IOWA CITY, Iowa – Like football, photography is a game of inches. Being in the right place is the difference between getting the “money shot” of Corey Wootton’s end zone sack and a full frame of the referee’s backside. In this game, I was pretty lucky. For most of the critical plays, I was in the right place at the right time.Sidney Stewart_ь isn’t afraid to show emotion. He shook his head and angrily clapped his hands together after he dropped a Mike Kafka pass. Stewart had no reservations in letting players and fans know how he felt. He didn’t only pout, however. His postgame effervescence among the Northwestern fans was fun to watch as well as photograph. You couldn’t help but be excited when you saw Stewart, unless your name was Stefan Demos.Stefan Demos_ь was surprisingly stoic following the victory. Sporting an emotionless expression with his hands gently resting at his sides, it was as if he knew Northwestern would win. But Demos’s contributions to the game can’t be understated – he routinely pinned Iowa deep in its own territory and connected on his only field goal attempt. Mike Kafka was a close runner-up for the stoic trophy. He briefly acknowledged the fans and calmly walked to locker room. Their photos give a different perspective to the win than those of Stewart.President Schapiro cares about Northwestern football. Along with the USC Trojans and New England Patriots, they are one of three football teams he said he follows. Sporting a black Northwestern cap and sunglasses, he walked briskly from one side of the bench to the other, constantly keeping his eyes on the action. Flanked by Athletic Director Jim Phillips and Sports Information Director Mike Wolf, Schapiro was giddy with excitement at the prospect of winning. Corey Wootton_ь delivered a punishing hit that Ricky Stanzi won’t soon forget. The senior defensive end made his presence felt with a vengeance, making the most important play of the game and one of the best photos of the day. The photo’s meaning was enhanced because of the implications of the play. The momentum of the game changed as Stanzi limped off the field, and Northwestern trailed by only a field goal.Unfortunately, the photos tell only part of the story of Northwestern’s upset win in Iowa City. Missing from the photos were the sounds from sidelines and the impossible-to-miss silence from the Iowa fans. As Northwestern took over on downs with just more than one minute remaining in the fourth quarter, the volume level dropped. Iowa fans’ cheers of encouragement aimed at willing the Hawkeyes to remain in the realm of BCS possibility fell by the wayside. Director of Football Operations Nolan Jones chanted, “Just like we planned it.” It was picture-perfect.
Whitehouse: A Photographer’s View of Saturday’s game
November 8, 2009
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