Sports Action & Image Workflow for the Paris Games, with Maddie Meyer & James Chance

B&H Photography Podcast

Sports enthusiasts from around the world will soon be glued to their nearest viewing screen, watching the action unfold during the international Summer Games in Paris.

But how much do you know about the finer points of photographing elite level competition, or about the lightning-fast, high-tech journey these images make from inside a camera to a remote editing workflow, and then onward to be enjoyed by you, the viewer?

In today’s podcast we’ve got the inside track on how these visual delicacies are brought to life and served up to global audiences. Our guests are Getty Images Chief Photographer Maddie Meyer and Managing Editor James Chance, who runs Getty Images’ editing operations in Europe.

We start with Maddie, who details the advance preparations and complex logistics required to ensure the success of 60 Getty Images photographers on the ground in Paris, alongside a sizable amount of remote and robotic gear. In the show’s second half, James describes the impressive synergy between the photographers on site and the massive team of photo editors he’s assembled to work remotely from London and in other locations around the world—a complex infrastructure that’s a first for the agency.

Immerse yourself in the passion for sports and learn what it takes to capture images that set you apart from the pack.

As Maddie Meyer sums up, “That's where the real challenge comes in. And that's where I would say it's really difficult. But that's where knowing the athletes comes in, knowing the way they move, knowing their rituals before they get in the pool, knowing some of the dynamics between the athletes, where you can really kind of pick up on the minutia to try and make something special.”

Guests: Maddie Meyer & James Chance

Episode Timeline:

3:37: Maddie’s college internship at Getty Images, and her experiences as a woman shooting sports.

8:30: Plans for covering the Paris Games, and details about the Getty Images team.

11:56: Maddie’s aquatics specialty and details about photographer assignments.

16:23: A question of shooting strategy: going for maximum volume vs anticipating more and shooting less.

22:37: Dedicated cameras vs remotes and robotic equipment, plus Maddie’s go-to gear: A Canon R3 mirrorless and 28-70 mm f/2 lens.

28:23: Episode Break

29:35: The synergy and trust between photography and photo editing teams.

33:28: Logistics of staff photographers, remotes, and robotic cameras on the ground to capture the Paris Games

38:28: Details about Getty Images remote photo editing staff in the UK during the Paris games, and their three-stage editing process.

43:33: The technical tools—hardware and software—powering the Getty Images workflow and file management process.

1:00:58: The most important qualities in a Getty Images photo editor.

Guest Bios:

Maddie Meyer is a chief photographer for Getty Images based in—but not geographically limited to—Boston, Massachusetts. She joined the Getty Images team in January 2015, after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in photojournalism from Ohio University. Maddie’s assignments range from covering New England’s professional sports teams to international travel covering events such as the Men’s and Women’s World Cup, the FINA World Swimming championships and the Olympic Games in Rio and Pyeongchang. Her pictures are continually published in major metropolitan newspapers, magazines, and websites worldwide, including ESPN, the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, among many other media outlets.

Equally skilled as a photographer, James Chance began his editing career as a freelancer in London. He currently serves as the managing editor for Getty Images Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He works to train and schedule the editing team, as well as plan editing for major events such as the Women's World Cup in Australia, and the Paris Olympic Games. James helped to create the vision for Getty Images remote editing plan, where photo editors will be working out of the company’s London office, while the photographers will be in Paris.

Stay Connected:

Maddie Meyer Website: https://www.maddiemeyerphoto.com/

Maddie Meyer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maddiemeyer2/

James Chance Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameschance_5

Getty Images Website: https://www.gettyimages.com/

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