a short story about photography

[kdr]

i'm currently part of a editing "live" team at wimbledon. today i went out to set up the wireless laptop on platform b/centre court. it started raining so i didn't bother going up the small ladder to stick the laptop under a seat, but an older gentleman asked if i could hold his gear as he negotiated his way down in the opposite direction, as the rain had started coming down heavier. when he got down i handed him his bag and noticed the name on his accreditation...neil leifer. myself and a photographer chatted with him for a while, now that was worth getting wet for. my ambition in this game is to take a picture that everyone knows, even if its just in the industry itself...thats all i ask!

[gi_gav]

I'm surprised he's at Wimbledon but I can imagine you may have been a little bit excited by meeting Leifer. The term 'legend' whilst often over-used, is an entirely appropriate description.

Anyone who doesn't know the name might recognise this:

http://www.neilleifer.com/picture.php?pict=1101&page=1

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by gi_gav

I'm surprised he's at Wimbledon but I can imagine you may have been a little bit excited by meeting Leifer. The term 'legend' whilst often over-used, is an entirely appropriate description.

Anyone who doesn't know the name might recognise this:

http://www.neilleifer.com/picture.php?pict=1101&page=1

What a fabulous picture. I'd rather like that framed on my study wall....... (next to The Ghost of Ayrton Senna" )

[kdr]

Originally Posted by gi_gav

I'm surprised he's at Wimbledon but I can imagine you may have been a little bit excited by meeting Leifer. The term 'legend' whilst often over-used, is an entirely appropriate description.

Anyone who doesn't know the name might recognise this:

http://www.neilleifer.com/picture.php?pict=1101&page=1

apparently he shot borg winning wimbledon 30 years ago from the same platform b we were all sheltering under on centre court, he was amazed that other than the scoreboard and a slit for the tv cameras how little had changed.

[kdr]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

What a fabulous picture. I'd rather like that framed on my study wall....... (next to The Ghost of Ayrton Senna" )

ayse that picture was taken by pascal rondeau, who as gav might confirm if not quite a legend is one of the more famous motorsport photographers of the past 15 years...certainly my le mans pictures would be crap without being able to have easy reference to his.

[djb]

thanks KD for the story. Wasn't it him that when telling the story of the overhead shot, the thing he was most proud of at the next fight, were all the photogs getting there early to set up cameras in the same position.

also, i seem to remember that the powerpacks had a recharge time of something like 10 secs, so he had to get it right. (don't think I'm mixing up stories)

[kdr]

i believe thats true. i think his book gives a good insight into the stories behind all this pictures. he was sitting at our table in the wimbledon media cafe a few days later and happily signed a copy that someone had brought along. he was saying that he's actually in that overheard picture in a blue shirt by the ropes.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by kdr

....he's actually in that overheard picture in a blue shirt by the ropes.

You're talking about #2 of 33 yes? What an amazing photograph.

[kdr]

yes thats the one ayse. i think thats about the only one of his pictures he's had framed, and i believe mounted in a diamond shape(he'd be at 9 o'clockish as you'd look at it).