Carol White-Griffiths, match-day photographer

What is your connection to the club?

I am Dartford FC’s official match day photographer.

What does the role involve?

How long have you been in the role?

More than 14 years!

How did the position come about?

I was an amateur photographer and had been doing some photos of all sorts of sports and thought I’d see if they wanted any at the football club.

I rocked up to the Dartford FC stand at the Dartford Festival one time and introduced myself and asked if I could go along and take some pictures. They said ‘yes’ and that’s how it all started. Chairman Steve Irving asked me if I’d do the away games too when we got promoted to the National League, and bearing in mind I was working full-time at this point it was a big commitment, but I really enjoyed it. I don’t think my husband was too impressed, though!

What makes a good photo?

Peak action, faces, ball in pic. Generally, those are the three criteria that are important to me. And goal celebrations – need more of those! There usually tends to be better shots at the goal-scoring end. And I look for fouls as well, when the other side gets themselves in trouble. You have to pre-empt what will happen, so you have to judge when there is likely to be a good shot. Seeing it in the viewfinder is too late to press the shutter!

Do you have a favourite photo you’ve taken?

There is one that my remote camera captured quite a while ago of Danny Harris scoring a goal. I put it into a competition exhibition with the Royal Photographic Society and their judge picked it out and gave it a ribbon, it just has a bit of everything.

Do you actually get to watch the matches, or are you concentrating on getting the perfect image?

I don’t get an overview of the game because I’m usually down one end of the pitch and at pitch level, so it’s quite hard to see the detail of what’s going on at the far end, but I do get to watch and take in a good amount of the action.

Do you have a favourite player out of the new squad?

I think Josh Hill will make a good captain. And I like Callum Jones, he’s got a lot of potential. I also like George Whitefield, Olly Box and Jeremiah Pinder, who have a lot of potential, too.

What does the club mean to you?

The thing that keeps me interested in the club are the people that I meet when I’m there, they’re all friendly and good fun. The club has got a really nice atmosphere. Now that I’m retired, it gets me out of the house. It gives me a lot of pleasure to take images that make people happy.

Do you have a favourite Darts memory?

When we got promoted to the National League, the celebrations and the elation of everybody there that we’d made it, was special. That next season was really good too. Other than that, any time we have beaten Maidstone!

Thoughts for the season?

I think Ady is putting a good squad together and I’m looking forward to watching the ex-Academy players and new players gel. I think we can have a very good season.