Filed under: Olympics
Here’s a quick video of the still camera remotes at the Beijing Olympics. I didn’t have time to shoot, blog AND edit video during the games - so I didn’t get a chance to look through and cut this video until now. It shows close to 100 remote cameras - ALL - focused on the finish line of the men’s 100M Final - THE - marquee event of any summer Olympic games (with the exception of Phelps this time around of course.)
(Click on the image above to start the video.)
Photographers showed up as early as 5:30 a.m. - for a 10:30 p.m. race that lasted less than 10 seconds… and as I wrote in a previous blog post - it was a hilarious scene to witness at times… maddening to some who had other photographers “bump” their cameras off target at the last minute… and these were often photographers showing up “late” (late being 4-5 hours prior to the race) bumping the photographers’ cameras that had been set up 17 hours prior to the race…. Bill Frakes of Sports Illustrated had 17 of his remote cameras set up for the race alone… and he shot #18 handheld of course. Nuts!
This is quite a site - even for professional photographers (you’ll see a quick shot of photographers taking photographs OF the cameras midway through the video…) I love the little Canon G9 used to shoot this - perfect little camera to have on you at all times.
When you think of it, you’re looking at close to $1 million worth of camera gear used for remotes alone when you add the lenses, Pocket Wizards, cords and mounts in this video… All to get that “one” great shot… enjoy!
N.B.: You will need to have Apple’s free Quicktime plugin installed on your browser to see this video on either a Mac or PC. If you’re still having trouble - you can also see a lower quality version of this video on YouTube at the link here.
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Wow! What else is there to say? Gives lens envy a whole new meaning.
Comment by Scott 09.04.08 @ 2:02 amMost photographers get custom Pocket Wizard Channels prior to the games… you can send your units in to LPA and get a custom channel for around $150 per unit - well worth it - and frankly indispensable at events like this - the last thing you want is to have someone else who’s shooting the half-point of the race fire off your remote by mistake… so that it’s buffering by the time the runners are reaching the finish line - and you end up with zip after more than 17 hours of waiting….
Vincent, one question.
How do they (you) do to expose manually at 5.30am (and therefore guess what will be the lighting conditions at 10pm) to set up their remotes ???
is there a trick or what ?
Comment by Sylvain 09.04.08 @ 3:59 amGreat video and great posts! You have some amazing work.
Recently, in photography forums all over, there seems to be discussions regarding Canon camera’s in the professional line seem to be diminishing. From what we see on T.V. more and more Nikon gear is popping up in sports events.
From your recent trip to the Olympics, do you see that this is the case? Is Nikon starting to over populate more than the white lenses?
Comment by Stephen 09.04.08 @ 4:31 am[...] sports photographer Vincent Laforet, a video showing the crazy amount of camera gear that was set up to capture the finish in the Men’s 100M final race. Holy cripes that’s [...]
Pingback by Rant Things » linkadump 09.04.08 @ 4:35 amI second what Sylvain is saying. Unless these cameras are set up in Av or tv mode. but i thought that everything was done manually…
so in the shot of the 100m’s with TS, would you have shot that in AV mode ?
Thanks
Chris
Comment by Chris Fowler 09.04.08 @ 4:55 amExposure would be easy, it’s under floodlighting, you’ve had a few night’s to suss it, and just make an allowance that all the gus are black. Mike.
Comment by Mike King 09.04.08 @ 5:45 am[...] impresionante ver el despliegue fotográfico de la final masculina de los 100m en las pasadas Olimpiadas de Pekín [...]
Pingback by En busca de la luz » Final masculina 100m Beijing 2008 09.04.08 @ 5:49 amWow, that’s nuts. As much as I love my G9 (and I do love it dearly) all these big cameras give me a massive amount of camera envy.
Comment by Emanuel Nordrum 09.04.08 @ 6:01 amVery nice video. I have written some things about photography in italian, and I will publish them very soon, with many videos I took with my IXUS 960 since last january. I think videos about photography are very interesting for everybody. Thank you Vincent!
