[Leica] Photo: Love in a time of wind chimes

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Adam Bridge said & asked:
>>ps: I think diving shots from Barcelona are like sunsets: cheating. It
may have been the most fabulous backdrop for diving I have ever seen.
That's NOT to take away from the image you posted, by the way. <grin>
Did you feel that way shooting it?<<<<

Hi Adam,
First off shooting diving out doors is the only place to really get the best 
photos without air duct pipes, ceilings and whatever heating-air 
conditioning systems creating distracting backgrounds when shooting indoor 
pools.

Barcelona was just incredible with the city as soft out of focus background, 
most of us were shooting ASA 100 film therefore at 2.8 or 4.0. the city 
wasn't a distraction and actually added to the scene.

I never thought about the background once we were into competition, simply 
because the athlete's position in the dive is all that matters. Actually 
this particular dive is a piece of cake to shoot with a 400mm lens.

All you do is focus on the lead edge of the diving tower at the left, diver 
walks up, get's mentally prepared, as soon as he starts to move a muscle you 
are locked on him through the viewfinder.

You know the kind of dive he's going to perform so as soon as he lifts off 
into the lay up, "click!" And that's it! :-) No more frames necessary 
because once he leaves this position and drops away there are no pictures.

Then all you do is tick his name off your list, while you power tan waiting 
for the next diver.

Oh it's a very tough life ... at times. Then? ;-)

But Winter Olympics? That's a whole new set of rules and physical demands!
Do I miss them, winter games? NOT ON YOUR LIFE! :-)

ted