Caption: Jamaican athletes running during High School Boys 4x400 relay competition.
I don't have a lot of personal favorites in my work, so it was real tough to pick just one photograph to show here. This picture is from an essay I did on the Penn Relays track and field competition. It's held annually at the University of Pennsylvania, drawing tens of thousands of spectators across the last weekend of April to watch teams from across the United States compete in some of the most physically taxing areas of athletics: track and field.
When I set out to do this essay, I really wanted to challenge myself: I'd done plenty of sports assignments for newspapers and but did not find the straight forward expectations to be fulfilling. And so, to pursue my own personal vision while telling a story I sought to exemplify the essence of the subject matter--in this case, pure athletic power--and went about reducing my gear to just two vital lens' and a single goal of moving out of my comfort zone.
So, in the spirit of the athlete's and their desire to push themselves to their own limits and beyond, I found my own inspiration.
This segues into the next topic: photographers.
I'm drawn to Luc Delahaye and his ability to use his photographs as pieces of a grand puzzle that he invites the viewer to construct in their own mind. It's hazy and possibly Impressionism, but in his work--notably Russia--I find something magical.
While a different style entirely, Trent Parke keeps me coming back for more. His personal experiences reflect in his work, something I find personally true. His casual regard to his tools and primary focus on strength of individual photographs seems both carefree and down to earth.
But hands down, I'm a big fan of Chris Anderson. I can't even begin to list the photographs I've seen and been rocked back on my heels. From Haiti to Bethlehem, Lebanon to Wall Street, his vision is the one I enjoy the most.
Copyright Christopher Anderson/Magnum
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