The 2024 World Sports Photography Awards winners were recently announced, and the winner of the football (soccer) category, Brazilian-born and Portugal-based photographer Marcelo Guelber Góes, spoke with PetaPixel about his very impressive victory and career as a sports photographer.
Guelber Góes didn’t just best formidable challengers in the World Sports Photography Awards, he faces stiff competition in sports photography in general.
“Football is the most popular sport in the world, especially in Europe, where you have the most valuable leagues and teams in the world,” Guelber Góes tells PetaPixel. “So, you have to assume that it’s a very competitive field of work, and the competition is ferocious.”
The photographer adds that he has a tough hill to climb. He’s a freelancer who works with a small agency, which limits his possibilities for getting credentials for some of the world’s biggest soccer matches and tournaments.
“Most of the time, I work alone without team support. It is overwhelming and stressful. You really need to love what you do, otherwise you will ask yourself what you are doing several times,” Guelber Góes adds. “As I do often.” 
Guelber Góes loves soccer and photography, and his passion shows through in his work. This love of the sport elevates his work and makes it unique.
“We live in a world where everything is either fake or AI. Being a photographer allows us to bring our own humanity and apply it to you work, making it as unique as we are,” the photographer says. “I believe the results of the World Sports Photography Awards 2024 reflect that.” 
Being a freelancer and working for a small agency presents some challenges, but it also allows for more creativity and freedom in how Guelber Góes can approach a specific match.
“If you are working as a freelancer, you are free to decide where you want to go with your work, and you will try to balance it as much as you want to go creative. You also have bills to pay. It’s not easy!” 
While many photographers have moved to mirrorless, Guelber Góes uses a Canon 1DX Mark III DSLR camera. Given the incredible quality of his work, this shows that you don’t need the newest gear to take great photos.
He notes that as so many photographers are switching from DSLR to mirrorless, the used market for DSLR cameras is as affordable as ever, which makes the entry point into sports photography “very accessible.” 
“Being a photographer has a lot to do with running a small business, and your key decisions, like buying gear, must be motivated by strategic decisions.”
He does plan to switch to mirrorless, but it will be “at the right moment,” and aligned with larger business strategy and goals. 
As for lenses, he keeps it simple.
“I have a 300mm f/2.8 for action shots and a wide lens for when the action is too close or when I shoot the environment of the game. I usually shoot with a 16-35mm f/2.8 or 24-70mm f/2.8.” 
Beyond eschewing trends in pro photography right now with his gear choice, Marcelo Guelber Góes also bucks expectations by not having formal photography training. However, he has had a great education through mentors.
“I have been working with photography as a freelancer since 2005, although with little commitment,” he explains. In 2019, I took a sabbatical in New York City and reconnected with photography, and I have been doing it full-time since.” 
Photography runs in the family for Guelber Góes. Born and raised in Brazil, his father was an important photojournalist and photographer for a Brazilian president. He also ran a successful photography studio and wedding photography business.
Growing up in Brazil also instilled a love of soccer.
“I am a big fan of Clube Atlético Mineiro, popularly known as Galo (rooster). I was in the stadium for the entire campaign of Taça Libertadores da América and saw my team become champion in a very dramatic way,” the photographer recalls. His oldest son was named after the team’s championship-winning goalkeeper, Victor, and his youngest shares his name, Diego, with the team’s striker.
“This particular game of the campaign, the quarterfinals match, was about to finish. It was tied 1-1, and the draw was good for us, but we could not lose that game. In the last minute of the game, a penalty happened for the visitors. The feeling was overwhelming for us as it has happened several times before,” the photographer recalls. “However, our goalkeeper managed to stop the ball with his left foot… and I fainted a little in the stands.”
It would have been a fantastic game to be photographing down on the pitch, he recalls. If he could have photographed any soccer moment, it would have been that one.
However, he has gotten many great photos of unforgettable moments in the sport.
“Last year, I got Ángel Di María celebrating a goal in the final of Supertaça Portugal staring at me, and it was an amazing picture as well.”
But one of Guelber Góes’ favorite photos is among his first.
“The first good picture that I took was of a Champions League match between Paris Saint-Germain vs SL Benfica in Paris where Kylian Mbappé scored a goal and celebrated in front of me,” he says. “This will always be one of my favorite pictures as I felt that I was progressing in my work.”
To see more from Marco Guelber Góes, follow him on Instagram. He does a fantastic job capturing the stories and emotions of each match, which, ultimately, are what make soccer such a meaningful sport for fans around the world.
Image credits: Marco Guelber Góes / Odyssey Images
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