Comment by Marco Togni 09.04.08 @ 7:15 amYou need to get your cameras in very early - to make sure you get a good position (first come first serve basis,,,) But you can adjust and fiddle with exposure until a few hours before the race - and the lighting is consistent night to night - so we all knew where to set it at approximately. There were also a few semi races before the final - to check your focus and exposure… the hilarious part is that you may have everything set up perfect from 6 a.m. on… and then someone comes and kicks one of the camera trees 30 minutes before the race - and 50 cameras now need to be reset… and given how tight things are- and that there are semi races going on…. you can’t get 50 photographers in there at once… so expletives and serious threats invariably start to fly even with the slightest bump…classic scene
I hope you get around to a “how-to” remotes article for your blog. If not in a venue with other photographers, can one use PW Plus units (which I’ve only used to trigger strobes) for remote work, or does the MultiMAX have functionality (beyond channels) that makes remotes possible?
Comment by Charles 09.04.08 @ 11:02 amWow! I did think the custom PW channels was a bit excessive when you were showing your equipment before you left… but now I see the obviousness of that choice. Cool video.
Comment by Daniel Sofer 09.04.08 @ 11:57 amCharles - yes the multimax has quite a bit more to offer in terms of features… if you’re simply setting off your camera or strobe in an environment where you’re not surrounded by 600 other photographers - you’ll be just fine w/ your PW Plus units though…
Wow… That’s pretty cool. It would have been so exciting to be part of something like this. I guess weddings aren’t as fun as the Olympics 
Andrew
Comment by Andrew Krowczyk 09.04.08 @ 3:08 pmCool video and nice gear. But I think it’s crazy with all the photographers at the Olympics. Why do we need 10- thousands of pictures? Some one got to pay for all this…guess who?
Comment by Marcus 09.04.08 @ 4:33 pm[...] your way. Take a look at the preparation for the men’s 100 meter dash courtesy of Vincent Laforet (movie). It’s a cool insight into what goes on behind the scenes in sports photography. I’d bet [...]
Pingback by Shooting the Olympics « Dr. Joe’s “Photo Gear Guy” Blog 09.04.08 @ 4:44 pm[...] Laforest, in a short video, shows us the almost 100 remote cameras at the final of the 100m at the last summer Olympic games. - Filed under: Gears, Video - photographer in action — [...]
Pingback by Francis Vachon - Editorial photographer / photojournalist - Quebec City, Canada » Porn for photographer 09.04.08 @ 8:52 pmSomeone previously mentioned “why do we need 10,000 pictures?”
It’s a question I’ve been thinking about ever since you posted about the Olympics. There really are hundreds of photographers covering the same thing. Of course, they’re all hired by different companies and their photographs are not going to the same place. Is there any worry in the photography industry that one day this will change and there will be a very limited number of photographers and then the companies will receive their photographs from this big pot?… As opposed to sending their own photographer intended to capture what’s needed for their publication’s specific style. Effectively that would dismantle the industry so it’s probably just a “what if…” kind of question. However, that questions also assumes that photography editors and those in charge of such large events become bogged down by the awkward notion that all photographs are created equal, and if they cover the event then that’s good enough. I don’t think enough people buy into the idea of creative freedom and the ability for a photographer to capture something in a unique way (e.g. the idea that even if there are a thousand photographers photographing the same thing, there is still the opportunity for something special). I’m probably typing myself into a circle.
Comment by Michael George 09.04.08 @ 9:22 pmGreat post and great video as usual.
In my dreams would I own some of those lenses, Vincent I know you took a few camera bodies with you, may I ask, do you and other togs own all of these bodies, lenses etc or are they hired in as required?
Kindest regards
NIGEL (U.K.)
