In
1999, The United States women’s soccer team won the World Cup, and beat
China in the final game. The game went to penalty kicks, where
ultimately the U.S. won 5-4. Mia Hamm has become the face of that team,
and a big reason why was her celebration and the photo taken during that
celebration. The image itself is so American it’s hard not to call it a
quintessential piece of American photography of sport. She lays on her
knees with here arms extended at a 45 degree angle and into the air. Her
muscles are contracting. Her facial expression is one of complete and
total ecstasy; this likely being the highlight of her life.
The
focus of the shot is on Mia Hamm, while the background is blurred out
to increase this emphasis. In the background is a Coca Cola sign that
takes up about a third of the background space. This iconic American
brand paired up with an American athlete winning a World Cup is a symbol
for American power and prosperity. This image seems to take influence
from the Documentary Photography. The purpose of the image is to capture
the moment as it is happening, not to focus on the flaws or sublimity,
but just to display the subject as it really is. In this sense the image
succeeds tremendously, and it happens to be one of the most iconic
sports photos ever.
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