Blaze
of glory
HarrietLanderis currentlystudyingBA (Hons)
PhotojournalismandDocumentaryPhotography
at the University of the Arts London. hatlander.co.ukThroughouT my childhood, my mum
documented both mine and my brother’s lives through
photographs. her images were all amateur family
shots, but i think growing up with regular exposure to
a camera played a big part in sparking my own interest
in photography. i loved the idea of freezing time, and it
wasn’t long before i was taking my own little camera
into school every day.
Sport has always played a huge part in my life. i’ve
travelled the globe watching football and have played
netball to a high standard. For me, sports photography
is a natural fit, combining my two interests, and i love
the challenge it presents. i usually shoot football,
which is difficult to master. you can be present at an
amazing match, but if you’re sat in the wrong corner of
the pitch you can still have an awful shoot. you never
know what may or may not happen right in front of
you, and i love this unpredictability. The satisfaction
of being sat in the right place and coming away with
a photograph you’re proud of is a great feeling, and
makes those winter evenings sat getting soaked
through more than worth it.
i still have a long way to go with my photography,
but i put a lot of effort into trying to improve it. i find
the best way to progress is to practise and shoot as
many games in a week as possible. i’m also fortunate
enough that i get to sit alongside the industry’s best
on a weekly basis, and i’ve had a lot of one-on-one help
from some legends of the game. on top of this, i’m a
field editor on a team that deals with live sport content.
Being involved in the editing of other people’s images- seeing their original frames and learning what makes
a good or bad crop – has been hugely helpful in how
i approach my own work.
generally, the response to my work has been
positive. As with many people, i’m my own harshest
critic, and i know i still have a lot of work to do before
i’m at a level i’m happy with. That said, i’m proud
of how far i’ve come and i’m excited to see what my
future in photography holds.
In the fast-paced worldof sport, Harriet Lander
trains her lens oncapturing the action.student showcaseAbove As a freelance photographer, Harriet has produced
sporting images for agencies including CopaFoto and SportPix.100 PrAcTicAl PhoTogrAPhy