When the Vegas Golden Knights took on the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Finals, they became the first NHL expansion team to make it to the championship round.The first professional sports team in Las Vegas is now the most successful expansion team ever in hockey – and in all of pro sports.

As the players make history on the ice, the team behind the scenes is using visual storytelling to build a loyal fan base on social media.

Golden Knights Official Team Photographer Jeff Bottari uses remote camera angles and a creative photo strategy to capture this incredible inaugural season from every angle. He and the social media team use a lightning-fast workflow to share photos on social media, giving fans a unique perspective in real time. Combine that with the team’s witty, confident, quirky social media personality and you’ve got a social media presence fans can’t resist.

Watch the video to go behind the scenes with Jeff and the Vegas Golden Knights at the T. Mobile Arena.

Behind the Scenes with the Storytellers

Before the Golden Knights took the ice for the first time, hockey fans were skeptical of Sin City’s expansion team.

“In general, I think nobody was giving them a chance in the beginning,” says Jeff. “Whereas, from the GM to the players to the coach, these are all professionals. These are all guys that know what they’re doing, and are excellent at what they do, so to see the success happen so quickly I think was definitely a surprise to everybody, but not to them.”

Jeff says this winning mindset trickles down through the whole organization, and shows in everything from his photography to the team’s voice on social media.

“It’s just really cool to see everybody come together for the perfect storm to create such a high level product,” says Jeff.

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Cover photo by Jeff Bottari, Vegas Golden Knights.