Guest Blog: Not-A-Football-Action-Photographer Brad Moore

*Titans fans receive ear warmers from Ticketmaster and CMT before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

If you’ve been around Scott’s blog long, you know that football is kind of a thing around here. With the NFL preseason beginning soon, I thought I would take a slightly different approach to covering a game.

When it comes to covering a game, it takes a team of photographers to get all the coverage that’s needed. Most people who want to cover an NFL game are trying to get as close to the action as possible, but I barely know who the top players are on any team.

Titans fans receive ear warmers from Ticketmaster and CMT, handed out by the Boy Scouts of America, before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.

However, I do have some experience covering events, so I’m happy to wonder around the venue and see what else is going on around the game! And that’s why Donald Page, team photographer for the Tennessee Titans, invited me to help cover some of the event marketing photos for the team and their sponsors a couple of seasons ago.

*A band performs on the Pinnacle Tailgate Party stage before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

While these photos aren’t showing the peak moment of a wide receiver catching the game winning touchdown, they do give color and texture to what’s happening on game day. Plus, I’m guessing that sponsors enjoy seeing photos of fans enjoying and interacting with their brands.

*Fans grab drinks from Yee-Haw Brewing Co. during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

If you’ve ever been to an NFL game, you know that the event doesn’t begin when you get to your seat, but as soon as you arrive outside the stadium. On this game day, there were plenty of activities to participate in as soon as you got inside the outer gates of the stadium.

*Fans toss a football at the Bridgestone Quarterback Challenge before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

From a concert stage, to a football toss, to cookies and free swag, there were plenty of things to check out on your way inside the stadium.

*Fans receive Tiff’s Treats cookies before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

*Titans fans receive shirts from Comcast Xfinity before the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

Then there are the personalities on hand who go all out for their favorite team. They wouldn’t dress this way if they didn’t want to be photographed!

*A fan shows off his Titans outfit during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

Once inside, I did make my way down to the field to capture some of the pre-game activities.

*Season ticket holders bring out the Titan Up flag during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

*A Titans cheerleader cheers during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

I also wandered the sidelines and looked around for things that caught my eye there and in the crowd.

*A helmet on the Titans bench during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

*A fan holds up a sign during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

And when the team you’re working for is having a great game, it makes it easy to get great moments of the fans celebrating!

*Fans cheer during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

Make sure to keep an eye on your backgrounds, because context can change the meaning of a photo from fans cheering, to fans celebrating a touchdown!

*NASHVILLE, TN – NOVEMBER 24, 2019 – Fans cheer during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

It helps to get into the stands with the fans rather than photographing them from the field, so you can get up close and personal with them as they celebrate.

*A fan cheers during the game between the Tennessee Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN.*

When the game is over and I know I’ve gotten all of the photos on my list, I like to get back to the field and see what I can capture of the players interacting.