Football

Episode 49 - In this episode Zach & Courtney talk about how football and photography came up together since the late 1800s. We can see how as the technology advanced, the style of photography changed as well.

“Photography is nothing–it's life that interests me.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson 

Index

0:00 - Film becomes the subject of the photo.

3:49 - The oldest football photo I could find. Old division football.

5:06 - Earliest football photos were mostly posed & portraits.

7:29 - Early action photos, college and professional football.

11:10 - A photo from the first football game at University of Oregon - 1905.

13:12 - 📷 Neil Leifer “The Greatest Game Ever Played” - 1958 NFL Championship .

16:00 - Neil Leifer’s contact sheet from the 1958 NFL Championship.

18:20 - 📷 Neil Leifer 1962 - Close up wide angle of game action.

21:31 - LIFE Magazine photos of the first Super Bowl. 1967.

27:20 - Walter Iooss, Jr. and manual focus on a telephoto lens.

29:14 - 📷 Walter Iooss, Jr. - Joe Namath, Poolside, Galt Ocean Mile Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 1969.

33:52 - How camera technology changed in the second half of the 20th century .

35:02 - 📷 Michael Zagaris behind the scenes photos of the 49ers.

37:43 - The portraits of Walter Iooss Jr. make athletes look heroic.

41:23 - 📷 Walter Iooss, Jr. - “The Catch” 49ers vs. Cowboys. 1982.

42:29 - How camera tech of today affects sports photography.

47:37 - How to set yourself apart as a sports photographer in 2026.

49:39 - Documentary photography always has value. Photos by Magnum photographers.

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Find Zach

Website: https://zachdobson.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachdobsonphoto/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@zachdobsonphoto

Find Courtney

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymccracken_/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@happy_life_lessons

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@courtneymccracken_

About the Podcast

Photography is Nothing with Zach Dobson and Courtney McCracken is a weekly conversation about photography and all its impact. Each week Zach and Courtney discuss their latest adventures, life lessons, and anything else that sounds interesting. 

Photography is Nothing invites you into the conversations they were already having as a married couple running a photography and media company in the current world.

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