Blurry photos off the telly.

Blurry photos off the telly. My favourite trend from the World Cup.

In many ways it was the most corporate, sponsor-laden tournament ever. Which is what makes this so interesting. Because, as I've said before, if it's flawless, we don't trust it.

We can thank Michael Olise. Mid-tournament he wiped his Instagram and refilled it with grainy shots of matches off the tv, not the pristine frames every player has on tap. The look went viral and the photographer who popularised it, Florence Pernet, ended up shooting socials for team Portugal. Everyone else follows suit.

The unvarnished beat the varnished. At the exact moment the establishment was at its most controlled.

The good stuff rarely asks permission. FIFA locked the tournament down tighter than ever, and some of the best images came from people who weren't even at the game.

I've heard about this tension in other sports, with rights-holders terrified of exactly this. F1 and tennis lock this shit down – copyright strikes, accreditation traps, players and their own photographers unable to post footage of themselves. Winning the media-rights money but losing younger fans. 
The ones that trust the mess, like the NBA, let creators share the story freely and thrive.

But the most interesting lesson is for creatives, designers, art directors. 
Sometimes the only barrier to entry is your own eye. No budget. No access. No permission. No problem. Just taste, and the nerve to experiment.

I've worked with so many brilliant designers stuck at their desks. Waiting to be briefed. Wanting it all to come from the Mac in front of them. When some of the real gold is out there in the most unexpected places. Away from the screen, made from whatever's around you.