Global Support for Professionals
PyeongChang, Feb 10, 2018 - An Ling Jun, photographer for China Sports: “Short track speed skating on the first official day of the PyeongChang Olympics was the first of exciting events for me to cover. The Chinese team is good at this sport and they had a good chance of winning a medal.
As a photographer for China Sports, I always want to capture the moment of the very first gold medal for the Chinese Olympic team. Although I had covered three Summer Games and four Asian Games before, this was my first Winter Games, so it was important I got it right the first time.
Camera position determines everything for sports photographers and it is decided by a draw. At short track events, all photographers aim for a spot where they can cover three scenes; the finish line, corners and a stretch where the coaches are. Why? Intense competition takes place at the finish line. The corners create so much drama because skaters fall and get defeated unexpectedly. And after each race, the winner shows the best reaction, skating toward the coach.
I didn't win the best spot this time but I was lucky enough to secure at least two: the finish line and corners.
At the end, the Chinese team didn't win a gold. However, the camera position helped me capture the essence of short track events: intensity and uncertainty. Semifinals were more captivating than the finals because skaters did not care about falling but gave everything they've got. The races were full of speed, intensity and uncertainty!”
