A photograph can be powerful. It possesses the ability to capture the raw emotion of a singular moment and preserve an otherwise fleeting snippet of time, all while telling a story in the process.
Over the next few days, we're going to take a look back at 10 of the best photos from the 2024-25 season along with commentary from Chiefs' Director of Photography Steve Sanders.
Here's what we've covered so far:
We'll continue with No. 4:
"A Tear"
Setting: AFC Championship Game vs. Buffalo
The Subject: Defensive tackle Chris Jones sheds a tear during the National Anthem prior to the AFC Championship Game.
Taken By: Steve Sanders
Camera Model: Cannon EOS R1
Focal Length: 241 mm
Exposure Time: 1/1,000
Aperture: f/2.8
Steve Sanders' Thoughts:
Q: What was going on here, and why did you include this photo in the collection?
Sanders: "You know, Chris seemed to have a lot of emotion this year. It kind of started last season. He would get really emotional during the National Anthem as the games got bigger later in the year, and you can just tell that this game meant a lot to him," Sanders said. "He and I were having an eye-to-eye moment here. He's staring a hole through my soul."
Q: What went into the decision to make this black and white?
Sanders: "I wanted to really emphasize that emotion and the feeling his face is conveying," Sanders said. "When you look at this in color, it has the general stadium color behind him. You see the seats and the fans. There's a little bit of red and gold behind him, but when you make it black and white, it really separates it. It has a lot of feeling and texture to it."
Q: How close to him were you?
Sanders: "I was maybe four feet away. We were pretty close," Sanders said. "I don't want to get in their space too much, but there are some guys who you know you can get closer to than others during this portion of the game. You're also only there for a split second. You pop up, you make the frame, and you get out."
Q: How long did it take for you to become comfortable shooting photos like this so up close?
Sanders: "This job is all about relationships. You try to build these relationships that grow trust," Sanders said. "Chris has been here a long time. He and I have a great relationship. I can talk to him about anything, and he knows that I'm not going to put anything out that makes him look bad. He knows that I'm here to help tell his story."
