Who are some of the world's best triathlon photographers?

<p>I have begun making some photos of local triathlons. I would like to know: if you were to recommend the work of anybody who has photographed these events before, who would it be?</p>

<p>Who has consistently "nailed it" when it comes to making great triathlon photographs? </p>

<p>No idea. Most of the triathlon photos I've seen are the basic "runner crossing the finish line with time in the background" event photos that the athletes buy.</p>

<p>John,<br>

Have a look through the <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/multimedia/photo_galleries/">gallery on triathlon.org</a>.<br>

Delly Carr is a pretty well known Aussie tri shooter, however, he covers a wide range of other sports as well.<br>

His website: <a href="http://www.sportshoot.com.au/">http://www.sportshoot.com.au/</a></p>

<p> <br>

The <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/multimedia/slideshow/C508/">2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Series Sydney</a> was all shot by Delly Carr, for example.</p>

 

<p>If you also look at the <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/multimedia/2009_year_in_review/">2009 Year In Review</a> as shot by Delly Carr, you'll see that he has caught some outstanding photos and moments. Overall, if you look at any of the events that he has covered (mainly the ones in Australia) compared with those covered by others, his photos are much better. He either isolates the athlete and captures a great moment or shows the athlete in the environment where he has really thought about the background.<br>

I race in tris (not quite as seriously as the ITU competitors! lol) and have recently also become interested in photographing them. I find that the most important thing is finding out the course route and doing a couple of recces a few days before at the same time of day to find out where the best vantage points are (other than the obvious: start, transition area and finish!). Have you done much cycling and/or running photography before?<br>

Apologies that this became three posts - work kept getting in the way ;-)</p>

<p>I don't race in triathlons myself. I will be sure to look up Delly Carr. I did check out the course route for the next one I will photograph. I made some snaps down there last year, and want to do a little better this year. It was a good thing that I checked out the route, because it will be tight on time for me to get everything I want done. Last year, I stayed near the transition points for the first one.</p>

<p>[i saw it last year, talked to the guy who runs the event this year, went to a practice, made some swim test photos, and scouted out the area.]</p>

<p>This time, I want to spend about 20 minutes in the water with the swimmers (staggered start in waves), a few snaps of them getting out of the water and bike transition. Then, putt-putt in the car over to a spot I scouted out on the bike course. This part was the part that needed the scouting out the most; I will need to flank and hook around the bike course and put back in at the right place so that I can catch up to them (anticipating traffic reasons on race day: I don't want to drive around those bicyclists one bit more than I have to), set up, make my photos for about 15 minutes, and then get back to the main area for the run and the finish.</p>

<p>So, it breaks down to about five 20 minute segments, with phase 2 and 4 being the time to drive out and drive back. [i know I can drive the exact route under normal conditions in 12 minutes or less, easy.]</p>

<p>Fortunately, most of this one race is in a large park area, so I could probably get by without moving, but I want to come up with a plan to follow the athletes as they course more. At a lot of these local races, I have seen people sitting in chairs and doing those portrait traps; I just don't think I want to do that. Few people buy my photos in the first place, and I don't like the types of compositions that one gets with those setups.</p>

<p>I photographed another one last year in which I followed the running section a little more, and those photos turned out okay. So, it's like, follow the swim (it's a loop, staying within a few hundred yards of start/finish area), a few snaps at transition (I have to pass that place to get to my ride), ride out to a hill synonymous with pain (and a nice background) for the bike, and then get back to catch them at a point on the trail (forested background, good camera position) for the run, and a few snaps at the finish line.</p>

<p>Somewhere right around there, I will already want a hot shower and cold beer. I'm in shape enough to get those loops done and do the work, but not strong enough to continually cycle through the course. Those people are in great condition, and I can't reasonably run circles around them the whole way.</p>

<p>I went out to their recent practice and tested my bag housing and K1000 with the swimming. Photos weren't super-great, but the equipment worked, I got familiar with the area; I think I can come back with photos that are okay. For the runs and the bikes, I found one spot in a ditch that lets me set up the camera close to the road (the action is where the rubber meets the road), and another spot that lets me set up about two to three feet above the road with a curve in the trail.</p>

<p>We'll see how that goes. Thanks for the tip about Delly Carr; I don't usually have an interest in sports much, and probably wouldn't have found that person's work.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>ride out to a hill synonymous with pain (and a nice background) for the bike</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It sounds as if you have this pretty well planned out. I think the above should provide some of your best shots. I think that many people can take the portrait shot, some people will also think about the background, but only a few will capture the emotion of the moment. However, it is the last one that really makes the pic. So if you've got a spot where the athletes are really going to show how tough it is, then you're more likely to get a great shot.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>For the runs and the bikes, I found one spot in a ditch that lets me set up the camera close to the road (the action is where the rubber meets the road), and another spot that lets me set up about two to three feet above the road with a curve in the trail.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You also get better shots of the faces as it is only natural to be looking down when cycling or running, so getting down low is vital. You also need to consider whether you're going to take head on shots or panning. From my limited experience, head on will provide more keepers and will show emotion better, but if you manage to pull off some good panning shots, they make great photos for the cycling section. However, it takes a fair bit of practice if you've not done much of it before. I've been asking my wife to cycle up and down a nearby road - she gets exercise and I get practice! lol<br>

<img src="../photodb/photo_id=10907936" alt="" /></p>

<p>This is worth a look (may not be the world's best still very good)<br>

<a href="http://www.robertmurphy.com/RM/Races/Races.html">http://www.robertmurphy.com/RM/Races/Races.html</a></p>