Un milione in fotocamere per 10 secondi…
Durante i giochi olimpici appena conclusi si sono svolte moltissime gare e probabilmente avrete visto spuntare fotografi con il loro equipaggiamento un po’ dovunque.
Per la finale dei 100 metri maschili, da sempre la gara più attesa delle …
Remote Heaven or Hell depending on the Results - Olympic 100m final…
A quick video of the still camera remotes at the Beijing Olympics. Amazing stuff - up to 100 remote cameras, al focused on the finishing line of the men’s 100m final….
Trackback by photographyVoter.com 09.05.08 @ 6:59 amNigel - we own most of it - renting it for a 20 day period is not economical - we do borrow stuff from Canon and Nikon for these events as well
[...] My friend Vincent had a related posting yesterday - “Remote Heaven or Hell Depending On The Results” - it features a little video that he shot - of the set up of remotes at finish line of the 100M Final in Beijing - as well as lots of good information in his writing. Good stuff!! here [...]
Pingback by MDAVIDLEEDS » Assisting Ain’t Easy.. Part 3 09.05.08 @ 1:15 pm[...] close to 100 remote cameras set up, all focused on the same thing: the finish line. Photographer Vincent Laforet was there, and he made this amazing video showing the sheer insanity of hundreds of thousands of [...]
Pingback by beyondBeijing2008.com » Blog Archive » 100 Remotely-Controlled Cameras All Gunning to Capture the Same Moment 09.05.08 @ 2:20 pm[...] Vincent Laforet shot a video of the remote camera setups at the Beijing Olympics for the mens 100m final. Its amazing to see that ammount of equipment just siting there. [...]
Pingback by Camera Remotes from the Olympic 100m Final | Allen Gambrell 09.05.08 @ 4:18 pmWow, that G9 is sweet. I gotta pick one up. Thanks for this cool video.
Comment by Chris 09.06.08 @ 10:05 amHi Vincent - Great post and video clip! I was at that event too and was marveling at all of the remote equipment. Could you tell us how many frames you captured and your exposure info for the finish of the race?
Comment by Jason 09.06.08 @ 11:33 am[...] …about the extremes photogs go to capture an Olympic event like the 100m final - go here. [...]
Pingback by Wiliam Bragg 09.06.08 @ 3:02 pm[...] d’appareils étaient alignés pour prendre LA photo de l’arrivée. Le photographe Vincent Laforet était là pour filmer les préparatifs de ces photographes avec leur matériel à plusieurs [...]
Pingback by Une centaine d’appareils télécommandés alignés pour la finale du 100 mètres - Gizmodo - Tant d'amour pour ces fabuleux nouveaux gadgets, c'est surnaturel. 09.06.08 @ 4:49 pm[...] possiamo fare un’idea guardando il seguente video, disponibile anche qui ad alta [...]
Pingback by 100 metri da correre, 100 metri da fotografare | FABblog 09.08.08 @ 4:21 pmWow! I’ve never seen something like this.
So - once this is all set do you simply press the shutter continuosly during the 10 seconds or so and buffer all the shots?
Thanks for sharing this highlight!
Comment by Wedding Photographer France 09.08.08 @ 5:43 pmWow. Just wow. Been working on a commercial project and have missed your blog for a week.
What’s that song BTW?
Comment by Kenneth 09.08.08 @ 9:34 pm[...] to cover the Olympics. If you think any shooter snuck off to a unique viewpoint, take a look at the results. How did we do it before PocketWizard? Or, imagine if photographers were like those of yesteryear [...]
Pingback by Frankly, we’d rather be using Daguerreotypes and flash powder… « Pocketwizard Blog 09.09.08 @ 1:33 pmthis video makes you want to grab a tissue…
what’s the song? great stuff!
[...] Vincent Laforet has a wonderful video clip showing the setup of a huge number of camera’s on remote triggers for the Olympic 100m finish line. There is a serious amount of money in all that kit. « What if modern advertisers created the stop sign [...]
