“Play Like You Practice…” 31•Aug.•12

Brittany Friese of NFA swims underwater during practice at the high school in Newburgh, NY on Friday, August 31, 2012. She is the two-time defending NY State champion in the 200 and 500 freestyle.  © CHET GORDON/Times Herald-Record

Yesterday I had an assignment to photograph the Newburgh Free Academy (NFA) Girls Swimming team. At 7:30AM. Fortunately I know the coach and a few of the their premiere athletes, like senior Brittany Friese (above) who already was a state champion as an eighth grader I believe. Same as my coverage in previous years at the school in covering track, football and of course basketball. For the two hour practice I’d installed three remote camera strobes around the pool to “help” the ambient light a little. Since it was a practice I had full reign around the pool and could change lenses, walk the length of the pool to follow the swimmers during their different routines. I thought this image kind of worked well, as they had to swim the length of the pool underwater with the help of small flippers. I know it’s not Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte competing or practicing in London, Athens, Barcelona or LA, but I briefly thought how nice an image like this would’ve looked made in one of those Olympic pools with glass windows for photographers under the surface…  ~cg.

 

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