Discover this Thai photographer’s stunning drone shots of soccer stadiums

London-based Thai product designer Tri Sanguanbun is a gifted photographer. One look at his Instagram account reveals stunning landscape, wildlife and travel photography, and even dreamy weddings. (He famously shot the nuptials of Thai rockstar Toon Bodyslam in 2020.)

But his real claim to fame is football, namely his jaw-dropping drone shots of stadiums. From Bangkok to Brazil, the photographer has captured some of the most beautiful stadiums around the world. Many feature on Turfmapp, an app he co-founded that helps football fans find fields to play on around the world.

With the Premier League in its final weeks this month, this Chelsea fan tells Sawasdee how he has melded his two loves of soccer and photography, as well as shares tips on drone photography.

Which shot is your favorite shot and why?
The Chicago skyline is my favorite. It’s always fulfilling when you’re able to get good shots of iconic places from around the world. However, lighting is key and it can make or break your photos. On one particular evening, I was able to capture the skyline during blue hour, just after sunset, when the sky turned into a gradient of purple, pink and blue. The buildings were lit up by the warm glow of sunset from behind the drone. I just love that combo!

What drew you to take photos of soccer stadiums?
It started out when I was in Chicago. We needed more unique photos of soccer fields for the startup I was working for at the time. We decided to get a DJI Phantom 3 drone and started going around the city to photograph soccer fields from above. And it just grew from there. I love soccer and everything about the sport is life for me. Combining that with photography was a no-brainer. I love how the architecture of each stadium is different and being able to capture various unique angles of them is always fun. 

How do you plan for composition when it comes to drone photos?
I love symmetry and I’m obsessed with lining things up perfectly. From a top-down angle, you can easily see things that form geometric shapes, especially in cities because of man-made structures. I often use satellite view on Google Maps to find interesting patterns of places before I head out to drone.

What tips do you have for drone photography beginners?
Practice flying a lot out in open space in order to get a feel of all the controls. Make sure there are no people around as flying a drone can be dangerous. It’s important to know what to do in different situations you might get into, like when there’s low battery left on your drone or when it’s windy. Safety is the biggest thing when flying, so it’s crucial that you can calmly control the drone and know the rules for operating it.

What is your favorite stadium to photograph in the UK?
Stamford Bridge in London! It’s Chelsea’s home stadium and that’s my favorite club. I have supported them since I was six years old, so it was a dream to be able to shoot the stadium from a different angle. I get excited every time I get off the train and walk into the neighborhood where the stadium is located. Stepping into the stadium and taking in the atmosphere with other fellow Chelsea supporters is what I look forward to every match.

Which stadium would you like to photograph next?
San Siro in Milan is an iconic stadium. It’s known for its huge spiral pillars all around the stadium and red beams crisscrossing at the top. Other stadiums that would be cool to shoot would have to be somewhere with beautiful or unique backdrops like ones situated in the mountains or by the ocean.

What are some tips you can share for those who want to start soccer photography?
Anticipate the action in the game so that you can get more interesting shots. Try to get low angles so that the background behind your subject isn’t too busy. Get as close to the players as possible to capture all the emotions. Make sure to get a balanced composition on your shots. Don’t be afraid to try more jarring compositions though.

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All photos by Tri Sanguanbun.