Here I am in the pool capturing the diving event.

All in all Rio was a mixed bag of experiences, some good and some bad, but always a surprise or challenge around the corner. Getting sick after the first week of non-stop work with a fever, an upper respiratory cold, and some stomach issues didn’t help either. And unfortunately, I had to cut my trip short after I learned my father-in-law was very ill back in the states.

Notwithstanding, I found myself in the middle of some great photo opportunities and experiences at Rio. It was the first time at a major competition that I was allowed in the field of play (the pool) during an actual diving and synchronized swimming competition. I had shot from the water during practice at the Olympics but was never allowed within feet of the athletes during the actual contest. And this amazing photo opp. was mostly due to my incessant badgering of the photo manager at the Aquatics Center, Marco Antonio Rezende, who was a trusting person and a experienced photographer who knows the importance of a different angle. Thank you Marco!

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Aside from making nice photos, it was just so cool to be sitting at the bottom of the pool with a wide angle lens, watching my unknowing victims swim by like an alligator on the bottom of a lake.

From underwater to aerial views from helicopters, and indoor volleyball with catwalk access for remote photos, to photo boats at the rowing that weren’t nice for photos but rather just a pleasant ride; to dark indoor venues like fencing, weightlifting and boxing that at least had clean backgrounds to deal with, the Pan-Ams in Rio definitely had some opportunities for nice photos and memories.

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Luckily we had great photo managers at venues who would bend with what probably seemed liked odd or difficult picture requests at the time. But more importantly, none of our coverage would have been possible without our dedicated Getty Images photo team: Harry How, Streeter Lecka, Jeff Gross, and Rebecca Butala. And a special shout out to our man from Sao Paulo, Denis Lacerda, who was always there to help either carry camera cases or “my cylinder” (a.k.a. my scuba tank), or would stand still with his hands up in the air for 10 minutes at a time to help focus a remote camera, or even just aid us with getting out of trouble with the locals.

Denis in action - helping me set up the remote on the catwalk.

Thank you, we couldn’t have done it without you Denis!

So another beautiful sun has set on Rio and the Pan-Am games. I’m glad I was a part of it, and if I am lucky and still a photographer in four years, I can work on my Espanol and be in Guadalajara in 2011 for next Pan-Ams. But I will always look back at my Brazilian experience fondly after I hopefully get the theme song out of my head…

Obrigado and Boa Noite!

Harry How/Getty Images

Dana Ellis of Canada competes in the Women’s Pole Vault final during at the Joao Havelange Stadium on July 23, 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

On one of my many taxi rides home one evening, my English speaking cabbie said to me, “Are you enjoying Rio?” I thought about my photos, my beach front hotel, caipirinhas and grilled meats, but didn’t yet answer.

It usually takes about 2 weeks for the excitement of any games to wear off. It’s when the best venues are figured out, when you’re fed up with having to argue for photo positions, when tired is replaced by exhaustion and when I begin to crave a Chipotle burrito.

Like everything we do in life, the people around you can make a bad situation better and a good situation great. Denis Lacerda from our Getty Images Sao Paulo office was the fix it man and had a great laugh. Just hearing him say “rotel” instead of “hotel” and pronounce the “h” in “honest” can unexpectedly brighten anyone’s 18 hour day.

Camilla and Leo of the Brazil Olympic Committee helped us throughout the logistics and energized our week with a night of Samba. My fellow photographers Jeff Gross, Streeter Lecka and Donald Miralle were with me throughout the games. I consider these men friends before colleagues.

Most of all, I got to spend time with my favorite person - Rebecca Butala. She organizes, edits, inspires, supports and endures me in this crazy lifestyle that we share.

I answered my cabbie, “Even the charm of paradise can fade on a business trip.”

One of my highlights of the games was when I had a chance to take a ride in the broadcast helicopter in time for the men’s road cycling final. This was shot overlooking Copacabana Beach as the peleton rode down Avenue Atlantica.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

A diver practices for the men’s 10 meter platform diving competition at the Aquatic Center on July 26, 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Best drink: Caiparinha

Worst drink: Too many caiparinhas

Best suprise fast food: Mcdonalds hut on the beach in Copacabana

Worst fast food: Bobs or whatever it was that made me sick for two days

Best food: Porcao

Most awkward thing: Peeing on ice in bathrooms

Best event: Sailing

Toughest sport to shoot: Boxing

Hardest thing to do: Explain anything

Most asked question: When does the bus come?Question most asked to me: Are you from Estados Unidos?

Coolest thing to see each day: The cristo (corcavado)

Cruelest joke: Our hotel on the beach, because we haven’t been there yet and I’ve been here 3 weeks.

Worst day: Loosing 2 cameras at the water ski event which due to high wind was cancelled. The same day, not enough wind caused the cancellation of sailing.

Thing that got old fastest: The daily hour (plus) ride to the main press center.

Told most often: “You can’t be there.”

Most intimidating: Force national checking accredidation with machine guns.

Best problem solver: I am “Denis” (nickname) from the Getty Images’ Sao Paulo office. Without him, surviving would have been impossible. Special thanks to you!

Best thing: The team assembled to cover the games: Harry, Rebecca, Jeff, Donald, Denis

Life savers: Leo and Camila from boc who took care of me when first getting to Brazil - including a special shopping trip when I had gone a week without my luggage.

