Here I am getting the underwater camera ready.

I have been in Melbourne, Australia for nine days so far and we are about to embark on the second phase of this world event. Swimming starts tomorrow and I am a little stressed. Photo positions have not been set yet and this is a concern because there are more photographers than there are positions available. This dilemma is nothing new.

The organizers wait for the host television people to say where we can and can’t go. The television stations put the money up for the rights to broadcast the event so they call all the shots. The photographers are treated as an annoyance by TV. If you do not play nice with them then they drop the hammer and take away positions or get you thrown out of the event for arguing. I’ve seen it happen.

Ezra and I getting things in place.

I still need to find time to drop the underwater remote camera in the pool. This is easier said then done. I have recruited my good friend and stellar senior photographer Ezra Shaw to help me out. It’s a good thing he is helping me because he has been interested in learning how to set up and use the underwater housing unit. Once we get it set up, we will have another photographer set up and execute the underwater remote.

Getting to the pool is a task in itself. We have so much stuff to carry, it’s crazy. We have 4 large 60LB Pelican cases full of cameras, remotes, underwater stuff, cords, and lenses. Also, we have two sets of scuba gear, masks, flippers, diving weights, computer gear, and tools.

Once we get to the pool, getting inside is another fiasco. We get to the checkpoint outside the stadium and we have to unload all of the bags and open them for inspection. Then we have to find the entrance into the pool for photographers, the only one we can seem to find is for television and security won’t let us in that way.

We finally get to the pool and start setting up camp. Since we started using underwater cameras at these events and getting good results, other agencies have caught on. There will be a total of 7 underwater cameras in the pool. Spots will be limited and there will be underwater cables everywhere.

Here I am in my full scuba gear, getting in to set everything up.

This pool is inside which gives us another obstacle. We now have to battle an ugly stadium ceiling, television lights, crossbars, and trussles as a background. And the pool is cloudy. For some reason the filtration system in the pool is not clearing up the water correctly. The visibility is about 8 feet. What can you do?

Swimmers warm up while I test out the clarity and light of the water.

Ezra and I set up the camera, run the remote cable through the pool floor and finally get our photo positions. They are not great, but I have seen worse. We test the camera, fire the remote, position, expose, etc. The camera is mounted to a floor plate and is weighted down with about 15 Lb of diving weights. We are ready to go! For the next 8 days my schedule is as follows.

6:45AM Wake up

7AM Shove breakfast down throat and choke down vitamins

7:20AM Leave for pool

7:40AM Dive in pool to check underwater camera

8:10AM Sit with Ezra in media room and dole out photo positions and swimmers to shoot for 4 photographers with highlight pen for the days heats.

8:45AM Bathroom time

9:15AM Meet editors and go over any last minute assignments.

9:30AM Meet with each photographer and exchange ideas for the day.

9:40AM Set up computer to spool pictures to editors

10AM shoot the swimming heats

1:30PM dive in pool and get disk from camera

2PM Look at underwater pictures, readjust any mistakes I make, dive back in pool and reset camera

3PM Lunch

4:30PM redo the schedule again for the finals

5pm Bathroom time

5:30 Meet editors again

6: PM Meet with photographers again

6:15PM Set up computer again

7PM Shoot swim finals

10PM Dive in pool again, check remote

10:30PM Look at pictures, adjust, and dive back in pool to set up for next morning.

11PM Leave pool

11:30PM Bed

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007 at 11:45 pm and is filed under FINA Swimming Championships, photos. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.