Some faces from the Providence Marathon and 1/2 Marathon

SirGeorge

Hope you enjoy these . Taken on a rainy, dark day, with everything covered in plastic for protection.





http://www.digitalphotoconcept.com

pipilio

Can't help but wonder what is your point in posting pictures people in such apparent agony. Especially the first and last. Yes I understand that is part of the marathon experience but still.

ian408

I think the photos are expressive of the marathon experience. Yes, they show
pain but that's an ingredient of this event and well captured.

SirGeorge

Interesting question...
Your question is one that has never been asked of me before. First of all, I am a distance runner myself and these expressions of joy and pain are shared emotions and emotions that I, personally fully undestand. Secondly, I just love capturing the emotion of sport. Sport is not all about happiness in victory, it is also about endeavor and endurance and that often comes at the cost of pain and the role of the sports photographer is to capture that and share.

I'll share with you an interesting observation that my wife made during the Olympic Marathon Trial, she was very impressed with how relaxed and comfortable the athletes looked as they ran and she was shocked when she saw my images which depicted effort, not apparent to the spectators, and that, I would advocate, is the beauty of sports photography.

FYI - The Tuesday Night Turtles is my running club and the two shots of pain of the two guys in black are absolutely adored by the individuals themselves.

Hope this answers your question.

pipilio wrote:

Can't help but wonder what is your point in posting pictures people in such apparent agony. Especially the first and last. Yes I understand that is part of the marathon experience but still.

vt1122

pipilio wrote:

Can't help but wonder what is your point in posting pictures people in such apparent agony. Especially the first and last. Yes I understand that is part of the marathon experience but still.

I have to agree with George on this one. When shooting sports it is not only the action that makes a good photo but the emotion as well. There is such a range of emotions experienced in sport. Joy, sorrow, intensity and pain are just a few. It is the ability of the camera to capture these changing emotions that makes sports photography worthwhile. To tell the whole story we must try to capture the entire range of emotion.

jpl

Great photos. My wife ran a half marathon yesterday and I took pictures. I was disappointed with pretty much all of my shots (I have alot to learn) but yours are really good.

I noticed a simliar effect as your wife. I wouldn't go so far as to say everyone looked relaxed and comfortable as they ran, but the camera definitely catches expressions of effort that our eyes you just don't notice.

jonh68

Overall, I like the pictures, but I don't know if I would want a picture of myself like the last one which the runner appears to be drooling.