There are photographs that become more interesting with time.
When I photographed Eduard Löwen at PayPal Park during St. Louis CITY SC’s visit to San Jose, I was simply photographing another MLS match.
Löwen was wearing St. Louis red.
A few days later, that same player was officially a San Jose Earthquake.
Suddenly, the photographs meant something completely different.
One Match. One Player. A Completely Different Future.
St. Louis CITY SC came to PayPal Park in August with Löwen in the middle of its lineup.
At the time, there was nothing obvious in the frame to suggest that his relationship with St. Louis was about to end.
Löwen had been one of the defining players in the club’s short history. He joined St. Louis ahead of its inaugural MLS season and played a major role in the club’s historic 2023 campaign, recording six goals and a team-leading 17 assists as St. Louis finished first in the Western Conference.
By the time I made these photographs at PayPal Park, Löwen had already established himself as one of MLS’s most productive midfielders.
I just didn’t know I was photographing him for the last time in a St. Louis shirt.
Then Came the Transfer
On August 26, the San Jose Earthquakes announced that they had acquired Löwen from St. Louis CITY SC.
The deal sent $425,000 in guaranteed General Allocation Money to St. Louis, with up to another $500,000 in conditional GAM tied to performance incentives. San Jose signed Löwen through the 2027–28 season and made him a Designated Player, subject to the league’s roster rules.
For the Earthquakes, it was a significant addition.
For my photographs, it changed the context completely.
The player I had photographed as an opponent had suddenly become part of the home team.
A Proven MLS Playmaker
Löwen arrived in San Jose with a substantial MLS résumé.
Through his St. Louis career, he recorded 20 goals and 27 assists in 84 regular-season appearances, making him the club’s all-time leader in regular-season assists and goal contributions.
His value isn’t limited to scoring.
The 6-foot-2 German midfielder brings playmaking, set-piece ability, physical presence and experience to the Earthquakes’ midfield. San Jose sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena described him as a proven player with the versatility to make an impact in the midfield.
And the timing matters.
San Jose brought him in while pushing toward the MLS playoffs, with the club looking for additional quality and experience in the middle of the field.
The Photograph Becomes the Story
That’s one of the things I enjoy most about sports photography.
You don’t always know what you’re documenting when you press the shutter.
A player walking onto the field can become a milestone.
A handshake can become the beginning of a rivalry.
A jersey can become a piece of history.
And sometimes, a photograph of an opposing player becomes a photograph of your future player.
Looking back at these images now, knowing what happened only days later, the scene feels different.
Löwen isn’t simply a St. Louis midfielder anymore.
He’s part of the next chapter in San Jose.
From St. Louis to San Jose
Löwen’s departure marked the end of an important chapter for St. Louis CITY SC.
He was there from the beginning and played a central role in the club’s inaugural MLS season. St. Louis sporting director Corey Wray called the decision difficult and credited Löwen for his contributions both on and off the field.
For San Jose, however, his arrival represents an opportunity to add an experienced MLS playmaker to a team with ambitions of making a playoff push.
And for a photographer standing on the sideline a few days before the announcement, it created something even more unexpected:
A set of photographs that suddenly became part of the player’s San Jose story.
I thought I was photographing Eduard Löwen, St. Louis CITY SC midfielder.
Turns out, I was photographing Eduard Löwen before he became a San Jose Earthquake.
Sometimes you don’t know you’re witnessing a transition until after it happens.
That’s sports.
That’s photography.
And that’s why we keep shooting.
Photography & Story: Anouar M. / The Production Nomad
Independent Sports & Visual Media
San Francisco, California
All photographs © The Production Nomad.