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, telling a story in the process.
Over the next several weeks, we're taking a look back at 10 of the best photos from the 2023-24 season along with commentary from Chiefs' Director of Photography Steve Sanders. Unlike in previous years, this isn't a countdown of Sanders' top images, but rather the chronological story of the Chiefs' championship season told through some of his favorite photos.
Here's a look at what we've covered so far:
We'll continue with No. 6:
"Steam"
Game: Wild Card Round vs. the Miami Dolphins
The Subject: Tight end Travis Kelce prior to the Chiefs' postseason matchup against the Miami Dolphins in what turned out to be one of the coldest games in NFL history.
Taken By: Andrew Mather
Camera Model: Canon EOS R3
Focal Length: 123 mm
Exposure Time: 1/1,600
Aperture: f/2.8
Steve Sanders' Thoughts:
Q: Why did you want to include this photo in our collection?
Sanders: "This photo was actually submitted into the NFL photo contest and earned an 'honorable mention' in the national competition," Sanders said. "There are a lot of things that I really like about this photo. First, the black and white really enhances the steam coming off his head. The expression on his face is great, too. It was so cold that night. I was the coldest I've ever been on a football field, and for Andrew to get something like this was perfect. I think the coolest thing about the cold weather games is trying to capture that steam, and with him having the skull cap on, the steam really came off evenly."
Q: The old expression is that a photo can tell 1,000 words. That seems to really be the case here. How much pride do you and your staff take in that storytelling responsibility?
Sanders: "It's huge for us, and I think anybody that looks at this image will think, 'Man, I bet it was cold that night,'" Sanders said. "They wouldn't even have to know which game it was or the history behind it. They'll just see that steam and the expression on his face. Those two things tell you about the conditions right away."
