How An Olympics Photographer Captured Usain Bolt's 'Cheeky Grin

[pwjohn]

And now, something totally different


How An Olympics Photographer Captured Usain Bolt's 'Cheeky Grin'


One photo from the day visually defines the career of this record-breaking athlete. It's from the semifinals.

In it, Bolt is leading the pack. He glances over his left shoulder, grinning, just before he crosses the finish line. His competitors are barely nipping at his heels. Everything below the waist is a blur.

Cameron Spencer, a Getty Images photographer from Australia, captured that moment. "I think there's no greater athlete on the planet at the moment," he tells NPR's Ari Shapiro.

This is the third Summer Olympics at which Spencer has photographed Bolt. "What people love about him, and what photographers love about him as well, is he's such an entertainer," Spencer says. "He's so confident and he plays up to the crowd, and I think when he walks into that stadium, it's electric. And last night was no different."

 

[theDoctorisIn]

It's an amazing photograph.

 

[pwjohn]

The subject is really quite extraordinary. Running away from the pack while mugging for the camera at the sametime

 

[theDoctorisIn]

 

[Gracie]

Bolt is awesome!

 

[Snouter]

Reality check. The sprinter has failed doping tests in the past and digital photography is an amazing thing. So is Photoshop. I will guess that was created using layers from a burst set of photos . Cameras today can easily get actual single photo in which the entire picture would as clear as that steroid users ugly face.

 

[pwjohn]

I think you're wrong, and here's why. Even a modern day sprinter like Bolt is only moving a few mph at top speed, thus making it possible for a quality camera to freeze the action of both his head and torso. While the runners legs, and arms are a different story. They are moving much faster making it harder for the camera to freeze the action, so they are of course, blurred.

 

[Hiryuu]

I think you're wrong, and here's why. Even a modern day sprinter like Bolt is only moving a few mph at top speed making it possible for a quality camera to freeze the action of both his head and torso. While the runners legs, and arms are a different story. They are moving much faster thus making it harder for the camera to freeze the action, so they are of course blurred.

Plus, tracking a target and using a faster shutter speed, can allow for several photos to be taken in quick secession, producing a higher chance of getting a single photo that captures the best image possible. The interview with the photographer did state that he was "panning" the runner, or tracking the target of his shot.

 

[pwjohn]

I think you're wrong, and here's why. Even a modern day sprinter like Bolt is only moving a few mph at top speed making it possible for a quality camera to freeze the action of both his head and torso. While the runners legs, and arms are a different story. They are moving much faster thus making it harder for the camera to freeze the action, so they are of course blurred.

Plus, tracking a target and using a faster shutter speed, can allow for several photos to be taken in quick secession, producing a higher chance of getting a single photo that captures the best image possible. It is quite possible the photographer may have taken 3-6 photos while Bolt was smiling for the camera.

I agree, but I think it's pretty clear from the image that the runner was aware of the camera, and I suspect that probably helped in raising the chances for capturing the image we see on this thread.

And thanks to the mod for posting up the image so we don't have to follow the link to see it.

 

[hadit]

A photographer worth his salt is not always going to get the sharpest, clearest photo. If he had in this case, all you would see was a bunch of guys looking like they were posing. By intentionally using a slower shutter speed, the photographer was able to focus attention on Bolt's face while blurring the runners' extremities, thus lending a sense of speed to the photo. Altogether, a much more successful photograph than a high speed shot that would have rendered everything sharply.

IOW, he did this on purpose and succeeded in creating a dramatic shot that tells a story.

 

[WillowTree]

Look what else Mr. bolt did. He shows more respect for our flag than some Americans do.