Chelsea FC
A new photographic language for Chelsea FC: closer, warmer, more human.
- Client
- Chelsea Football Club
- My role
- Senior Designer
- What I did
- Art direction, Photography direction
- Status
- Commissioned
I developed a new art direction for Chelsea FC around a simple idea: fans see their players every week, but rarely get to know them. I took the photography documentary-style, blurring the line between on- and off-pitch moments so each player’s personality came through. The result was a fresher, more authentic visual identity, designed to bring fans closer to the club.
Sports photography had settled into the same look everywhere: staged hero poses, dramatic lighting, players as action figures. To set Chelsea apart, I steered the club the other way: natural light, unguarded moments, players as people first. I defined that direction, then art directed the shoots with the photographer to bring it to life. It became the club’s visual language for the season, running across marketing campaigns and the club website.