No doubt many of you in the club have seen me at some WRFC games this season carrying a ton of kit and a fold up stool however the social media team felt you all needed to know a bit more about the man behind the lens aka the club photographer for the 2025/26 season.
I started photography in the last century and had ambitions to be a professional photographer but was ‘guided’ by my parents to “get a proper job” and so spent the next thirty plus years of my life as a Trade Credit and Political Risk Underwriter. The Covid pandemic changed a lot of things for a lot of people and for me it was to quit my job (essentially retire early) and do something different. One of these projects was to restart my photography ambitions and become a sports and events photographer.
I never wanted to be labelled a sports photographer covering just one sport and so in the first few years I photographed anyone wearing a sports kit that moved. I then held several football club photographer roles with local teams before covering some matches for WRFC in the second half of the 2024/25 season. The highlight of that season was joining the Lionesses on their trip to Twickenham for the IPF Tournament - yes I did run down the tunnel and onto the pitch thinking I was winning my hundredth cap and leading England
I formerly joined the club last summer and this season covered seventeen games and supplied over 1200 photos to the club. A selection of my personal favourites from this season are attached. (See Instagram post)
As I mentioned earlier I have always wanted to be a sports photographer across all sports and so alongside the Westcliff games this season I have also worked as a freelancer for The Rugby Paper (as I write this I am prepping to cover the Richmond v London Scottish championship play off game this weekend). Additionally I cover the occasional game at Southend United and various games for Tottenham and West Ham Ladies in the WSL, boxing with some former team GB boxers , tennis, cricket with Essex CCC and a local cricket team. Check out www.grantwilliamsphotography.com to see my work
My thanks to everyone at the club for making me feel very welcome and to the players across the four senior teams for some excellent games this season- my photos can only be as good as the action and drama in front of the lens so thank you.
One other word of thanks is to the various people (committee, management, players , officials and spectators) who have taken the time to answer my stupid questions. As someone who has never played the game (and becomes an expert on it at every World Cup!) your expertise and guidance was much appreciated.
If there is such a thing as downtime at a rugby club I hope everyone enjoys their break and good luck to all at the club for the season ahead.
