TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 21: Team Japan’s Takuya Haneda trains at the Kasai Kanoi Slalom Center ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 21, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Adam Peretti/Getty Images) (Adam Peretti/Getty Images)
Sports consumption is changing dramatically all over the world. We consume in multiple screens and this process seems irreversible. In this context, photographic records of sports events, prepared in advance for newspapers and magazines, with more time for editing and consumption, need to work in an immediate scenario. This requires adjustments in the work and a more flexible structure of delivery.
To understand these challenges, we spoke with Mike Hyman, Getty Images’ Chief Editorial Operations Officer. In addition to a gallery with beautiful and amazing photos, important clarifications about this new reality in the series.
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1. Athletics – Olympic Games: Day 9
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1/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 01: Lamont Marcel Jacobs of Team Italy wins the men’s 100m final ahead of Fred Kerley of Team USA and Andre de Grasse of Team Canada on day 9 of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 at Olympic Stadium on August 1, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images/Getty Images for National Geographic Magazine)
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2. Cycling – Speedway – Olympic Games: Day 6
zoom_out_map2/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 29: (Editors’ note: Image taken with a tilt lens.) General view of Nick Keman of Team Holland, James Palmer of Team Canada, Nicolas Torres of Team Argentina, Renato Resende of Team Brazil, Helvis Paprice of Team Latvia Tuan Van Gendt of Team Netherlands as they compete during the second round of the men’s motocross quarter-finals, which will take place 1 on day six of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at Ariake Urban Sports Park on July 29, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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3. Athletics – Olympic Games: Day 13
zoom_out_map3/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 05: Runners respond after competing in the men’s 1500m decathlon on day 13 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 5, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
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4. Cycling – Mountain Bike – Olympic Games: Day 3
zoom_out_map4/ 9 IZU, JAPAN – JULY 26: (LR) A general view of Martin Fedore Kossmann of Team Chile, Maximilian Vodel of Team Austria, Maximilian Brandl of Team Germany and Jordan Sarro of Team France wander through the dust during the men’s cross-country race on Day Three of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the Olympic Stadium Izu Mountain Bikes on July 26, 2021 in Izu, Shizuoka, Japan. (Photo by Tim De Wiley/Getty Images) (Tim De Wiley/Getty Images)
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5. Gymnastics – Trampoline – Olympics: Day Seven
zoom_out_map5/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 30: Susana Kuchisuk of Team Republic of China competes during the women’s trampoline final on Day 7 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at Ariake Gymnastics Center on July 30, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jimmy Squire/Getty Images) (Jimmy Squire/Getty Images)
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6. Athletics – Olympic Games: Day 12
zoom_out_map6/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 4: Team Australia’s Genevieve Gregson is injured during the women’s 3000m hurdles final on day 12 of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 at the Olympic Stadium on August 4, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) (David Ramos/Getty Images)
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7. Gymnastics – Artistic – Olympics: the eleventh day
zoom_out_map7/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – AUGUST 3: Simone Biles of Team USA competes in the women’s balance beam final on day 11 of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at Ariake Gymnastics Center on August 3, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jimmy Squire/Getty Images) (Jimmy Squire/Getty Images/Getty Images for National Geographic)
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8. Table Tennis – Olympic Games: Day 1
zoom_out_map8/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 24: Natalia Bartica of Team Poland competes in the women’s singles preliminary round match on day one of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on July 24, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Steve Chambers/Getty Images) (Steve Chambers/Getty Images)
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9. Olympic Games – Previews – Day Two
zoom_out_map9/ 9 TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 21: Team Japan’s Takuya Haneda trains at the Kasai Kanoi Slalom Center ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 21, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Adam Peretti/Getty Images) (Adam Peretti/Getty Images)
Technology allows progress in the quality of records and also, I suppose, in terms of quantity. Throughout the event, how large are the photos taken and what percentage of these are “editorial significance” worldwide? How big is the structure assembled by Getty for this function?
As the official photography company of the International Olympic Committee, Getty Images spends two years preparing for the Olympic Games. To prepare, our editorial team runs cables and remotely installs cameras on rooftops, underwater and at location kiosks that allow photographers to take a photo and post it to our website in less than 30 seconds. We’ve covered everything about the Olympics, and that usually means we take about two million photos. About 100,000 of these images are distributed on our website to clients all over the world.
The immediate nature was a basic requirement of the work that was developed. What is the time between image registration and its availability on the platforms for use?
Thanks to Getty Images’ technological advances and our team’s months of preparation, during big events like the 100m dash final, for example, photographers can take a photo and have it available on our site in less than 30 seconds.
The games have accommodated sports activities that are more relevant to a younger audience, such as surfing, skateboarding and soon breakdance. Is it also a challenge to “rejuvenate” photographic recordings to reach new audiences?
Certainly, the new sports in the Olympic Games are exciting and invite a younger generation to watch the tournament. At Getty Images, our mission is to create stunning, innovative images that contextualize the incredible accomplishments of athletes we see during the Olympics. Whether it’s team photographer Maddie Meyer covering diving or photographer Patrick Smith covering fencing, our photographers create images that resonate with fans around the world.
The event, unfortunately, did not have an audience. To what extent did this make the local atmosphere less emotional, and if so, how might this be transferred to the records created?
Obviously, the lack of fans made these Olympics a little different. However, as photographers, the varied backgrounds and lighting due to these conditions have really created some amazing images, as you can see in the images we have provided.
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