u/WharfRat17

I feel like there’s a very distinct type of photo from NBA games in maybe the 80s or 90s. I couldn’t find an exact match online but the key elements I recall are dark (almost black) stands/seats, fully illuminated court, and shadows. It’s almost like the court is isolated from everything else.

The image I found is close but not exact. I swear there are more exaggerated examples out there.

How did photographers achieve that look? Is it as simple as just using a flash which causes the background to darken?