'Through the Lens' will appear once per week during the offseason. Packers team photographer Evan Siegle deconstructs some of his favorite images from the 2019 season. Each week will offer a new photo line-up of some of his best photos and stories from the past season.

Kodak moment

The Packers' defense offered a lot of great moments on the field this year. I looked forward to capturing a big defensive play or sack, but I always looked forward to the celebrations. Sometimes I even preferred the reaction to the actual play itself. It's always fun to see what plays out too, from Za'Darius' scripted moves to Preston's leaned-back roar to Kenny's muscle flex. Obviously, there's luck involved when it comes to photographing football, so being in the right spot at the right time is key.

I'm usually set up in the back of the end zone near the Packers' sideline because the majority of the time the players will react back towards their bench area. I think one of the best reactions of the season was after Dean Lowry's interception during Week 15 against the Chicago Bears. The reaction didn't even involve a special dance or move. After the play was over, Dean was encouraged by his teammates to race towards the end zone to celebrate. All he did was open his arms and make the biggest smile. It was a classic Kodak moment. The best part was the turf hanging from his facemask! This image was shot with a 35mm lens (ISO = 200, Aperture = f2, Shutter = 1/800th).

B&W Summers

Before every kickoff I'm searching for player portraits. I have a small window to find this type of imagery because I think the most intensity comes right before the game. Sometimes I come away with a really powerful image because of the textures, emotion and characteristics.

What I like about this portrait of Ty Summers, taken before the Chicago Bears game at Lambeau Field, is the grit and intensity, which is displayed through the look in his eyes, face paint and the shallow depth-of-field. It depicts a warrior going into battle. This image was shot with a 135mm lens (ISO = 200, Aperture = 2, Shutter = 1/1600th).

Offense at work

Sometimes a change in perspective can make an image stand out. It's rare for me to come away from a game with this photo, mainly because I'm always positioned in front of the action. Certain situations during a game will allow me to gamble on some compositions. Seeing that the Packers were starting off near their own goal line, I swung to the back of the end zone behind the team. This opportunity allowed me to get some nice wide-angle compositions with the crowd in the background and other creative frames. This particular composition, which happened to be my favorite from the series, I laid on the ground to give it more of a field-level look. Laying on the ground helped me add a little of the field into the frame, more for balance and creativity by using the green color hues. I used a very shallow depth-of-field to make the players pop, which also created a very cool bokeh in the center of the frame. The composition came complete thanks to the offensive linemen (and Jamaal Williams) as they block off their defenders pressuring Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This image was shot with a 135mm lens (ISO = 400, Aperture = 2, Shutter = 1/4000th).

In the details

When I'm photographing the players, on and off the field, I'm always in search of detail imagery. I try and look for grit, dirt, sweat, power, blood and other characteristics that display the intensity of the game.

Before an afternoon practice I noticed offensive lineman David Bakhtiari taping up his fingers near the side of the field. I thought it just looked cool, like he was preparing for the battlefield…it had the grit factor I was looking for. This image was shot with a 400mm lens (ISO = 200, Aperture = 2.8, Shutter = 1/3200th).

Wrapped up

Sometimes an action image can be even better because of the body language. I snapped off about 10 frames of Packers rookie defensive lineman Kingsley Keke as he sacked Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Kyle Shurmur during a preseason game. The impact was great, but the best moment was when Keke pulled him down to the turf because their bodies twisted and created an interesting look. This image was shot with a 400mm lens (ISO = 2000, Aperture = 2.8, Shutter = 1/2500th).

Packers & pictorials

Anytime I see a cool sky I'm trying to incorporate it into my compositions. I love how the abstract cloud pattern fills the negative space in the frame as a couple of players warm up on the practice field. This moment made a nice artistic pictorial. This image was shot with a 50mm lens (ISO = 100, Aperture = 2.5, Shutter = 1/8000th).

Big Dog speaks

To me, huddle shots are like organized chaos because I know when it's going to happen and what will take place, but I always find myself running around trying to find the perfect angle and shot. So, anytime I come away with a clean shot I'm happy. I liked this frame because it has Aaron Rodgers (left), Manny Wilkins (right) and Marcedes "Big Dog" Lewis as they come together with raised fists. The players' arms draws a nice line to the center of the huddle and unity of the team. This image was shot with a 35mm lens (ISO = 250, Aperture = 2, Shutter = 1/5000th).

Z and the D

The Green Bay defense was in full force during their game against the Broncos, Week 3 at Lambeau Field. They had six sacks against Joe Flacco, which made for some great action images. I liked this image because it shows Za'Darius Smith and Kenny Clark laying a big smack on Flacco. I don't think you need the football to have a good action photo. The beads of water/sweat flying in the air, due to the impact, adds a nice touch, too. Z had two sacks that day. This image was shot with a 400mm lens (ISO = 640, Aperture = 2.8, Shutter = 1/4000th).

Exit light

Here's another one of my favorite images during the players' introductions. I used longer glass with this composition because I wanted the white smoke to pop against the dark background of the tunnel, and to keep the composition clean. No fancy camera settings. The best part, which I didn't control, was the swirl of the smoke that is perfectly displayed behind Davante Adams as he walks out of the tunnel. His intense eyes add to the dramatic factor. This image was shot with a 400mm lens (ISO = 800, Aperture = 2.8, Shutter = 1/2000th).

Best for last

During training camp, I arrive early and stay late to most practices. I believe that some of the best moments come before or after practice, and on Tuesday, July 30, it was a perfect example.

As the players were making their way off the field, I noticed that Aaron Rodgers was playing catch with Coach LaFleur's two boys, Luke and Ty, which made for some nice moments. Aaron then made his way off the field near the back parking lot. I noticed that he kind of hid behind a speaker unit. I had a feeling that something special was about to happen, so I kept the camera on him. All of a sudden, he jumped out and scared one of LaFleur's boys. The expression on Aaron's face and the moment was priceless. The best photo of the day was my last shot of the day. This image was shot with a 400mm lens (ISO = 200, Aperture = 2.8, Shutter = 1/2500th).