Strip Camera

Sports Illustrated’s famed photographer, Heinz Kluetmeier, has been touring the moat and recording the action at Beijing’s National Stadium with a digital strip camera. The camera, operated by a laptop, comes with its own technician, who stands beside the photographer.

How does the camera work? In simple terms the ‘film’ travels at the same speed as the runner as it is exposed in multiple vertical strip exposures. The background is blurred and the subject is captured in a series of thin vertical pictures that constitutes one photograph on one piece of ‘film.’

The technology has been around been around for decades. The most notable photograph captured in recent history is of American runner Marion Jones at the Sydney Olympics by Sports Illustrated’s Bill Frakes and David Callow who used a film version of the camera.

Keep an eye out for Kluetmeier's work in the next edition of SI.

-Lucas

Triathlete a class act

I was at the triathalon venue yesterday just outside of Beijing when Simon Whitfield won his silver. He is definitely one of Canada's marquee athletes after his coming from nowhere for his gold medal win in 2000 and he's a real class act. Here is a guy who is ranked in the top 10 in the world, has won many races and is a big name in triathalon for sure. I was waiting at the finish as he came through second with typical understated Canadian reaction.
Following his two-hour race, he goes through the medal ceremony, greets well wishers, does trackside TV and press interviews, holds a press conference - a bit of a busy time for him. Finally, after I had sent off my photos and packed up my equipment, I'm beat from the heat and the event and head out to catch a bus. Who do I pass by but Whitfield, shirt off, medal in hand posing for photos with volunteers and some of the workers. Impressive.

-Richard Lautens

An underwater photo position I don't want

During a trip to the Yingdong Natatorium to cover a water polo game, I had a little surprise when my helpers started to take me to the underwater shooting position.
If you have been looking at our photo galleries you'll know that I did make the trip to the viewing area - and I did make another stop along the way too!

Steve Russell

"Excuse me, I have a question about.... um.... underwear."

The goal was to use some pictures on this blog that wouldn't get into the paper.
But the story behind this picture that ran on the Second Look feature on page two of the Olympics section gives a unique behind-the-scenes look that does fit with the spirit of the blog.

There are about 15 press attachés at the Olympics that deal with one, two or sometimes three different Canadian sports here at the Olympics.
The attachés deal with us, the press, then decide who will be granted interview. They schedule availability, take requests from the media as to when the practice times are, listen in the mixed zone interviews and provide quotes to the reporters who couldn't make it to the event because they were at another event or were back home.
Depending on the sport or athlete, they deal will all the media, not just the Canadian contingent.
Their numbers are the first we program into our phones when we get here.

While shooting the wrestling I noticed that Tonya Verbeek had something written on her underwear. She was a little far to see but I made a mental note to keep an eye out for it later.
Sure enough in a later bout she went for a double leg grab and there it was.
As plain as day, I could read "Kicking butt since _____, continuing in 2008!!
Always looking for a different picture for the paper, I knew I was going to move it.
But first I have to know all the words, and with that I called Mylène Croteau, the press attaché, who I was sure would be busy with two athletes in the medal round later.
So I called ....

" Hi, this is Steve Russell, a photographer with the Toronto Star here at the games."
"Hello Steve, what can I do for you?"
"Well, I have a question about Tonya Verbeek's.........umm.......underwear"
pause, just before it gets uncomfortable, I continue....
"Well, when she wears her red singlet you can see something written on it...."
still silent on the other end
"Well, it says,  "Kicking butt since BLANK, continuing in 2008. I'm trying to find out what BLANK is."
Laughs, "Well, I'll ask her and get back to you."

Less than half an hour later, Mylène calls back with the answer: 1993.
I would have loved to have been there when she asked Verbeek!

-Steve Russell

Photographers Dress Code

The Olympics is an amazing place. Not only are we in a large and diverse country like China, we in the media get to rub shoulders with colleagues from all around the world. 10,000 or so media have come here to cover The Games and we all work together, live together, eat together, ride busses together and socialize together.
As an example, the first day here I met a very nice photographer from the Cayman Islands. She picked me out of a crowd because of my Canadian pin and her opening statement was 'We have many Canadians in my small country and they are all very nice, could you help me out?' It turns out she is unused to large events particularly on the scope of the Olympics and was trying to figure out how things work around here. I have bumped into her once or twice since and I think I have a new friend from the Cayman Islands now.
It is fascinating to talk with writers and photographers from many different countries and find out about their working conditions, journalistic styles but the thing that surprised me the most was the uniform of the photographers. Every Photographer I have seen wears this uniform every day - knee length cargo shorts, short socks, hiking shoes or trainers, a t-shirt/golf shirt/short sleeve button shirt, vest and a fanny pack worn in the front and a backpack. Granted the vest is mandatory here but it is nice to know it is not only Toronto photographers who dress so badly. -Richard Lautens

No flash please and don't tap on the glass!

