How one photographer shot the wildest year in the history of sports

• 2020 was a yr not like some other.
• Mike Ehrmann, a 10-year veteran at Getty Photographs, shot all of it, from the Chiefs’ comeback win within the Tremendous Bowl to being contained in the NBA Bubble.
• Ehrmann spoke with Insider about a few of his favourite pictures of the yr, in addition to what he realized whereas working via an unprecedented yr in sports activities.
• Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.

The sports activities world has by no means seen a yr fairly like 2020.

There have been the anticipated joys and sorrows of a sports activities yr — the elation of the Chiefs comeback win in the Super Bowl, and the crushing losses that they inflicted upon opponents en path to that title — however because the yr wore on, sports activities discovered themselves on the heart of a number of of the most important tales of our time.

The COVID-19 pandemic introduced the world to a standstill in March, with Rudy Gobert testing positive for the virus and all of a sudden halting the NBA season, and later, your complete sports activities world. Then, as sports activities made their return, either in “bubbles” or at house stadiums with out followers in attendance, Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the dying of George Floyd persevered throughout the nation and echoed through the sports world.

Mike Ehrmann, a 10-year veteran at Getty Photographs, was there via all of it, bringing followers nearer to the motion and the feelings of the second together with his work behind the digital camera. Ehrmann spoke with Insider about a few of the most impactful pictures he took this yr, in addition to what it was wish to seize the strangest yr the sports activities world has ever seen.

Firstly of 2020, it was like some other yr in sports activities. Ehrmann was in attendance at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, to shoot Tremendous Bowl LIV between the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

This yr, Ehrmann was taking pictures from the stands, which, whereas limiting in some capability, additionally comes with a possibility for pictures that could not be discovered on the sphere. From his spot within the stands, Ehrmann captured probably the greatest pictures of the sport.

Trailing the 49ers by 10 within the fourth quarter, Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs on an astounding comeback. Mahomes threw the go-ahead landing ultimately zone reverse the place Ehrmann had been sitting, however somewhat than go to have a good time ultimately zone, he sprinted again in the direction of Ehrmann within the stands.

“[Mahomes] comes working all the best way upfield freaking out. And I simply dropped the hammer. You are similar to, [fast clicking sounds],” Ehrmann mentioned. Whereas his spot within the stands had hindered him from getting different pictures via the primary three quarters, he was completely positioned to seize the most important second of the sport.

“Since you’re up high taking pictures down on him, it is tremendous clear. It is simply grass within the background,” Ehrmann mentioned. “That is a kind of spots the place you are actually simply ready for one thing to return your approach. After which fortunately, one thing lastly got here my approach.”

Mahomes and the Chiefs held on to win, and because the ultimate seconds ticked away, Ehrmann caught head coach Andy Reid taking a much-deserved Gatorade bathe.

As February turned to March, the truth of the pandemic slowly started to disclose itself to the sports activities world. 

For Ehrmann, all the pieces modified whereas taking pictures The Gamers Championship at TPC Sawgrass. The match’s opening spherical went off as scheduled, however the PGA had determined that the ultimate three days of the match would go on with out followers.

“I bear in mind strolling to the tenth tee with Brooks [Koepka], and I talked to his caddie, Ricky. And he and I talked about, you realize, how bizarre is tomorrow going to be with out anyone right here?” Hours later, the match was referred to as off fully.

“And that is after I knew that is actually going to get severe.”

Within the ensuing months, Ehrmann helped out the place he was wanted at Getty. Ehrmann took pictures on the seaside in Clearwater and elsewhere round Florida to assist fill out protection. However quickly sufficient, the sports activities world was working in the direction of a return, with the NBA bubble in Orlando being Ehrmann’s subsequent task.

Together with fellow photographer Kevin C. Cox, Ehrmann rented a rental subsequent to the Extensive World of Sports activities Complicated the place the bubble was happening, and settled in.

Rapidly, it turned clear that taking pictures contained in the bubble would show a problem.

“We began speaking to the NBA about what our spots are going to be like, what the entry going to be like,” Ehrmann mentioned. “After which we realized that this was going to be your spot. You are not going to have any entry.”

However on the primary night time of NBA motion contained in the bubble, Ehrmann discovered two pictures that captured what an odd second in time we have been dwelling via.

“Along with COVID, you had the Black Lives Matter motion taking place contained in the NBA. … Groups took it severely. And so now you could have one other angle on high of your already tough angle. So there have been possibilities so that you can make some photos that instructed some tales that I believe resonated with lots of people.”

