Action Portraits
Assignment: portrait of Zhihau Wang, Manager of Retail Excellence, Adidas
Setting: Soccer Pitch on Adidas Campus, Portland
Sponsors: Alumni publication, Foster School of Business, University of Washington
Highlights: Can an action photo still be a portrait? Or the reverse: ever thought of an executive portrait as sports photography? I admit we’re in fuzzy territory here. But consider Zhihau Wang’s hybrid portrait on the Adidas soccer pitch at its Portland campus. I recently photographed Zhi for an alumni publication with the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. The finished shot has portrait blood flowing through it: studio lighting, an assertive pose, and a carefully framed corporate backdrop.
But the airborne soccer ball adds another dimension entirely. Suddenly we’re aware of Zhi’s right foot completing a beautifully aimed kick. We realize his eyes are locked on the upward trajectory of the ball. The parallel is obvious. Zhi’s, flawless soccer kick, and his business acumen, are both in the frame.
Pulling off this kind of visual metaphor requires a bit of planning, willingness to experiment, and luck. And it didn’t hurt that Zhi knew how to kick a soccer ball.
