Photo essays / Union

In pictures: Philadelphia Union 4-3 New York Red Bulls

After nine years of being a photographer for PSP, I’m calling it a day.  Sunday’s match was my last for PSP.  It couldn’t have ended on a better note with the Union winning their first playoff match and knocking out New York in the process.  It has been a privilege to have worked alongside so many talented people at PSP over the years.

Nine years ago I met Ed Farnsworth at the Valdes/Mondragon player introduction and we hit it off. He invited me to join the PSP family where I started shooting the reserve matches and anything else I could get my hands on; then I moved into the regular game rotation, covering regular season matches and international matches that came to Philadelphia.  It’s been an amazing journey that has allowed me to shoot some of the biggest names in soccer and I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunities working for PSP has afforded me.  Thank you to Ed and Dan Walsh for being strong editors to push me and all the countless others to make PSP what it is.

As for the future, anyone who has been checking out my social media has seen that I’ve been shooting professional wrestling for the last few years.  It’s become my new muse – taking me around the country and giving me the best seat in the house while doing something that I love.  I’ll still be around and see you at a match sometime…

Starting XI


Kai Wagner

Sergio Santos

Red Bulls score early

Brenden Aaronson

Tim Parker & Sergio Santos

Jim Curtin catches the replay of the 2nd goal

Santos and Parker continue to battle

Alejandro Bedoya makes it 1-2

Aaronson looks on

Santos gets taken out by Parker

Jamiro Monteiro goes down

Monteiro gets carded

Aaronson gets taken out

Not in my house!

1-3 Red Bulls

Jack Elliott makes it 2-3

Hope returns

Ray Gaddis

Long takes out Ilsinho

Fafa Picault ties the match up

The River End erupts

Monteiro and Parker

Long and Fafa collide

Ilsinho

Sebastien Le Toux

Fafa wonders what’s up

Marco Fabián puts the Union up 4-3

Almost there…

The whistle blows as Chris Albright celebrates the win

Ray Gaddis salutes the River End

For additional photos please check out Earl Gardner’s page.

19 Comments

  1. Thank you for your wonderful contribution. Your talented eye will be missed.

  2. Earl is as good as soccer photographers get. Look a these action shots. They not only capture the game action itself, but you can read the game state in the emotions that these photos also capture.

    Over the years, I’ve consistently said that PSP’s photography is what consistently set this publication apart from (and above) anyone else out there. That’s still the case. Even when we as writers are having an off day, PSP’s soccer photography is as good as it gets anywhere in America.

    Earl has been a huge part of that, and we’re really going to miss his eye for the game. The dude’s a superstar.

  3. OneManWolfpack says:

    Always enjoyed your work. Congrats and Good Luck!!

  4. Thank for taking my picture so many times (even if it’s just in the background). I think you should reconsider your decision to leave and do 1 or 2 more games if the Union host the conference finals and/or MLS Cup!

  5. Thank you so much.

  6. Thank you for all of the photos and the memories. I will miss seeing you on the side line. Party at Barbs house!

  7. Appreciate the time and talent. Great shot of Elliott. Pretty sure we all had that same face after he headed it home!

  8. Monica Herzog says:

    Congratulations Earl, will miss your work after the matches. What a journey you have taken us on! All the luck to you as you follow your passion! #doop

  9. All because of you, Earl, I got to play on the same pitch my team plays on. Always being one of the first in the stadium you got STH loyalty points and at the end of the season I guess they used to let ~30 or so people with highest loyalty points come in one night to play pick-up on the actual pitch. You were one of those ~30 but gave away your spot to someone else via Twitter. I was the lucky winner.
    .
    It was an experience I’ll never forget. Must’a been 5 or 6 years ago at this point. I probably won’t ever get to kick a ball around on a professional pitch again. Thanks for everything, Earl. Best of luck to you in all that you shoot.

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