What It Takes to Photograph an A-League Melbourne Victory Match Day

Photographing a Melbourne Victory game day doesn’t start at kick-off.

Game day photography for Melbourne Victory starts first thing in the morning for me. There’s the run sheet to study, batteries to charge, cards to format, cameras, lenses, flashes and other bits to pack, and a mental plan running through my head about how I’m going to get from one end of the stadium to the other… fast. Very fast.

Sometimes I’m dressed in a suit, depending on the day… but I’m always in runners. That part is non-negotiable.

From the very start, game day photography is part football, part storytelling, part logistics, and part controlled chaos. And honestly, I love it. As a reportage photographer (and an inaugural Victory member), I’m there for the real stuff. The unexpected moments. The emotions of the fans, the people you meet…… Every part of the day matters.

Arrival: before the gates even open

I arrive a few hours before kick-off because the story starts way before the crowd starts chanting. I have to sign in through security and get my media bib. I try to get number 168. It’s been proving lucky lately.

Outside the stadium, fans are already lining up at the Team Store, members with scarves and jerseys from all years since 2004, kids tugging parents forward on the concourse, and a few loyal supporters are at Gate 5 for player arrivals – wishing them luck.

At the same time, staff and security are briefed, merchandise teams are ready, and I quickly move behind the scenes through the inner concourses and hallways, soaking up the calm before everything comes to life.

Culture, community, and moments bigger than football

Some matches carry more meaning than points on a ladder.

Last week was Australia Day and part of my role was documenting a Citizenship Ceremony in one of AAMI Park’s event rooms. Something that Victory does every year. New Australians, family members, proud smiles and genuine emotion. It’s one of those moments that you photograph respectfully and without intrusion. The smiles on our new Australians when receiving their certificate and new native sapling was so emotional, it brought a tear to my eye.

These images become part of the club’s history, not just its match archive.

The concourse comes alive

As soon as the gates open, the pace changes.

I have to move fast between the free face painting station, fan activations, the inflatable zones where kids can release some energy before the game, kids writing letters to our players and collecting their favourite player cards and the meet-and-greets on the forecourt of non playing players.

At the same time, every sponsor activation needs coverage. Every experience needs context, adding to the electric Melbourne Victory atmosphere that builds well before kick-off. Game day photography is a constant exercise in awareness, being fully present in the middle of all the movement and noise. Moments worth photographing start appearing EVERYWHERE.

Commercial moments and special guests

From the concourse, I’m inside again.

Chairman’s function special guests, VIPs in corporate boxes, guest speakers in the family and friends room….. then it’s a quick race back down to the field of play for corporate activations, pitch-side special guests, and sponsor giveaways.

Along the way, I catch up with fans, fellow photographers, broadcast crews, Victory staff, security and so many of the people who make game day work. People I’ve come to know over the past 20 years. There are a lot of familiar faces. And yes, a lot of hugs.

All the while, I’m watching the clock, scanning the field, and anticipating what’s next. With live coverage, these moments are planned to the minute. They’re non-negotiable.

The walkout: where everything converges

These are some of the most important moments of the entire day.

Some games, the gorgeous Evangeline, our viral violinist, performs Stand By Me live on the pitch, setting up the excitement of the game as the Northern Terrace and Melbourne Victory fans lift and plumes of fire erupt behind her.

Mascots are making lifelong memories, walking out hand-in-hand with their favourite players. For the kids involved, this is the moment. They never forget it… and for their families, having that memory captured forever matters just as much. My daughter who is now 27 still remembers this moment with love, walking out with Archie Thompson back in 2013.

Next up there’s the coin toss and the ball being walked out to the referee. Specially selected guests taking part in moments they’ll talk about for years. Exciting moments unfolding within seconds of each other, where the people experiencing them are relying on me to capture a professional photo they’ll treasure. I need to be in exactly the right position, with exactly the right lens, at exactly the right second while staying completely out of the live broadcast’s way.

There are no second chances. This is where experience comes into play.

During the game: football, finally… but not only football

Once the whistle blows, it’s tempting to think the job is now “just the match”.

That’s not the case, though.

As the players line up, AAMI Park finds its voice.

Thousands of Navy and White scarves held high, and for a few moments the noise isn’t chaos, it’s unity. The chants start. Melbourne Victory supporters answer the calls from the North End, with the opposing fans firing back, sometimes a little less than friendly. Players’ names are chanted from one side of the stadium to the other.

It’s iconic, raw, and creates an atmosphere you can feel through your chest.

All of that energy pours onto the pitch and it’s my job to capture not just what it looks like, but what it feels like.

Yes, I’m capturing:

• action shots
• tackles
• goal celebrations
• emotion on the bench

But I’m also watching:

• sponsor boards in the background
• corporate guests in pitch-side seats
• reactions in the crowd
• moments that tell the story beyond the scoreboard

Throughout the match, I’m also delivering live image uploads for the media team to use in real time across the club’s social channels. While the game is still unfolding, the media team are sharing moments with fans watching from home.

Game day photography is about context. Not just what happened, but how it felt

Half-time, full-time, and everything after

Half-time flows straight into the next set of responsibilities.

There are giveaways, cross-club moments, and sponsor activations — including one half-time giveaway where our front-of-shirt sponsor, Turkish Airlines, sent a very lucky fan off to Europe with a friend.

By the time full-time arrives, the end of the game is often the most emotionally charged part of the night. Depending on the result, you have to read the moment. Win or lose, there’s joy, exhaustion, adrenaline, relief, and sometimes frustration.

Capturing that respectfully and professionally is just as important as photographing the goals themselves. Sometimes, the most important decision is knowing when to lift the camera…… and when to put it down. Player integrity, privacy, and trust always come first.

As the final whistle blows, players make their way around the stadium, signing jerseys, scarves, and caps as fans scream their names from the stands. The generosity of the players always leaves me smiling. It’s such a favourite moment for me. Selfies with wide-eyed kids (and adults), quick conversations, and occasionally a player jersey gifted to a fan who will tell that story forever. I’m so lucky that I get to capture this excitement.

After the players leave the pitch, from time to time, a special guest may come down to visit them in the change rooms, adding another layer to the night. Moments like when Gerard Butler dropped by are so memorable.

And then it’s a goodbye to everyone, a one hour trip home and the culling and editing of over 1,500-2,000 photos begins. Every match is still a pinch-me moment and I’m always grateful to the Victory family for the opportunity. When it’s done well, the story of the night lives on long after the lights go out.

How it all started…

People often ask me how I got here.

More than 20 years ago, it began on the sidelines, photographing my husband, Hary Milas, as he refereed matches. No grand plan. Just a camera, taking some pics of him in action and finding myself following the action.

From there, it grew into shooting local NPL matches, then A-League games, including Melbourne Victory for Goal Weekly back in 2009. Not many female sports photographers back then. Meeting people made all the difference. In 2013 I officially became club photographer for Melbourne Victory, and it’s a role I still thankfully hold with enormous pride.

Among all the different things I photograph, sport has always held a special place. The speed, the real emotion, the unpredictability, and the privilege of being trusted to document it all.

That passion has since taken me around the world as the lead photographer for the Homeless World Cup, capturing stories far bigger than football alone.

Game day photography brings together everything I love about my work: people, pressure, timing, trust, and storytelling. And every time I step onto the sideline, it still feels like family and EXACTLY where I’m meant to be.