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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
My Olympic Pledge
Steve Russell, Photographer
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Toronto | ON | Canada | Posted: 12:47 PM on 07.09.08 |
->> After watching the jubo from Wimbledon that included Nadal biting the trophy,
why?
My Olympic pledge to my fellow sportsshooter members out there is that,
I will not shout out "Bite the the Medal" or move a picture of an athlete biting the medal.
(unless of course my desk begs for it and they have a wire picture of biting sitting on a page)
Steve |
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Rainier Ehrhardt, Photographer
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Augusta | GA | USA | Posted: 12:52 PM on 07.09.08 |
->> If an athlete decides to bite his medal, shoot it. Jube is jube. As long as it wasn't set up, it's fair game.
I don't understand why you shouldn't move a biting pic. Am I missing something? |
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Andrew Scott, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McLean | VA | United States | Posted: 1:11 PM on 07.09.08 |
| ->> When half of the Euro photographers are yelling "Bite De Medal" over and over during the ceremony, it is a set up, even if you personally didn't set it up. |
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Jack Howard, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Central | NJ | USA | Posted: 1:16 PM on 07.09.08 |
->> After reading Steve's whole pledge again, I kinda want to shout: "Bite the Waffle!" in his general direction. Why even shoot it if you don't want to move it--card space will be at a premium, since China is on a different voltage, right?
mmmm.....waffles... |
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David Lucas, Photo Editor
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Toronto | On | Canada | Posted: 1:33 PM on 07.09.08 |
| ->> I agree with Steve. I'm tired of seeing those pictures. Let it happen naturally and if it does shoot it. But with all those photogs shouting "bite the medal"... Just wait until someone breaks a tooth.... things will change then. |
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Jeffrey Furticella, Photographer, Assistant
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Munster | IN | US | Posted: 1:52 PM on 07.09.08 |
->> Is biting the trophy any different than hoisting it over his head, giving a wave, or kissing it?
It's interesting that this idea came up between myself and another photographer yesterday, except the context of our conversation was geared more toward spot news situations in which you have to decipher whether someone is reacting emotionally to the circumstances of the scene, or if they are acting out more because of the media around you, much like if an athlete is sincerely reacting toward the achievement, or is just giving the media what they are asking for.
The "gray matter," as it were, that we arrived at, is what do you do in a circumstance like that where the scene is influenced by the media, but it becomes the storytelling image of the event?
Is it ethical by journalistic standards? Probably not, right? If the media weren't there, would Nadal have chosen to bite his medal? Maybe, but maybe not. But every photographer that was there shot that photo, and moved it on every wire, and every reporter that was there wrote about that moment. So what happens if you're that one photographer that's there on assignment, and you don't come back with that photo? Do you get reamed for not getting one of *the* shots? Are you applauded for taking some sort of journalistic high road?
In the conversation I had regarding spot news, how do you respond if someone is reacting wildly to a scene, and you have a feeling, or maybe you know, that they're pandering to the media? If you're at a major accident or crime scene, and there are other members of competing local print,television, and maybe even larger media, and they are all focusing on that subject, whether it's a genuine moment or if it just makes for great headlines/TV, how do you deal with the fact that it may or may not be a genuine moment. Like with avoiding the photo of Nadal biting his medal, do you avoid this subject as well and risk coming back to the office without *the* shot of the event?
I hope that I have not hijacked this thread, but I'd like to further this discussion and hopefully get the input of some editors about their feelings on coming back, or not coming back, with crucial or telling moments from an event if there might be questions about the authenticity of the moment.
- furt |
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Rainier Ehrhardt, Photographer
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Augusta | GA | USA | Posted: 2:28 PM on 07.09.08 |
->> My take is, if the athlete NATURALLY feels inclined to bite, kiss, lick, whatever his medal, then it's fair game.
So I don't understand why you woulnd't move it. If noone yelled Bite the Medal! move it. It's a moment to document like any other, provided, it's not set up.
But yeah, a good photog will have a better jube moment without really having to rely on the Biting shot, even if natural, because by then you would have had time to get the initial reaction, reaction with teammates or coaches, etc. By the time it gets to the medal ceremony, I would hope all the good stuff has already shipped with a runner... |
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Jerry Lai, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Chicago | IL | USA | Posted: 2:50 PM on 07.09.08 |
->> Nadal always bites the trophy. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he has been doing this for every tournament he has won since his first slam at Roland Garros. I don't know if the photographers at Wimbledon were shouting for him to do it, but I'm pretty sure he would have chomped at the thing anyways even if they didn't.
It's kind of his "signature" celebration instead of kissing the trophy. |
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Dave Amorde, Photographer
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Lake Forest | CA | USA | Posted: 3:08 AM on 07.12.08 |
->> I NEVER would have expected to see "bite, kiss, lick" used on a sports photography forum and actually be on-topic.
God I love this job! |
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