MIAMI (AP) — Rebecca Blackwell is a photojournalist for The Associated Press based in Miami. Before moving to South Florida in 2021, she worked in Mexico for seven years and West Africa for 10 years. She has covered multiple World Cups and the Olympics for The Associated Press, as well as major news stories in the United States and abroad.
why this photo
One of the most enjoyable parts of covering the World Cup for me is witnessing the cheerful and inclusive celebrations by fans from different countries. Since my own country is the host nation, it’s great that more Americans can attend the World Cup and experience the unique atmosphere that makes it such a special experience. The Norwegian fans are one of the groups that has become a sensation on Viking Row, where dozens or even hundreds of red-clad fans perform at a time. As soon as I learned that Norway would be playing in Miami, I started monitoring social media for any signs that a gathering was being planned. When the announcement about the Vikings’ second row was made in Miami Beach the day before Norway lost to England in the quarterfinals on Saturday, I wanted to bring it up.
How this photo was made
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew it would be crowded and chaotic. I packed two cameras and a variety of prime lenses ranging from 14mm to 135. The first row of attendees that day included Miami Beach officials. Although it was particularly crowded with spectators, I was able to climb onto the city’s fire engine and get a wide shot of the mayor and the fans rowing together.
After the afternoon line, I stayed in the night line for a few hours, hoping to get a chance to get another shot and maybe some nice night light. As the time approached, the audience became more and more nervous, not knowing where the center was. Hundreds of Norwegian fans were preparing to take part, and with hundreds of spectators crowding around them with their phones aloft, they found it difficult to secure a position on the ground to take photos that could convey the size of the crowd and place it in the context of Miami Beach.
When the chants started, I decided that another strategy was a better option and slowly made my way out of the dense crowd and circled back to the building I had spotted earlier. Some of the fans who were staying there let me go up to the roof with them, so I was able to get some wide shots of the fans filling Ocean Drive with the palm trees and beach in the background, as well as some tight shots of the fans chanting and lining up.
Why is it effective?
This image works because of the density of the crowd, the sea of identical red shirts, and especially the moment when so many people simultaneously extend their arms toward the drummer and the man with the megaphone who leads the chants.
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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