Because the nationwide anthem performed earlier than the Clippers and Lakers took the court docket, each groups took a knee, with LeBron James pointing to the sky.

“I needed to isolate LeBron as a result of I knew he was a narrative,” Ehrmann mentioned. “He’s a frontrunner of the NBA. And you realize, when he talks, folks pay attention. If he does that, folks will pay attention. So I needed a large shot, however on the finish of the Anthem, I targeted on LeBron particularly, realizing if he does one thing that the world will pay attention.”

The subsequent few months have been a grind. As a Tier 3 member of the bubble, Ehrmann was examined twice per week and maintained strict adherence to protocols to remain wholesome. The remainder of his time was spent behind the digital camera.

“We took it very severely and, you realize, shot a variety of basketball. I imply, there have been working three arenas, two video games a day. It was loads. It was an actual, actual grind. And the worst half about it’s you by no means felt such as you have been making something new.

“I wish to come out of an occasion being like, ‘Oh, I made a pleasant body at present.’ And that was laborious within the NBA. Your angle was okay, however not nice. Areas have been blocked loads. And so that you have been simply form of selecting and selecting moments the place you felt like you may make one thing that you may stroll away with at night time and be completely satisfied about.”

However even within the bubble, there was area for innovation. Strolling out of the world one night time, Ehrmann was met with the gathering clouds and lightweight rain of a possible storm.

“I simply sat there for about 10 minutes and simply watched the sky. Simply ready and ready and ready. And I wanted to see a lightning bolt earlier than I am actually gonna attempt to do that. And I noticed one, and I used to be like, all proper, now I’ve bought to attend it out.”

“I framed it up and located an publicity. It was in all probability like a 4 or six-second publicity after which simply began clicking off vary. And so it is open for 4 seconds and closes — open for 4 seconds, and closes. After which that one lightning burst occurred.

“After which I regarded behind the digital camera, and I used to be like, ‘Wooooah.’ I bear in mind strolling again into the rental, and Kevin knew I used to be late. And I stroll in grinning ear to ear, and he is like, ‘You shot a lightning image, did not you?’

“That was one which I used to be completely satisfied that I took the time to sit down on the market within the rain, and you realize, I made the hassle. It is good to have the forethought to attempt one thing after which have it truly work out.”

Contained in the bubble, the Los Angeles Lakers received its first title since 2010. After the ultimate buzzer sounded, Anthony Davis ran over to a banner displaying the Larry O’Brien Trophy, with LeBron dashing to embrace him from behind.

Ehrmann had talked his approach to an angle that made it doable for him to get the shot.

“After they walked again there, it resonated with me how necessary it was for LeBron,” Ehrmann mentioned. “I had seen him win earlier than, however I by no means actually understood how necessary it was to win with the Lakers.

“It was laborious as a result of it was tremendous darkish within the hallway. I simply cranked the publicity up and prayed it was going to carry up, and it ended up understanding. It was a very nice image, and a second that I will not ever neglect.”

When the PNC Championship rolled round, and it was introduced that Tiger Woods could be competing within the occasion alongside his son Charlie for the primary time, Ehrmann instructed his editor he wanted to cowl the occasion.

“I couldn’t recover from the similarities and their mannerisms,” Ehrmann mentioned. “I’ve lined Tiger loads. And it is like, Charlie is a mini GOAT. He does all the pieces precisely like his dad. It was unbelievable to observe.”

“Once I was with him, and he made that eagle on his own ball, you possibly can simply see the enjoyment on Tiger’s face,” Ehrmann mentioned. “I am a dad. I’ve a four-year-old. And also you see that, and you are not Tiger the golfer now — you are trying to Tiger the dad. It was so cool to be part of that.”

After such a chaotic yr, we’re all hoping the 2021 sports activities calendar appears to be like a little bit bit extra like we’re used to it wanting. Nonetheless, there have been classes to be taken from taking pictures via the unusual journey that was 2020. For Ehrmann, it was about studying to work with what you may and profiting from angles that may not have at first been the place he most popular to be taking pictures from.

“When issues do get again to regular, there’s a probability you’d return up and shoot a spot that you just by no means would’ve performed earlier than had this not occurred,” Ehrmann mentioned. “So there are some classes in there. You discovered a few angles that you just would not usually ever even have a look at that now you possibly can return to and attempt to recreate.”