TTTONLF Meets…Phil Standfield, Non-League Photographer

Welcome back to another TTTONLF meets, we are sitting down with Phil Standfield who is a Non-league photographer. The raw passion and emotion of Non-league football is often capture on a lense by people just the person we are to sit down with today. Photographers like Phil manage to use their skills to allow us to sit down after the dust settles and look back with a smile on our face as we reminisce on the memories we have made, a true art from.

Lets get stuck in!

Name – Phil Standfield

Age – 63

Favourite team – Dorchester Town (who play in the Southern Premier South)

Occupation – Print Finisher

Things I Love about Football – Non League Football is more how Football should be than the Premier League with all the money, VAR costs etc. At Non League you can speak to the players after the game and Supporters tend to be friendly and mingle

My Football pets hates – The money in the top of Football, players going down trying to get players booked/sent off , time wasting.

Q) What is it about photography that you love so much?

I really enjoy Photography with the challenge it throws up, Differing light, background, just trying to get the next good image.

Q) Why is photographing non-league football special to you?

Photographing Non league Football is special because you can Photograph the players playing, celebrating a goal or heartache, the Supporters from most teams are great too, All with a(mostly) friendly atmosphere. You get to record the highs and lows of your Club.

Q) What are some of the challenges?

Some of the Challenges, Getting the best out of the light, Summer games on a Saturday means you can get high shutter speeds to freeze the action, shows the clubs kit in good light, Games under floodlights are a nightmare as the lights may look good to Supporters but as soon as you look through the Camera the light just seems to fall away, certaintly as you drop through the steps then ground grading means different settings. Some grounds also have very distracting backgrounds which sometimes due to the Sun you are pretty much stuck where you shoot from, Also 3g pitches reflect the light back upwards a bit, but also have a jelly effect just above the surface due to the heat reflecting back up off the surface.

Q) Football can be quite a fast paced game how do you manage to get such good action shots?

Use a fast shutter speed ,but it’s reading the game as best as possible to anticipate the shot. and practice,practice, practice

Q) What is your favourite shot you have ever taken and what made it so special to you?

A Favourite picture is hard as you are always trying to get the perfect shot, Looking back over the years what you thought looked good back then nowadays looks dreadful due to todays better equipment (camera sensors, editing software etc.)

Do you move around during the game or do you stay in one place, if so what is your favourite place to camp?

I try to stay in one place each half, especially as most clubs don’t like you moving. My favourite place is on the opposite side of the Linesman on the touchline between the 6 yard box and the edge of the penalty box, the end we are attacking. If the Substitutes are warming up there I may move around the pitch to the goal line by the corner, to get out of their way. When kicking the other way I go behind the goaline so not to have the Linesman get in the way.

What does it feel like to see people comment and like photos that you have taken?

It’s always nice to have people comment and like my photos, it means people take notice of what we do, sat there in all weather’s usually going unnoticed, Nice too if the local paper finds room in their budget to use your pictures.

Q) Volunteering is so vital to non-league clubs, what do you think of the work they do?

Volunteering at a non league club means you are putting something back into your club, There are Volunteers working at most grounds doing all sorts of roles that Supporters take for granted when they turn up to watch, not knowing all the time, effort, etc that has been put in by many people to get the game on.

Q) Why should someone head to a non league game?

People should head to their local non league clubs to watch. Most are friendly, most teams supporters mingle and enjoy the banter, have drinks together (certantly step 3 SPL South). You can get close to the players, have a chat, selfies, and feel part of the Community, part of the club unlike the Big Premier clubs who seem to be really only after the supporters money everyway they can, High ticket costs, Expensive food, even 3rd/4th team kits TV subscriptions etc

Q) And if someone was thinking of volunteering at a club what would be your words of advice to them?

If anyone is thinking of Volunteering at their local club then go for it, plenty of different roles for all abilities

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Thanks to Phil for not only his time in this interview but also for giving up his time to volunteer his services for the love of Non-League Football, it is people like Phil who are the backbone of all that is good within the game we love so on behalf of everyone Phil – Thank you!

Until next time!

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Non-League magazine ‘Parks to Pitches’