Miho named photo chief by USA Gymnastics

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|| SportsShooter.com: News Item: Posted 2004-06-23

Miho named photo chief by USA Gymnastics
SportsShooter.com member will help coordinate photo operation at Olympic Team Trials

By Robert Hanashiro, Sports Shooter

Darrell Miho

Darrell Miho, a southern California freelance photographer and SportsShooter.com member, has been named by USA Gymnastics as the photo chief for the upcoming Olympic Team Trials at the Anaheim Pond.

Miho will help coordinate the photo operation at the Olympic Team Trials for the 50 credentialed photographers. The Olympic Team Trails begin Thursday June 24 and run through Sunday.

"I will be going to the Pond tomorrow and reviewing the shooting positions and talking to (USA Gymnastics') Susan Polakoff and Brian Eaton and figuring out what we can do to help make this a photo friendly trials," Miho said Tuesday evening.

Sports Shooter was shown a floor plan for the apparatus set up for the Olympic Team Trials and it reveals significant changes compared to the World Championships which were also held in the Pond last year.

For instance the balance beam and uneven bars have flip - flopped locations on the floor.

Also the large platform that was located at one end of the arena floor that held seating for writers and was the main area of non - pool photographers is now gone. Also the main floor shooting position for non - pool photographers in the hockey penalty box is now being used for the event production and scoring tables, so is also not available.

Polakoff indicated Tuesday evening that benches ringing the outer areas of the competition floor area have been set up for non-pool photographers.

Pool photographers will also find some changes in positions on the floor and these are currently evolving and will be finalized after Wednesday's media day at the Pond.

USA Gymnastics has indicated that there will be 11 pool photographers, 9 permanent members and 2 rotating. Sign ups for the rotating pool positions (which change at each apparatus rotation) will be on a first-come-first-served basis the day of each competition.

Photo by Robert Hanashiro / USA TODAY

The USA's Jason Gatson (#929), from Upland, CA, hangs in the air during the vault competition during the men's team competition at the 2003 World Gymnastics championships at the Arrowhead Pond.

USA Gymnastics and Miho have announced that there will be a mandatory photographers' meeting one hour before the start of the day's competition. One member of each organization should be at the photographers' meeting.

Miho also said that all remotes must be in place and will be approved Thursday afternoon. Remotes from the catwalks will be available only to members of the pool.

Safety concerns for the photographers, competitors and spectators will be the primary concern with regards to remotes Miho told Sports Shooter, and he reminds pool members that all equipment must be safety - cabled and all lenses over 400mm must be supported by two rigs.

"I will personally do a final walk through before the catwalk is closed and will remove any remote not conforming to these rules," Miho said, "These rules are being put in place to ensure the safety of all."

Ron Taniwaki announced that Nikon Professional Services is offering complimentary clean and checks for NPS members covering the Olympic Team Trials at its Southern California offices.

NPS members can also get loans of lenses including 300mm, 400mm and 600mm. Also D1H camera bodies are also available for loan.

Nikon is located at 19601 Hamilton Avenue in Torrance, CA, where the 405 (San Diego Freeway) intersects the 110 (Harbor Freeway). For more information, call: 310 - 523 - 5248.

Other notes about the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials:

Photo by Robert Hanashiro / USA TODAY

The USA's Paul Hamm (#931) from Waukesha, Wis, performs his still rings routine during the men's all-around at the 2003 World Gymnastics Championships at the Arrowhead Pond.

* Credentialing for this event ended several weeks ago and USA Gymnastics will not be issuing last minute credentials. Those that applied for credentials by the deadline received confirmation via email in May.

* Credential pick-up will begin Wednesday at the Pond. Photographers can enter the Pond through the usual press entrance.

* The deadline for ordering telephone service and high-speed data was June 17. However, the Pond has added wireless Internet access to the technical rate card. Check with the Pond's media relations department for details and ordering.

* Media day is Wednesday June 23 at the Pond. Athletes will be working out on the competition floor, followed by a press conference.

* Photographers working on the floor level are encouraged to dress in dark clothing when working on the floor to blend into the background.

* Photographers covering the Olympic Team Trials that have questions can contact Miho at: (626) 975-6349

The photo chief at the World Championship held last year at the Pond was Dave Black, assisted by Max Morse.