Here we go again for the number 2 entry of the blog. This time I’ll write about finding new and different angles than other photographers. What’s best to write about that than to use what happened Tuesday (the 31/02/2017) night at the Audi FIS World Cup Stockholm?
In a few words, I got lucky to receive a photographer accreditation for that event and was really looking forward to try my new Nikon D3 with the legendary Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VRII. When I got there half an hour before the start, I realized I was completely unprepared…there were maybe 50 other photographers all packed at the finish line or on platform a bit higher on the slope. Those guys were aiming at bringing sharp shots of the skiers while skiing down. That wasn’t what I wanted to bring home. Instead I was interested in shooting some action and show the crowd of people around the arena and why not some kind of portraits of the athletes…
I scanned what was happening at the finish line, where the athletes were, where the other photographers were and quickly realized I wanted to go up to the starting line. One way was to hike up the hill. The other way was to take the ski lift up that same hill….I decided on the second option but I needed a skipass, a pair of skis and boots. Fortunately the guys at the skishop down the slope were kind enough to borrow me all the necessary gears – cheers for that!! – and I found myself at the starting line with all the slalomers coming in to warm up.
I was pretty surprised to be alone up there, no other photographer to be seen in the starting area…I went easy on the athletes, trying not to disturb them as they were really focusing on their coming race. Really cool to see them going through the gates in their heads and mimicking the slalom with the hands and bodies, something I had only seen on TV until then.
Anyway, I even got access to the starting booths (it was a parallel slalom, therefore 2 starting booths) and could get really really close to the athletes. When they come in the booth, I was so amazed at the energy, concentration, motivation levels they were at, it felt as if they were going to fight a duel to death, or they were bulls before coming in the arena. I can still feel the energy in my body as I write those lines.
Have a good look at those guys!! Feel the tension?! I do!!
I can unfortunately not write much more, as it’s almost 12 and I’m going ice skating in a few minutes…And I’ve already reached 450 words.
So basically and quickly, finding different angles that we (or at least I) are not used to see was really challenging and fun. Just google “World Cup Ski” and see for yourself. You’ll find plenty of beautiful and sharp images of skiers going full speed downhill, but that’s not what I wanted to shoot, other photographers master that art with their Nikon D5 and 800mm!
At some point I moved away from the starting area and covered a bit the sides of the slope to get some proper skiing shots and even met with Elisabet, THE Elisabet who introduced me to the Swimrun picture world in Stockholm.
Towards the end of the competition I skied down to the finish area and mingled a bit with the other photographers until the final podium. And then I thought it would be nice to bring some “high five” pictures as my mentor-fellow photographer Matthew James showed me back in Copenhagen. It took me some minutes to talk myself into daring it and actually doing it, but as the smile on Mattias face shows, I guess it was fun thing to do even for them.
Not sure I wrote much about finding different angles as the titles says but does it matter…?
Until next time, take care,
Pierre.