AP photographer reveals the challenges behind capturing triathlon swimming

The 2024 Paris Olympics have offered up a unique set of challenges for athletes and photographers alike. For David Goldman, an Associated Press photographer, capturing the triathlon swimming event from the River Seine was a test of skill, endurance, and ingenuity. In this short video, he shared his experience and all the challenges he faced while covering the race.

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David described the experience as a far cry from previous games. “This was very different than how I’ve done it in the past,” he said. Unlike past Olympics, where he was able to shoot from a floating position in the water, the strong current of the Seine presented a formidable obstacle.

I know everybody was talking about the cleanliness of the water; I wasn’t so worried about that,” the photographer shares. “I was more worried about the current.” He explains that Sene is a very fast river, so the real issue was to prevent himself from floating away.

David explains that he and his team did a few things to make him stay safe and get some good shots:

“I brought a longer set of fins that gave me more power to kick and stay in position, and my water housing here was attached to my right hand with a leash in case it got out of my grip so it wouldn’t float away. And then, to make sure that I didn’t float away, my left hand here was tethered with a rope to a safety guy who was standing on the dock.”

But tethering himself wasn’t enough. Even though he was secured to one place, it was still a massive challenge to take the photos from the river:

“We had all those things going on, and the left hand is being pulled by the dock, the current is sort of taking me that way, I’m kicking furiously, and trying to focus with the left hand, shoot with the right hand… And if you want to do some split level where half the camera the lens is below the water half is above, you’re holding your breath and looking through the viewfinder and trying not to swallow any of the river water.”

David’s behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of Olympic photography offers a fascinating perspective on the dedication and resourcefulness required to capture these iconic moments. “It’s not a bad day’s work when you get to go for a swim in the middle of the day,” David jokingly concludes. Not to mention that he concluded this difficult workday with some incredible photos, too!

[via PetaPixel]

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