Scariest thing: Being on the road in any sort of transportation. They drive crazy here but as Denis says “this is normal.”

Best looking venue: Joa Havalange

Worst looking venue: Zico Football Center

Oddest moment: Sitting in the jungle waiting for the bikes to fly by.

Best moment: Closing ceremonies

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images 

Closing ceremonies at the XV 2007 Pan American Games. 

Best distraction: My iPod

Toughest thing to do: Get in to any event

Best thing to do: Take photos at events

Biggest pet peeve: Everyone stands in front of every entrance or exit and any other place I have to go while dragging all my gear.

Most thankful for: A blessed, safe trip, full of adventures and new learning experiences.

Here I am on the pool deck in action shooting the diving practice session before the finals.

Thank you Brazil!

Denis Lacerda, Harry and Streeter Lecka stop for a beer with the locals in Copacabana. (Photo by Rebecca Butala)

I was warned by my Brazilian neighbors at home that Rio is very dangerous and was told not to bring any valuables. I thought…”You mean like the $30,000 in camera gear I’m packing?” Of course, I didn’t listen. Not only did I bring my camera gear, but I wore my regular watch, which happens to be a very good watch that I haven’t taken off in over 15 years.

As much as I loved the movie “City of Gold” which depicts life with no shortage of violence in a Rio de Janeiro slum known here as a ‘favela’, I think of Brazil as a nation of soccer players, carnival partying, caipirinha drinking, beach-goers. Kind of like a laid back Hawaii. Was I naive to think this?

Like all big events, there is an extra measure of security that can’t go unnoticed here. We go through metal detectors before entering any venue, police are stationed and very visible on the streets and military with M16 machine guns stand guard at the airport or other areas requiring a higher level of security.

Away from these “secure” areas however is another reason we sat on a plane for more than 10 hours. These are the local places — the neighborhood restaurants, the places with local food, where menus don’t come in English. These are the places where all your senses are tested and come alive, where you learn to communicate with a smile, a gesture, and a word resembling Portuguese.

We had one of these moments walking back to our hotel from a local restaurant called Shirley. A bunch of locals at a neighborhood bar motioned to us, pointed to his hoisted glass of beer and winked. We accepted his “invitation” and minutes later we were enjoying a cold one practicing our Portuguese and they their English.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a shady cabbie wanting more money and felt the aggression of a packed stadium of screaming soccer fans cheering their Brazilians and wishing death on the Americans. I don’t photograph war, but I’ve been to my share of countries and have heard warnings for many of them. Caution works so much better than fear and smiles go a long way. Less than a week to go and I’m still wearing my watch.

Here I am up in the rafters at the gymnastics venue which I ended up not liking. Photo by: a photo marshall, Andre Lobo

Word spreads quickly amongst our photographers. Some venues have the potential for pictures, others should simply be avoided like a root canal. Gymnatics, or as we’ve been calling it, gymnasties, is an event no one wanted. Even the most graceful athlete looks clumsy with a background of railings, broadcast equipment, and signage. We make an exception for finals of events, which are always covered.

With my expectations lowered, I arranged to put a remote camera overhead in the rafters for the gymnasties final. I chose to remote the floor exercise as it was a nice blue background and it was the only discipline that both men and women competed on increasing my chances for a picture.

Harry How/Getty Images

AJ Rayment of Canada competes in the Men’s Vault final during the Artistic Gymnastic on July 17, 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Thirty minutes before the start of the final, I made my way into the upper grandstands when I stumbled upon a fast food stand. Realizing that I wouldn’t be able to eat for at least 8 hrs and having had breakfast 4hrs ago, I quickly made my way to the line for food.

As I got to the front, the server motioned to my 50 reis note I was holding (about $30), pointed to another line to his right and said, “payee”. When I got to the front of my 2nd line, I ordered a bag of Ruffles and a Gatorade, as a hot dog didn’t appeal to me and it was the only other item on the menu. The cashier waggled her finger at me and said “no 50″ meaning no change for 50. I looked through my wallet, and found nothing smaller. Not wanting to go hungry and in frustration, I said “Visa?” she nodded.

Pressed for time, the cashier slowly wrote on two pieces of paper, then handed them to me and by this time I knew I was going back to the other line, my 3rd line. The icing on the cake to my dining experience came when I saw the server pour my Gatorade out of the capped bottle and into a plastic cup, no lid. Normally, I wouldn’t mind, but my hands were already full with a 400mm lens, an 80-200mm and a waist pack of accessories.

Miraculously, I made it to an open seat wolfing down the chips and the Gatorade. From this seat, I noticed a small area that might make for a background from my elevated spot and focused my shooting to this area of the mat for the first discipline, men’s floor exercise. I got lucky as the best picture I made with this background was the eventual gold medalist.

Harry How/Getty Images - This is the shot I found while eating my chips and Gatorade.

Diego Hypolito of Brazil competes in the Floor Exercise on his way to a gold medal on July 17, 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

With the exception of shooting the medal ceremony from ground level, every discipline I shot was from the upper stands. I went up and down stairs every 3 discipines. My remote didn’t get me the photo I wanted and I didn’t have anything to eat again until 11:30 pm. Making a photo and getting something to eat isn’t the easiest thing to do sometimes.