Behind-the-scenes access at Old Trafford
We recently invited two content creators for the ultimate photography experience at Old Trafford, the legendary home of Manchester United. With VIP access, Mike (Snapdragon Insider) and Ben (Samsung Ambassador) had the rare chance to shadow the club photographer, Zohaib, and capture breathtaking shots of the stadium and the pre-match energy before Manchester United took on Ipswich. From iconic pitch-side perspectives to exclusive vantage points, they shot the magic of Old Trafford with Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra phones powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. We caught up with them to hear all about this unforgettable adventure!
Q&A with Mike, Snapdragon Insider:
Q: You mentioned being a lifelong Manchester United fan. Was that something that came from your family or did you discover the club on your own?
A: My dad's brother actually signed on for Spurs, not Manchester United. Unfortunately, he had a bad knee injury and never got to play professionally. But I think that created an early connection to football in my family. As for me, I've always been a Manchester United fan!
Q: What were some highlights of touring the facilities and capturing content before the match?
A: My favorite parts were being pitch side, in the changing rooms, and watching the players arrive. That was really cool to be so close to the action and have the opportunity to photograph those moments.
Q: Did you find any areas particularly impressive to photograph?
A: The empty pitch side area was great for wide-angle, immersive shots. Also, getting so close to the players as they arrived was awesome.
Q: Did the behind-the-scenes access enhance your experience of watching the game?
A: Absolutely. Following the team out of the tunnel just before the game started and then being led to our seats was the best part. It was a great start to the game.
Q: What's one memory from this experience that you'll never forget?
A: I’m a lifelong Manchester United fan, so being pitch side as the atmosphere built up, with the crowd arriving and players warming up. Seeing Denis Irwin and Rio Ferdinand walk past me was pretty surreal.
Q: What did you think of the atmosphere at Old Trafford?
A: The atmosphere at Old Trafford is pretty unmatched. It's like nowhere else. It was incredible to witness and experience it, especially sitting in the crowd. When you're up high in the box farther away, you don't quite feel it as much, since you're on the opposite side of the Stretford End. It was great to have our seats be on the side where all the singing and chanting comes from.
Q: How did you like using your new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra?
A: I was especially surprised by the dynamic range. When shooting the backlit players arriving, it maintained a lot of detail in the shadows. I was very impressed.
Q: Do you have any favorite shots?
A: My shots of the stadium, and I especially love the ones of Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes entering the match.
Q: Do you have any words for other Snapdragon Insiders hoping to participate in future experiences like this one?
A: If you get the opportunity, definitely do it! You get to see behind the scenes of places most people don't—truly an incredible experience.
Q&A with Ben, Samsung Ambassador:
Q: Welcome! What was it like to be behind-the-scenes before the match?
A: It was surreal. I thought the stadium would be smaller, but when you went inside, the hospitality and everything was amazing. The atmosphere on a match day is like nothing else—it's a massive venue.
Q: Do you feel like there was a specific moment that made you just stop and take it all in?
A: The best moment for me was when all the players came out of the tunnel and being able to be so close and shoot that moment.
Q: Was there a favorite spot that you took videos in particular?
A: There was one shot I got where I sat in the middle of all the red seats, wearing the white Manchester United jacket. It was a sea of red seats with me in white in the middle. It's a really nicely framed still-shot.
Q: Were there any creative techniques you got to experiment with in the videos?
A: I would say shooting more ultra-wide, because the stadium is so large, to fully capture the environment. Then for isolated shots of players, I recommend using zoom. I experimented with different focal lengths to see what would work best. Tying that into a short piece of content really breaks it up, because you've got wide aspect video and then tighter, punched-in stuff.
Q: Can you describe your workflow from capturing the images to editing and delivering them?
A: I always go in with something in mind that I want to capture, like the transition shot. I knew I wanted something like that before attending the match. My whole workflow consisted of going there, then seeing which opportunities could capture certain shots that I had in mind.
Q: Do you have any advice for aspiring photographers and videographers?
A: For people aspiring to do football or sport photography events, the best thing to do is start shooting that thing you're interested in for free, just to get your foot in the door.
Q: After all this, can we count you as an official Snapdragon Insider?
A: Yes, most definitely!
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