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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Ideas for a marathoner portrait
Jeff Bennett, Student/Intern
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Livermore | CA | USA | Posted: 9:39 PM on 05.12.09 |
->> I've been writing for the local paper for two years now and am currently working on a story about a college marathon runner who is going to the NAIA nationals later this month.
None of the photographers have time to take a photo on the guy because they are all bust covering the high school sports finals my boss told me to go ahead and shoot the runner myself.
This would be my first photo in the paper and I want it to jump off the page so the photo editor might give me some assignments when they are short handed again. I've been thinking about this and can't come up with any really strong ideas.
Can anyone point me in the direction of some runner portraits to get me some inspiration, or have any idea I should try? |
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Nina Zhito, Photographer
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bay area | CA | | Posted: 2:02 PM on 05.13.09 |
->> Someone will have to help me out here on who executed this image, cause for the life of me I can't recall, but there is a classic photo of a famous (likewise forgotten, to my embarassment) ballet dancer's feet, broken, swollen, damaged, blistered, with her toe shoes nearby. she is gently holding her feet, and the power in the picture is considerable, because it both demonstrates the physical toll her art has taken on her body, and the illusion of beauty that hovers above the ugly reality of the brutal training a legendary dancer endures.
my point is you can show an element of him and his running, and training accomplishments and sacrifice without just making a portrait of him doing a marathon.
towards that goal, you could do something with his bare feet at foreground splayed, and his face behind -- if he has interesting callouses, blisters, etc and you could work the depth of field sufficiently to show his face. he'd have to be lying down or propped up somehow to achieve that. just a thought... |
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Alex Witkowicz, Photographer
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Denver | Co | USA | Posted: 2:13 PM on 05.13.09 |
->> Nina,
Are you thinking of this image?
http://tinyurl.com/oyak6j
The ballerina is Paloma Herrera and the photographer is Joe McNally |
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Nina Zhito, Photographer
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bay area | CA | | Posted: 3:48 PM on 05.13.09 |
| ->> That is the one indeed! D'oh! And as an admirer of Mr. McNally's work I am mortified to have forgotten. Jeff, like all of us, can take inspiration from McNally's many ideas, generously shared in two books, "The Moment it Clicks" and "The Hot Shoe Diaries". Thank you, Alex, for rescuing me from my senior member moment. |
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Rob Kerr, Photographer
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Bend | OR | US | Posted: 4:23 PM on 05.13.09 |
->> soliciting ideas is a great way to spark the creative process, but don't forget the subject of the photo.
if you can spend the time to interact, know and discover or observe, you'll stand to make a portrait that you record and readers/editors identify with.
bells and whistles and emulating others sometimes forgets the subject.
the basics will help -- clean background and an unforced expression in body english and facial features. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 10:25 PM on 05.13.09 |
->> Beat me to it, Nina.. I immediately knew the shot and that Joe had made it.
Rob, great advice ... not just now...but always.
Michael |
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Jared Dort, Photographer
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Yuma | AZ | usa | Posted: 12:57 AM on 05.14.09 |
->> Jeff,
What's up? Sounds like you're getting your foot farther in that door.
You doing a portrait? If so, what kind of lighting do you have?
I'd suggest something early morning or near sunset, outside. Find out if he trains on the beach, roads, mountains and use that as a backdrop.
Shoot some posed shots and running.
If you need more help before or during the shoot, shoot me an email or call me and I'll help you out with this. |
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