In focus: Student photographers' big day out

Behind every photo uploaded on the NRL website there is purpose and preparation.

There are specific angles, timings and in their own words – pre-meditation mixed with a slice of luck.

University student Tahlia Crane travelled from Gundagai to Sydney last week to join award-winning NRL photographer Grant Trouville and his team at Southern Cross Group Stadium.

Crane studies photography at Charles Sturt University and captures images for rugby league teams in the Wagga Wagga region.

She has a goal to become a professional NRL photographer one day.

"I broke my foot when I was 15 playing league tag," Crane told NRL.com.

"I got a camera the year before for Christmas. My brother plays league so I thought I might give it a go taking photos with sport. I fell in love with it from there.

"It is something I'm interested in, just having a bit of the professional help. I got through the CRL ranks, I had a few guys from the local Wagga club put my name forward to try and get me an opportunity."

Along with School to Work program student Bronte Nener, the afternoon couldn't have worked out better for the pair's experience with a high-scoring result and a golden point win to the Sea Eagles showing the level of intensity from a photographer's perspective.

"With the field goal that Daly Cherry-Evans kicked, Chucky [Trouville] had to get that celebration straight onto the website so clubs could use it," Crane said.

"I didn't think he would have to do it that quick, it's not like you take the photos, go home and edit them the next day.

"He is an expert in the field and is happy to help give you tips on how to improve yourself.

"It was good to look at how much work he puts into it. It's not just he's there and shoots the photos. He's got to go through a whole range of things."

"I really thought he did a good job with it, you've got to be in the right place in the right time. Different angles that people get – they can look better. Where he was he got a really good shot of it and that's the difference. It was really fun to watch that and later have a go ourselves."

Trouville won the top Nikon Walkley prize for photo of the year in October for his famous 2016 grand final image of Paul Gallen and Sharks legend Andrew Ettinghausen.

He was happy to accommodate both students for the day.

"They were really good," Trouville said.

"They had their basics because they had a bit of experience with photography. I showed them how to set up and let them go for it.

"I had to fix them in the same position, get a feel for the game while watching me, why we go to certain areas, what end to go.

"And then after ... the demand for photos – getting the right one and getting it up quickly."

Trouville hoped more women would come forward to gain experience and advance their career in sports photography, admitting it was perceived as a boys' club across a lot of sports with little appeal.

"Across my time in 18 years I've only worked with two females on a professional level," Trouville said.

"There's some good opportunities there, a lot more people want to be a photographer. We've done a couple of Nikon experiences that have gone really well. We need to train more women to be involved from that perspective." 

• NRL School to Work program: Full details