Pingback by Setting up cameras for the Olympic 100m finish line at Strangeparty 09.11.08 @ 1:43 pmI was fascinated with what I can only refer to as those squat-pods….those short things the cameras in the grass are standing on. At one point the video gets in temptingly close to the wording on the pod….which is really a flat plate to which the short length of ballhead is screwed into, but I couldn’t make out the name on it. I’d never seen this before, and obviously all the guys have ‘em. Googling didn’t come up with what I see here. Do tell, please.
Comment by Sonia K 09.13.08 @ 2:08 pmSonia…here’s what you’re looking for:
http://overxposed.com/products.html
Comment by michael mcnamara 09.13.08 @ 2:54 pmFirefox is block-listing this version 7.1.* of Quick Time on Windows (It’s old, unsupported, has vulnerabilities and crashes the browser)
Comment by HTC 09.13.08 @ 8:01 pm[...] Remote Heaven or Hell Video from the Olympics showing approx 100 cameras setup remotely for 100M final. Some of these guys were there at 5am ready for a 10:30pm race Vincent Laforet’s Blog [...]
Pingback by Remote Heaven or Hell - Pixalo Photography Community 09.15.08 @ 9:12 amWith all those expensive cameras and lenses what kind of security was present?
Also what horror stories did you hear from other photographers re: airline handling of gear and what it was like getting thru airport customs in China.
Thanks.
Terry Thomas…
the photographer
Atlanta, Georgia USA
http://www.TerryThomasPhotos.com
wow, that is crazy!
Wish you got a video of them all blasting away thou.
Comment by Mizouse 09.22.08 @ 6:15 amWow that’s cool, crazy, and looks like fun! The custom channels makes sense, otherwise you could do a 20mp final at 30fps with all those Mk3s.
Maybe I’ll be there someday….
Comment by Michael 09.22.08 @ 10:17 am[...] high and low angles without extra gear or awkward positions. I also realized I read one too many Olympic blogs about remote cameras when I started picking which positions I would remote - despite having only one [...]
Pingback by Evolution - Matthew Botos 09.24.08 @ 4:04 pmI shot a lot of theatre and opera, I wanted to try the WT-4 nikon wireless mounted from one of the fly bars. I want to transmit to my Powerbook. My problem is that I have to set up 10.5 hours earlier in the morning and not have access to the gear until after the opera. I might not be able to get ac power. Do you know of any additional power supplies or does Canon ( or nikon) offer other solutions. I dont want the batter to die nor do I want it to go to sleep ( I haven’t used them so Im not sure what happens after 10 hours). Thanks… love your work
Comment by Michael Cooper 10.01.08 @ 11:49 am[...] Remote-Kameras an der Seitenlinie zeigt, die alle auf die Ziellinie gerichtet sind. Das Video gibts hier, die Fotos von Bolts Rekordlauf [...]
Pingback by 100 Meter - 100 Kameras « Marius Becker - Fotojournalismus 10.07.08 @ 11:51 amWhat a great job & blog!
Amazing link section! Thanks!
[...] sito di Vincent è disponibile una versione del video a più alta [...]
Pingback by Un milione in fotocamere….. in 10 secondi - corradoignoti.it 02.13.09 @ 4:11 amI hope you get around to a “how-to” remotes article for your blog. If not in a venue with other photographers, can one use PW Plus units (which I’ve only used to trigger strobes) for remote work, or does the MultiMAX have functionality (beyond channels) that makes remotes possible?
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Comment by medyum 11.10.09 @ 10:28 pm[...] Plus IIs for a while now to trigger remote flashes, but after reading the PocketWizard blog and Vincent LaForet’s blog post on remote cameras at the Olympics, I realized I had only been using my PocketWizards for half of what they could do. A quick [...]
Pingback by Getting Ready for TechDays « Barnaby Jeans – Talking About Stuff 01.22.10 @ 12:41 amGood information and good way your blog post. Good luck blogger man.
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