EVERY photographer knows the pressure that comes with attempting to capture a key moment or a significant occasion, so it was with some trepidation that Dylan Buckley set out to cover Marc Holt's 300th game for the Cranbourne Eagles.

The star forward enjoyed a glittering career with the Eagles and had come out of retirement before the start of the 2026 season to help the club out in a time of need.

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The resumption of his decorated career wasn't just a huge boost for the Eagles; it also gave Marc the opportunity to reach two incredible milestones – his 300th game and his 1,500th career goal.

Amazingly, both milestones nearly occurred on the same day.

Marc was 14 majors away from the magical 1,500-goal mark when he ran out for his 300th game.

"He kicked the first goal of the game, kicked six goals in the opening quarter, and finished with 13 goals and five behinds," club president Chris Keenan said. 

"He wound back the clock and looked like the dominant forward he had been throughout the mid-2000s.

"The team clearly wanted to make the day special for him and looked for him whenever possible, but he still had to take the marks and finish the opportunities.

"Former players, coaches, supporters and people from different generations of the club returned specifically to support Marc.

"The day became a genuine celebration of one person's lifetime contribution to a local football club.

"He came back to help on the board, ended up as an assistant coach, then losing 15kg to play, and training every night so that he could keep playing at the level.

"He's an inspiration."

Dylan, a graphic designer and freelance photographer, was on hand to capture the action, spirit and emotion of the day.

He was happy with the photos he'd taken throughout the match, but thought he'd hit the jackpot when Marc had a late opportunity to snag his 1,500th goal.

"There was only four or five minutes to go, and he passed it off to a teammate in the pocket instead of having a shot from 50," Dylan said.

"I thought, 'Oh, he could take that on!', it was a day for him, but he decided to bring his teammate in, which was awesome too.

"It was still a pretty good moment, even though he didn't get his 1,500th on the day.

"It was a big day and the pressure was on, just making sure that I'm in the right position to make sure I can actually get good shots.

"For these bigger moments, you're always worried until the shot comes out."

From a technical standpoint, there were a few factors Dylan had to consider when shooting the game.

"I wanted to be positioned for the lighting, but after the first quarter, the photos were good but everything he was celebrating was away from me towards the grandstand," Dylan said.

"So, I'd have to maybe sacrifice a little bit of the photography to get more of the emotion.

"I actually moved away from what I thought might be a better set-up to make sure I could get him celebrating towards his family, his fans, his crowd."

Dylan's favourite shots from the day were of Marc getting chaired off and celebrating a late goal.

"I like that one from a technical standpoint, it was after he kicked his 12th or 13th goal," Dylan said. 

"He's pumping his fist towards me, and the muscles on him, he's a big boy and he really fills out the frame in that one."

Dylan has only been serious about his photography for 18 months or so, but is intent on improving his craft and building a catalogue of work.

He is usually out shooting three or four times a week during footy season, which requires him to be disciplined with his photography workflow.

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"I've just tried to build a body of work to show 'this is what I do', and this is the work that I put out," Dylan said.

"It's just about consistency, for me. I want people to know that I'm someone who is going to turn up, do the work well, and deliver on time.

"If I took the photos at midday, they'll be done by the night, so I don't have to backtrack editing photos all week.

"If a client takes me on, they know what they're receiving and when they're going to get from me."

While he's still improving his photography skillset, Dylan already has a nose for a good story.

He knew a bit about Marc Holt's history, his upcoming milestone, and his special relationship with Cranbourne that started when Holt was just eight years old.

Marc's undoubted talent could have seen him spend more time in higher leagues over his career, but his relationship with Cranbourne was hard to break.

"I've stayed here because my brother is here and my best mates are here," Marc said.

"The support that I get from everyone is more than what I am and every week I just give back what I can through my football as a 'thank you' for all of the support I've received.

"It means a lot – that's why I'm here.

"I've spent most of my career doing everything I could to gain respect and be a player that was team-oriented.

"(These milestones) just prove the point that if you put the team first and do the hard work then you will get the rewards."

For the record, Marc kicked his 1,500th goal the next week … and is pulling on the jumper for Cranbourne again next season.

Footy Focus 26, thanks to Toyota's Good For Footy program, is now open for entries! Here's your chance to shadow and shoot with Michael Willson at a game in 2027.  We want to see your photos that capture the essence of our great game at a grassroots level. To enter, upload your best community footy photos taken during 2026 to: afl.com.au/footyfocus