Match Point with Chris Caporaso on Tennis Culture

Chris Caporaso is a Melbourne-based creative whose work is shaped by city life, time spent in NYC and London, and an instinct for detail. Raised around cameras by an architect father, photography has always been part of his world. He began taking it seriously in 2018, finding focus and balance through shooting during the uncertainty of the pandemic. Alongside photography, Chris grew up playing competitive junior tennis - a background that naturally led to his fascination with the sport beyond the court.

He’s drawn to tennis culture as a whole: the fashion, architecture, brands, and the creative community surrounding the game. 

When he’s not shooting, his life revolves around his partner Mandy, their Italian greyhound Tokyo, strong coffee, black-on-black wardrobe, an eclectic music taste headlined by Oasis and Daft punk along with an unwavering love of Chelsea Football Club. Working with predominantly local brands like cult croissant empire Lune. He most recently collaborated with Lacoste during the Australian Open.

1.How did your journey into photographing tennis begin, and what made you decide to dedicate your work to it?
It’s happened pretty organically… I played a lot of tennis in my life particularly as a junior from about the age of 5 until maybe 15. I then fell out of love with the game as some things happened and it got a bit much for me at that age playing every day of the week. I’ve since had a hiatus from the sport but fell back in love with it several years later and very much enjoy it from more of a social perspective now. I’ve been to the Australian Open the last 14 years I think my streak is and photography was very much a creative outlet for me so I guess it just made sense at some point to bring my camera along and get my lens on tennis. However I do regret not capturing Roger Federer in some of those earlier years.

2. What do you look for first when you’re shooting tennis: the athlete, the emotion, or the quiet moments in between
I’m acutely aware there are so many quality sport shooters out there capturing the athlete and their movement or emotion so for me it’s definitely in the details and aesthetics of the sport. I like to think I can step back and tell a story through my photos.
When I think about the aesthetics of tennis to me there is something in the way a court is perfectly presented. The geometry, the colours exclusive to each tournament, then the stadium seating around it. The different light that appears over the course of the match or day. Then the isolated nature of the game where the players compete within those lines, in a stadium, canvassed by the color of the court.

3. Tennis is full of tension, solitude, and sophistication. Which part of the game do you feel most connected to personally and why?
The tension definitely affects me, particularly when I’m emotionally invested in a result… naturally I have my favorites on the tour and like to see them win. The solitude in tennis is something I love to capture, for me there is so much beauty in the isolated nature of the sport particularly when encompassed by a bigger stadium like Ashe or RLA. I don’t think you can have an appreciation for it until you’ve seen tennis live so I like to give people the opportunity to experience that through my photography.

4. Is there a moment you’ve captured (or missed) that still stays with you?
I’ve been lucky enough to attend the last 4 AO mens finals (I didn’t go this year). There are so many moments on those nights I wish I captured or captured better but there’s also an element of experiencing the occasion and getting the balance right with that.

5. How do you want people to feel when they see your tennis images?

I often use The Masters golf tournament social media account as an example of how as a non golf person it affects me. It gives me a sense of what it would be like to be there, its captured and presented amazingly well it actually makes me want to attend the event. Ultimately if people get a feel for what its like to be there through my photos that would make me happy. I’m not really sure how to place tennis as a particular feeling but more a whole range of life lessons… It teaches us discipline, etiquette, how to win, how to face adversity, how to problem solve and how to have fun, connect and stay healthy.

6. What would be your dream moment to capture and a tennis athlete you’d love to work closely with (or have worked with in the past), and why?

I’d love to capture behind the scenes at Wimbledon. I just think the details, tradition and beauty in the place would offer endless photo worthy moments to document. Anyone who knows me well knows Jannik Sinner is my favourite athlete on the planet... He is a quite unique both in his appearance and in the way he holds himself on the court by appearing so calm but striking the ball so aggressively. He is also destined for a lot of success so there is big career moments on and off the court to capture.

Connect with Chris and take a look at his work on Instagram @chris.jpg