thought being a female covering male sports was an advantage or disadvantage. I had never thought of it as either. I simply wish there was more of us out there. It is helpful I know the sport and it is helpful that I am a parent. When not taking pictures for the paper but for families, I always ask myself, would the parents like it? Would I like it if it was my player out there. If the answer is yes, I keep the picture.

I don't have the highly sought after spendy large 400mm lens, maybe someday, so I need to move down field with the game. This makes for a challenge trying to vie for the ultimate spot. Those that have that lens tend to secure a spot in the endzone and stay there for the game. (See pic below for example from Saturday's game). I tend to sit as close to the 20-yard line as possible and switch ends a few times a quarter.

If you have looked closely at the pics, you may have noticed a slight variation in color. Some of the pics almost look matte finish. This game started at 2:30 and with the overcast skies, it seemed to get dark fast even for November 23. This stadium is well lit. If this was high school once it gets dark, it is hard to get good quality action shots at high school stadiums. Natural light plays into the overall look of the picture. This game was no exception. The pics that look matte were in the 2nd half of the game.

The little Easter eggs... when viewing the pics after I returned, I was surprised to find that one of the pics showed one of our friends pointing to the Gopher player who just scored. I was also surprised to see one of the seniors from 2023 that I photographed was part of the crew in the front row of the student section. Both from northern Minnesota in a crowd of thousands. There are things that I see on the sidelines that others may cannot always see. I saw a student holding a sign in the student section that I had to nab a picture of, that you will find below. When going through the pictures, I noticed one of the offense players had a raised cross on his pads. Look closely at one of the pics below and you will find that. I also included below a dorky picture of me on the sidelines.

Overall, this was just as an incredible experience as you think it would be. Being on the field when the players run out of the tunnel with the student section yelling as the backdrop was epic. The game was a nail bitter right to the end. This wasn’t just another gig. It was a front-row seat to something I’ve loved for years, but this time, I wasn’t just watching—I was part of it.Being a sports photographer is about so much more than taking photos; it’s about feeling the game. This was a reminder of why I picked up the camera in the first place. Go Gophs!