The best photos of 2023

2023 was one of the biggest years for events in Western Australia and one photographer, Travis Hayto from SoCo Studios, was there to capture many of the events held at VenuesWest venues.

Travis got around to Optus Stadium, RAC Arena, HBF Park and HBF Stadium, seeing some of the world’s biggest sporting teams and music acts in the process.

Read on as he highlights some of his favourite frames of the year.

COLDPLAY

This is one of the images that I planned ahead of the shoot and when it went out it became one of the marquee shots of Coldplay in Perth, used by TourismWA and the State Government.

I love that it showcases Chris Martin’s energy while being able to see the iconic sails of Optus Stadium, highlighting their only shows in Australia in 2023.

I loved the atmosphere. Coldplay preach love and everyone was happy. It wasn’t just the music, it was a spectacle with the Stadium playing a vital part in the show.

BBL FINAL: PERTH SCORCHERS v BRISBANE HEAT

Alongside Coldplay, the Scorchers BBL final was my other favourite event of 2023 in WA. This would be close to the loudest I’ve heard a crowd at Optus Stadium, it was just incredible. I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it! There wasn’t a single person sitting or not cheering, the energy was incredible.

I could have picked a photo that tried to capture that energy, but the team celebration photo highlights what it was all about, and I’m sure everyone there can attest to the amazing vibe.

ED SHEERAN

Ed Sheeran is a great entertainer, so I had to pick two photos. One that shows the action close up, and another to highlight the sheer scope of the event.

This was his second time at Optus Stadium and in my opinion the way he set up the stage was hands down the best anyone has done it. The 360-degree setup is so unique and that’s why I chose this photo as it really shows the massive crowd and the stadium in full flight.

TOTTENHAM v WEST HAM

We’re lucky to see such high-quality sport in WA and the Tottenham v West Ham game attributes to that.

It was as good as a friendly can be, and here we see two players going hard and competing the header. I like shooting football as it’s very dynamic, like the AFL, there’s always something going on.

It’s such a great spectacle seeing some of the best football teams in the world in action, and it was extra special as Ange Postecoglou’s first game in charge of Tottenham, and they’ve gone on to do great things this season.

MATILDAS 2024 OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS

From all of the amazing imagery from the Matildas’ visit to WA, this stands out to me.

You have a superstar in Sam Kerr meeting these young women, who are just over the moon. You’d look around and there’d be thousands of signs, not just for Sam Kerr but for Mackenzie Arnold, Ellie Carpenter, Caitlin Foord to name a few. They’re household names. I could have included Sam Kerr kicking a goal and celebrating but this image encapsulates the year the Matildas had and what it meant to everyone, especially to young females to have idols to look up to.

RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS

RHCP was fun to shoot from a technical point of view as they had these funky graphics on the big screen which made it unique and interesting. They’re professional old school performers who are amazing musicians and great fun.

POST MALONE

This is just an epic image. I shot this on a 16-35mm lens, I could have probably reached out to touch him he was that close. The way he interacted with the photographers and the crowd was incredible and he clearly knows what he’s doing. This is my third time shooting him and he’s gotten better as an artist each time. He was a great opener for RHCP and these photos among my favourites of the year.

NRL DOUBLE HEADER

I’m a big fan of the double header concept. Having four teams come over creates this great atmosphere, especially flowing from one game to the next. Getting almost 46k was a great result for the NRL, being among their highest attended games for the year.

The wide shot that showcases the NRL setup and Perth City, with a 15mm fisheye lens, it’s a super old school lens. I’m standing on top of the HALO, which is somewhere you can watch the games. I’m strapped in with a harness and virtually hanging over the edge.

TELETHON

Telethon is ingrained into WA culture and our entire crew volunteers their time every year to do their imagery and it’s a good way to give back to such a great cause.

Telethon has had a new lease on life since moving to RAC Arena, shutting down Wellington Street for a street festival. It really activates the City and utilises RAC Arena in a way that it was almost designed for.

WESTERN FORCE

This image was for women’s round, for the International Women's Day 2023 campaign to embrace equality. It’s a powerful image of people coming together for a purpose through sport. I could have included an action photo but it’s great seeing sport used for bigger things and bringing awareness.

PERTH GLORY

I love this photo, you can see Stefan Colakovski has gotten past the goalie with the ball on the way to the net. The Glory have had a tough run this season, but it was nice to see them win this game 2-0 against the Mariners.

ROYAL BLOOD

This was just the other day on 21 December. It’s an interesting dynamic with two people in the band and I enjoy seeing them play off each other. They do it really well.

I very rarely do black and white stuff, I was just playing around with the edit it shows the contrast of the light in the background and his facial expression. HBF Stadium is a great venue for music and a fun place to shoot.

AUSTRALIAN ARTISTIC SWIMMING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

I’ve never shot Artistic Swimming before. It’s not a well-known sport in Australia and to see what they’re able to do firsthand was incredible. It was a steep learning curve - I’m laying poolside basically on the water. I didn’t bring a towel so basically got wet shooting with a 400mm lens, but it means you get these great shots looking along the water.

It was extra special seeing the Australian national team competing as they prepare for the 2024 Olympics.

You can check out more of Travis’s work at www.socostudios.au.