Stream of consciousness starts now . . . .
While shooting qualifying at the Water Cube I looked up at all the flags of the world hanging on the rafters. A few were missing. You guess which ones.
Lots of heavy lifting involved in photography. I have bruises and soreness all over my body from carrying and knocking into long lenses, camera bodies, monopods, kneeling on concrete, sitting on asphalt and walking miles and miles each day. I forgot my kneepads but I did remember my Advil, which by the way, has become a food group here at the Olympics.
Tall photographers have an advantage indoors. They have a better chance of shooting over the heads of officials, camera booms and general clutter than can ruin a good picture.
Still photographers are second-class citizens to the TV cameras. They have better positions and more access than we do.
The gymnasts have amazing concentration. There are a million different things going on as each performs death-defying maneuvers. Cell phones ring. Coaches yell. Crowds cheers. Shutters click. Professional tennis players and golfers would cry and/or soil themselves with just a tiny fraction of the distractions the gymnasts have to deal with.
Chinese gymnast Yang Wei looks to be in a class by himself. I stayed after the U.S. men's team finished and saw his floor routine. Keep an eye on him while watching on TV. Strangely the arena was not filled when the Chinese men started it was about 90% full. It may have by the time I left though.
Best atmosphere so far has been the Water Cube. The place was rocking when the Chinese women won their qualifying heat of the 4x100 freestyle relay. Pang Jiaying swam a blistering 52.83 anchor leg to overtake Germany for the win.
Craziest scenes related to me by other photographers . . .
1. While we shot the opening ceremony fireworks from outside, the ash fell directly on us during the finale. I was told that one photographer had her hair caught on fire. She couldn't have been more than 20 feet from where I was. I was lucky enough to have a hat close by to put on my head while the fireworks were shooting off.
2. Kobe Bryant's "people" pushed aside a young Chinese Olympic volunteer looking for an autograph.
3. Fencing was a madhouse after U.S. swept yesterday as George Herbert Walker Bush showed up to congratulate the team.
Lots of heavy lifting involved in photography. I have bruises and soreness all over my body from carrying and knocking into long lenses, camera bodies, monopods, kneeling on concrete, sitting on asphalt and walking miles and miles each day. I forgot my kneepads but I did remember my Advil, which by the way, has become a food group here at the Olympics.
Tall photographers have an advantage indoors. They have a better chance of shooting over the heads of officials, camera booms and general clutter than can ruin a good picture.
Still photographers are second-class citizens to the TV cameras. They have better positions and more access than we do.
The gymnasts have amazing concentration. There are a million different things going on as each performs death-defying maneuvers. Cell phones ring. Coaches yell. Crowds cheers. Shutters click. Professional tennis players and golfers would cry and/or soil themselves with just a tiny fraction of the distractions the gymnasts have to deal with.
Chinese gymnast Yang Wei looks to be in a class by himself. I stayed after the U.S. men's team finished and saw his floor routine. Keep an eye on him while watching on TV. Strangely the arena was not filled when the Chinese men started it was about 90% full. It may have by the time I left though.
Best atmosphere so far has been the Water Cube. The place was rocking when the Chinese women won their qualifying heat of the 4x100 freestyle relay. Pang Jiaying swam a blistering 52.83 anchor leg to overtake Germany for the win.
Craziest scenes related to me by other photographers . . .
1. While we shot the opening ceremony fireworks from outside, the ash fell directly on us during the finale. I was told that one photographer had her hair caught on fire. She couldn't have been more than 20 feet from where I was. I was lucky enough to have a hat close by to put on my head while the fireworks were shooting off.
2. Kobe Bryant's "people" pushed aside a young Chinese Olympic volunteer looking for an autograph.
3. Fencing was a madhouse after U.S. swept yesterday as George Herbert Walker Bush showed up to congratulate the team.
posted by huja at 10:41 AM
2 Comments:
Hi Jay. I was blown away by the logistical, technological and choreagraphical super, phantasmagorical olympic feat - the Opening ceremonies. Everyone I have talked with agrees with me. What is the buzz from inside the village/campus? Your pictures are great and your "field notes" are so well done and witty.
So - what flags were missing? Enquiring minds want to know...
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