013. When Football and Art Coexist, with Claudia Cardoso.
The London-based photographer and art director learned how to play football when she was just a toddler and, when she wasn't kicking a ball, art filled her afternoons. Photography eventually won.
Ciao RISERVE,
Please forgive the intermittent communication. It seems like each time I am close to finding a publishing groove, the world of subordinated work lazos me in and pulls me away from my duty here. But since this platform is free for its users, and getting companies to pay to post jobs has been quite a difficult task to achieve—the time to harass recruiters and HR managers has been slim on this side of town—I have to relinquish to this imperfect communication until I crack the code and make enough cash to pay for an editorial assistant.
It’s a sunny day where I am typing from; the air smells like the last day of school is approaching. Do you remember those times? When we could finally spend the whole day at the park gossiping with our friends, watching our classmates play football in their silver T90s? Good times. Simpler times! Nobody had the sick idea to wear studded football boots as a fashion statement back then.
Summer is at the door, and this means that the end of the regular football season is coming to a close. Finally our agile heroes can get some rest after playing 2 matches per week on average for the last 10 months. Or can they?!
With the WMNS EURO, and the Club World Cup—just to name the most famous and marketed ones—happening only a few weeks down the line, the spectacle of football will barely allow us to take a break to watch a movie, read a book or go to the museum.
Are you traveling anywhere interesting this summer to follow the team of your heart? Let us know and we can arrange a travel diary!
Player: Claudia Cardoso
Position: Photography
Homeground: London, UK
Note: She specializes in art direction and film photography. She has a real love for football and is naturally drawn towards capturing portraits of players within their community.
Hi Claudia. We are excited to have you on the RISERVE newsletter. You are the first female photographer to be profiled, so there is lots to talk about. Let’s start with some housekeeping questions.
Where are you from?
I was born and bred in North London, but I am of Portuguese/Italian heritage.
Where do you live?
North London.
How old are you?
I am 30 years old.
How would you describe what you do to a person that has no idea who you are? Imagine you are waiting for the elevator and when the doors open, you find your ultimate creative hero inside. This is your chance to work with them, what would you say?
I am a London-based creative professional specializing in art direction and film photography, with a real love for sport (football in particular).
Growing up, I was either kicking a ball about in the garden for hours, or endlessly drawing and painting which, sadly, I haven’t done in years now. Portrait photography naturally took over, though I may pick up painting again.
As a child, I always “wished” of becoming either a footballer or an artist, and I constantly flipped between the two disciplines because they seemed worlds apart. I never thought I’d say I would eventually end up pursuing both as an adult.
Gravitating towards a career in both the creative world and sports world, I have always been very naturally drawn towards documenting people within their community and culture, whether that is championing, raising awareness or simply focussing on self expression.
What made you pick this line of work?
To be honest, I have always been creative throughout my whole life so I can’t really imagine doing anything else. I have always been very visually driven which is why I’d say I am instinctively drawn towards a career in art direction.
Let’s talk about football. When did you first discover the game and when did it infiltrate your work?
My dad taught me how to play football at a very young age and he was pretty much my coach.
Growing up in North London in the early 2000s as an Arsenal, Italy and Portugal fan, it’s safe to say I grew up watching A LOT of good football and I discovered the importance of the sport in a cultural sense at a young age.
Football has always been every bit part of my DNA and identity and I’ve never seen it differently. The first shirt I ever got was a (fake) Nike Portugal Euro ‘04 Ronaldo jersey with the number 17, from a market stall in the Algarve…It’s a bit small now but it still fits me.
For the women’s football team I currently play for, we were able to choose our own numbers for our shirts and, of course, I had to choose number 17!
When I think about when football first started infiltrating my work, I’d say that one of the first times I’d really ever combined football and art, in more of a serious way, was at university where, for my dissertation, I chose to explore the theme of contemporary representation of women in sport as a cultural system.
I think that’s when I knew I was very drawn to the idea of visually redefining what it meant to be a woman in the world of football.
What are the uphill battles that people in your position have to fight everyday? What are the rewards?
Continuously breaking down the stigma of being a woman in the football space—whether you’re an athlete, a creative, an analyst etc.
Even though I haven’t been brought up as an England fan, witnessing the England national women’s team win the Euros in 2022 had me fighting back tears. It is one of the biggest achievements there is in the sporting world and it meant so much for the young girl inside me. I think whether you’re a football fan or not, having those players lift that trophy meant so much more than just a footballing victory in this country.
It seems like you’ve spent quite some time documenting amateur female players, can you tell me about the portraits you shoot of your teammates and at the tournaments? What do these projects mean to you?
After years of dreaming of playing football again but not having the confidence to, I went for a taster session in Bermondsey with Hot Shots United last year in April 2024, a grassroots women’s team in London, and now I can’t imagine not being part of this team.
Quite a few years ago now, my mum bought me a beautiful publication Spit Fire, Dream Higher which photographically documents different girls around the world in their footballing journey. Having always loved portraiture photography and especially being drawn to documenting people within their own community and culture, as well as being part of a women’s team again, has encouraged me to document my own footballing journey through my teammates and other female players. These portraits represent my definition of being a woman in the world of football without the need for words; allowing me to continuously discover who I am as a woman myself and what story I want to tell.
Have you had a mentor or somebody that helped you find your place within the creative industry? If yes, what was that process like? If not, how did you manage to navigate this space? How important is it to have somebody to lean on for advice?
I’ve never had a mentor, but would definitely like one at some point. I’d say every creative I’ve been in contact with over the years, every job (creative or not, full time or freelance), every photography talk, exhibition, football match, my friends, family, playing football again (after 14 years!!) etc has inspired me and shaped me as a creative.
I am constantly inspired by the people around me and the people I meet and am always eager to learn and grow, not only as a creative but as a person. I think having this attitude has kept me very open minded to my creative journey, allowing me to move more organically within this creative football world. I think also breaking down barriers and stigma has a lot to do with it too; having the confidence to put all your trust in your own process, not to rush anything and always be authentic.
Do you have a dream project you’d like to bring to life?
Similarly to Spit Fire, Dream Higher I’d love to document the impact of football on a more personal level, whether that be grassroots or even professional. Seeing footballing life outside of just on the pitch and viewing the sport through a different lens, behind the scenes. And, of course, I’d LOVE to photograph the Arsenal team one day or be part of an Arsenal campaign.
Have you ever had a client from hell? How did it go?
Luckily I’ve never really had a client from hell, but one bad experience I had was applying for a creative internship at a sport analyst company just as I was coming out of university in 2017. I got through for an interview, but I’d say from my experience and gut feeling I felt that I wasn’t even going to be considered because I was a woman. I’d happily say that my professional experiences in the sporting world since then have massively improved.
What is your favorite football memory?
This is a tough one, I have several. My first would be going to the Euros 2016 final in Paris to see Portugal beat France (in their back yard) at the Stade de France.
My second favorite would be watching Italy beat Spain in penalties at the Euro 2021 semi finals at Wembley.
Third would be going to the very recent Arsenal vs Real Madrid Quarter Final Champions League game a few weeks ago (the best game by far I have ever witnessed at the Emirates). Lastly, a more personal one would be playing football as a child in northern Italy in the nearby villages to where my cousins live. That sense of freedom you get playing for hours in a random dusty field on a mountain in the middle of nowhere is unbeatable.
Last but not least, what are you looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to continuing my own personal journey in the creative football world and constantly improving on my photography. And Arsenal winning the league again one day.. that would really top it off.
[ If you are interested in working with Claudia, you can find more of her great work HERE.]