Tuesday March 5, 2024, from 20:15 to 22:15
We listened to a fascinating talk on Tuesday from Neil Tingle one of our ImageZ members. Neil talked to us about the organisation and background of photography at different Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games he has attended.
Neil explained that he attended the Olympics in 2006 as a photographer and for some years after that. Later after attaining a different job he helped manage and support the photographers at various events for Press Operations up to the current day.
Neil’s presentation was supported by a journal of photographs; he explained the photographers’ passes, showed us the media centres, the photographers’ areas from which they could get their photographs and the pitfalls and rules the photographers have to abide by. We saw a photographer’s view of a whole host of sports such as Volleyball, Judo, Rowing, Rugby, and Triathlon. Neil explained that the photographers from large agencies such as Getty, and Reuters get priority seating over photographers from local less well-known magazines and newspapers.
It was interesting to hear that for the Tokyo Olympics 2020, there were seven thousand media, one thousand six hundred photographers, Forty-two venues, three hundred Press Operations staff, and two thousand volunteers.
For every Olympic and Commonwealth sport there are dress rehearsals and Neil has already attended the future Paris Olympics test event as part of his job. The venues are set up in areas to showcase the landmarks of the various cities as to give a sense of place. Neil’s photographs featured the scenes we do not see when the events are televised like the banks of photographers near the finishing line at the one hundred metres final and the underwater camera operators getting shots at the start of the Triathlon.
He was also able to explain what it was like to be at Tokyo 2020 Olympics when Covid was rife and strict procedures were adhered to. He said how strange it was for the athletes to be performing to empty stadiums.
He also attended an Asian Games in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The government had bussed in one thousand students all dressed alike to fill the supporters’ seats to watch Tennis. People were not allowed to leave the stadium for a drink or comfort breaks. This meant that the officials incurred many medical emergencies as people needed to leave the stadium. International photographers and media were not allowed in.
Neil received a particularly good round of applause as he had opened our eyes to a world that most of us had little idea about. It was great to see photographs of the running of these special games and Neil’s photography caught a much wider view than we see. It was great to see a set of medals on a tray and the mascots before they were awarded. As Neil said this was a once in a lifetime experience.
Next Week Winner on the Night #4
Thank you for this interesting blog Carol. I was so sorry to have missed this talk, so reading about it was important to me.
Thank you Tami that is very kind.
Thank you Carol for the blog and Neil for such an interesting evening, it was very well received by our members and we look forward to Paris!
It sounded like a very interesting evening. I was sorry not to be able to come to hear it. This is an excellent blog Carol with lots of information about Neil’s experiences.
Thank you Jan we all miss you it’s lovely to hear from you.