Serena Williams – Shot Of The Month – September 2022
‘Shot of the Month’ is brought to you by Sport Industry Awards partner Shutterstock. In this ongoing image-led series, we turn the spotlight on those behind the lens. Telling the story of the standout photos that grace newspapers, magazines and digital screens around the world from the photographer’s point of view.
Ella Ling, Shutterstock
She may not have taken home the trophy, but when I think of this year’s US Open, I think of Serena Williams. Throughout her tenure, Serena changed everything we know about women in sport. She is famous for her powerful serve, progressive attitude and perseverance all over the world. Serena has had many iconic moments throughout her career, from London 2012 when she competed in the Golden Slam in both singles and doubles, to the Australian Open in 2017 when she overtook Graf’s record while pregnant.
Watching Serena play is always a privilege, and this tournament was no different. In her final professional match, she showed real determination, producing some of her finest tennis in years. Despite her ultimate defeat by Ajla Tomljanovic, Serena turned back the clock to show glimpses of the player who was once unstoppable.
Photographing highly anticipated tournaments, such as the US Open, is always difficult, with the main challenge being the environment. This year the crowd was, understandably, more vocal than ever. Often at grand slam tournaments, photographer access will be restricted to specific areas, meaning there are certain spots that are always in demand. I usually try to operate by not just following the ball but focusing on capturing more interesting shots and getting angles that aren’t often prioritised by other photographers. At Shutterstock, we try to have multiple photographers in attendance to ensure we are able to secure shoots from all angles. This year I was in attendance alongside Javier Garcia and Dave Shopland. Working as a team strengthens the content massively. With that said, when Serena is on the court, everyone is keen to get any angle!
Photographing tennis specifically is a passion of mine, and I have been lucky enough to photograph the US Open 16 times throughout my career. Having played a lot of tennis during my life, I can anticipate the player’s next move and get ahead of the shot. Especially when trying to capture Serena’s serve, that goes by in an instant.
