Isosport - Frank Abbeloos

courtesy and copyright Gregory Van Gansen

Meet Frank Abbeloos, our a-typical sports photographer. He makes every project special, aiming to create pictures you'd want to frame. Whether in a studio, at an event, or during a portrait session, Frank enjoys each task, ensuring his shots stand out. He takes pride in turning every assignment into something exceptional. Frank's goal is to make photos that tell a story and are worthy of being framed. Check out a selection of his work below—a testament to his dedication to crafting memorable images.

Belgium-Israël qualification game for the EK in 2015

Eden Hazard lights up the moment with a 3-0 victory against Israel in 2015, securing Belgium's spot in the Euro 2016. The jubilation at the King Baudouin Stadium was immense, momentarily suggesting this could be the 'golden generation' destined for success in upcoming tournaments. Capturing the essence of the celebration, I found myself in the perfect position. The composition is strong, portraying an intimate scene akin to a huddle, where no onlookers are welcome. One player is notably absent, and that's precisely where my lens captures the joy of the group and Eden Hazard.

Despite the fact that Bart Verhaeghe insists on being exclusively photographed during interviews and doesn't allow portraits, I pull out all the stops to create the interview photos as strong as possible with a highly inspired background. After the interview, however, he managed to crack a smile towards the camera...

I feel that images need to ripen, just like fruit to be at their best and symbolize events. After a long drive to Lyon where the Red Devils played their first match in the 2016 UEFA European Championship, this image was the first I captured during the campaign. Belgian supporters were gearing up for the Italy-Belgium match, the outcome of which is directly proportional to the overall result of the tournament... the photo encapsulates the symbolism. Regardless of the value one attaches to the game: life just goes on.

In terms of rhetoric, this image can connect to the previous one. It's the same Marc Wilmots who helped the Red Devils qualify for the tournament by defeating Israel at the King Baudouin Stadium. After the game ended, the champagne literally flowed, used to express joy, but more importantly, to announce the fighting spirit: pay particular attention to the bottle cork between Wilmots' teeth, just barely not bitten in half.

In composing this overview of photos, I notice that symbolism is an element I seek in an image. Therefore, it's important to be fully aware of what you're doing as a photographer tasked with imbuing so much meaning into an image that text becomes almost unnecessary. Jonas Rickaert is an exceptional cyclist at the global level and, moreover, a pleasant guy to photograph. But that's a sentiment I often have with cyclists... Jonas was preparing for his comeback after a serious procedure, and it was touch and go whether he would be able to race again at the highest level. Faith, perseverance, and an incredible determination move me in people. Before reaching Jonas, I scouted the surroundings and found this little chapel in the far reaches of West Flanders. We stage almost everything: the chapel, the bike, the lighting, the composition. I'm so grateful that people cooperate during a photoshoot...

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that there's another footballer in Belgium getting a tattoo of a religious symbol from his surroundings in such a prominent place... a basilica or a cathedral. Zeno De Bast is proud and shows me his arm, seemingly wanting to make it clear that he's going to make it big in the world as a defender and then, after a long time, come back to his roots to score a decisive goal in the autumn of his career. Anyway, Zeno is well on his way to becoming as iconic as Toby. At just 20 years old, you only need to see a part of his haircut for everyone to recognize him.