2025 CHARLOTTE FC – Home Opener COUNTDOWN Countdown campaign
The Why
This set was designed to feel connected and collective. I wanted our production day set to feel inclusive of the people who make Charlotte FC what it is. Our supporters are at the core of everything we do, so I brought their presence directly onto the set by using the actual flags that impact the atmosphere of the supporters section on match day. The mixture of colors, textures, logos, slogans, and designs from each unique flag was hung in a balanced and intentional way to create organized chaos.
This set was a symbolic representation of our club in our community. Different people coming together as one collective.
The How
I built the set using real supporters flags that were clamped to a pipe and drape system raised as high as the ceiling allowed. Because the room was small and the light diffusers, c-stands, etc. were visible, I had to adjust my original plan to shoot extremely wide. The throne served as the visual anchor, draped with the Royal Family supporters flag in the center.
It was inspired by a mix of creative references from across MLS (Joe Martinez) and European football (Nottingham Forest), but shaped in a way that felt authentic to Charlotte FC and the Queen City. Lighting support from Adam Whitlow allowed us to move between an even, clean look and a strong overhead keylight that added a second look with a dramatic mood.
The Who
Every player took a turn in the throne from our Super Draft picks to DP stars like Wilfried Zaha. This reinforced the idea that the throne and our crown doesn't belong to one person, but to all. The supporters are part of our connective tissue that makes up this club's fabric and it was so fun to find a way to include them.
At the end of the 12 hour day I ensured everyone from set assistants, photographers, videographers, working staff and all who wanted a photo on the set had the opportunity to commemorate their involvement with this day.
Equipment:
- Canon R3
- Canon 24-70mm f/2.8
- Profoto D2 AirTTL Monolight (x2)
- Elinchrome Rotalux
- TetherPro USB-C
- Apple iMac
- Adobe Lightroom Classic
The Result
The final images were strong enough to stand on their own for digital and social use. They also became the foundation for an intentional countdown to home opener campaign that ran across digital platforms, paid social and out of home placements throughout the city. The creative direction ensured that the work had both an artistic presence and a clear purpose.
Beautiful images matter, but purposeful images matter more. Making visuals that actually work for the organization is the goal and that is how visuals truly make an impact.
Player Introductions – Social Content
This photo series was planned intentionally to get the most out of a single production day and introduce players in a fresh way across social. We mixed action moments with personality portraits so the content felt different from the countdown and out-of-home ads, keeping things from going stale while still staying on brand.
These carousel posts helped educate a young, growing fan base by putting faces to names and highlighting core players we expected to see heavy minutes. The goal was to build familiarity, get fans excited about who they’d be watching on the pitch, and drive early-season momentum and ticket sales.
Photo Credit: Laura Wolff
Claiming the Throne
With 30 clubs competing across MLS in 2025, weekly honors are hard to come by. Most recognition lives within Team of the Matchday or the bench. Being named the singular Player of the Matchday means standing above the entire league for that week.
When that moment arrived for the midfield magician, Pep Biel, we were able to bring the throne-inspired photography back into play to make the league recognition into a literal crowning moment. The imagery reinforced the rarity of the honor while creating a cohesive visual thread between season-launch content, player introductions, and in-season accolades.
It's the little things.
I always feel like a tiny compliment to photography work is when someone likes it enough to make it their profile photo. Players are people too.