Very strange is the situation when the biggest attraction after the men's 100m final ends up being the photo work room. But it was. As people emptied the National Stadium they walk by the fishbowl-like photo workroom. It was very strange to work and look over and always see people looking in and taking pictures. In fact it was so bad staff had to put up some "no flash light" signs!

- Steve Russell

Choosing the right photo position for you.

Ah, Olympic photo positions, lots of fun and the position a photographer  takes depends on each photographer.

For instance, at the swimming venue there are 14 photo positions, and by position, I mean an area that can hold as little as two photographers to as many as 200.

Of those 14 positions about half are available, some are swimming specific, some diving and some synchro.

Position 2 at swimming pictured above is a popular spot as it is close to the Start/Finish line for swimming. It is a nice angle on the starts and offers a great view of the jubo or dejection. The position does have it limitations: there are three officials sitting to the left that block the view down the pool for people in the bottom rows as well as some railings that block the view for the people on the left side of the tribune.

The position has a limited amount of seating, around 50 photographers, each sitting in one seat with a long lens (300 or 400) and a shorter zoom (80-200) and a laptop!

And because this is such a high-demand position you have to show up at the venue at least two hours before the session to line up for a ticket and then are escorted in 30 minutes before the event.

Things I consider when choosing a photo position are:

Is it a final? At some venues, like swimming, you cannot move between positions during competition.

Which lane/diving board/piste/track/etc. is the Canadian Athlete competing on?

Where is Michael Phelps?

How much of the Field of Play can I cover?

How clean are the backgrounds?

Where is Michael Phelps?

How much space do I have?

Will my pictures be different but good from the masses?

Which lenses did I bring with me?

And where is Michael Phelps?

At swimming I've shot mostly from the number one position, but also explored a high position for one session.

Lucas has shot from the number two position and Richard from the number one position, but, higher up and closer to the starting area. Both with great results.

Yesterday when rowing was cancelled because of rain, I was looking for something to shoot, I arrived at the pool after the program had started and inquired about the below water positions. There were positions available, but, there was water on the floor.

I jumped at it since my feet were already soaked from rowing!

And here is the view of the hallwall under the pool and one of the many photo assistants.

-Steve Russell

Big Brother is Reading You

It is amazing how we take our Internet for granted back in Canada. Wireless systems are everywhere and it has become an indispensible tool for nearly everyone, journalists included. To access the web here for the Olympics, journalists must pay either $500 for a wired connection which is reliable but there are very very few wires around; or $500 gets you a wireless system which is slow and prone to crashing. Either system only worked in approved Olympic work venues and that does not include our accomodations. With an already busy day, it can be a real nuisance finally getting back to our room after midnight and having to go to the next building over to their workroom to check a quick email.
The Internet does work and although I can read thestar.com online, I am not allowed access to this very blog. I don't know what is wrong with Star blogs, but they are censored anyway. As a constant reminder of the Internet issues here, in the Olympic village, directly between the Main Press Centre and the famed Water Cube are 3 large, black ominous buildings which are said to house hundred if not thousands who are monitoring every email and transmission made by the press.
It is an odd feeling that your every electronic move is monitored, I just wish someone in the imposing black buildings would respond to some of the many unimportant emails I get each day so I can get a little more sleep.

-Richard Lautens

Bare hands banned

Unruly fans at the Olympic baseball venue in Beijing disobeyed repeated warnings from the batboy to refrain from catching balls with bare hands during a game between Canada and China today.

The sign makes it pretty clear, don't you think?

But do you think fans would listen?

Noooooo.

H2O Logistics

Workers sit outside what will be a store after the Olympics, but now houses the water supply for the 6,000 journalists and officials living at the North Star Media Village.

The logistics surrounding water must be incredible. Free water is supplied to media everywhere.
They have to because you cannot take it through security.

With the humidity through the first week here we are drinking it like...well, water!

At the Canada vs Argentina soccer game, I drank eight bottles and was still thirsty!
-Steve Russell