Sports Photography Archives

Canary Wharf Squash Classic 2014

Posted on April 4, 2014 by mattbristow

Canary Wharf Squash Classic 2014 ran between 24th and 28th March.

I was lucky enough to get the nod to go and cover Canary Wharf Squash Classic 2014 this year. Not normally a sporting venue and as far as I am aware. This is the only one held at East Wintergardens.

East Wintergardens Canary Wharf a great Venue

I must admit covering squash was a sports photography first for me. I spent most of the week sat behind the glass back wall having supremely fit athletes smash a little white ball at me. It makes a kind of ping sound as well.

Adrian Waller returning to James Willstrop. Canary Wharf Squash Classic 2014. PSA World Tour Head to Head 1st Round.

All week long I was absolutely fine. As long as I was looking though the camera! The very moment I moved the camera away from my eye. I flinched at every stroke!

James Willstrop (ENG) PSA ranked 5th in the world. Canary Wharf Squash Classic 2014.

But enough of my moaning! Just to be able to watch these guys was awesome. their level of fitness was quite unbelievable.

Here are a selection from the rounds and the Quarter finals:

I only covered one half of the rounds then the other sides Quarter Finals and then the final. For me the decision was easy as the market is very small and niche so flooding the market with a load of similar images in my opinion was complete over kill.

The actual shooting was very strange. The only sport shot as wide as possible! as they are so damn close! I think I shot less than 50 frames on my 70-200 all week!

The final was an all English affair against PSA World number 1 Nick Matthew and James Willstrop. PSA World ranked number 5.

Nick Matthew (ENG) PSA World number 1 v James Willstrop (ENG) PSA ranked 5th in the world. 2014 Canary Wharf Classic.

The final was straight sets, but didn’t reflect the game. Yes Nick was playing the squash of his life. However, James also had moments of what can only be described as brilliance notably this behind the back return. But the very fact he had to play it signaled the control that Nick had over the game.

James Willstrop (ENG) PSA ranked 5th in the world. Makes a behind the back return. Canary Wharf Squash Classic 2014.

So Nick Matthew ran out the deserved winner.

Winner Nick Matthew (ENG) PSA World number 1. Canary Wharf Squash Classic 2014.

All my images are available through SportPix and Demotix where my set of images actually featured on the home page for a day (must have been a slow news day!) with this image as the lead one.

Kent Photographer – 2013 A Retrospective

Posted on December 30, 2013 by mattbristow

As a Kent Photographer, to say planning this post was hard would be an understatement!

Looking through my catalog for 2013 which numbers around 50,000 images all edited! This year I really tried to be harsher and keep less! So what I have decided to do is to select just one image from every month and try and convey the impossible variety of work I do! So here goes. One image from each month, with not much comment…

January

Spent a bit of time this year shooting Premiership football for the guys at SportPix

Jussi Jaaskelainen (22) saves an Arsenal attempt

February

I shot less celebrity stuff this year. However I am still a bit undecided how much I’ll do in 2014.

Stars Denise Van Outen and Sarah Harding. Run For Your Wife Film Premier. Odeon Leicester Square,

March

This years motorsport season was the best yet. It was a conscious effort to focus a little more. The track days are still awesome fun and I’m looking forward to continuing a great relationship in 2014 as the official photographer at Lydden Hill where Willie Woods and his team are really making a gigantic difference.

Lydden Hill | BMCRC Sidecar Testing | 9th March 2013

April

IMG started running the FIA European Rallycross Championship with a restructure to the FIA Rallycross RX and wow! what a difference! Here’s possibly one of my favorite motorsport frames this year. I not only cover the European and British Rallycross Championships doing team media for a lot of drivers but also for www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk. Still at time of writing this I am trying to sort out plans to cover the newly announced World Rallycross Championship. Fingers crossed.

Kevin Errikson at 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship, Round 1 Rallycross of Great Britain, presented by Monster Energy.

May

I probably shot more gigs this year than before. The head and shoulders most successful frame over everything else I shot is this one of Justin Young, lead singer of The Vaccines. Corbis keep sending me money for this frame, not sure where its being used, but long may it last!

Justin Young. The Vaccines play Margate Winter Gardens, Kent. 01/05/2013

June

Did a few Royal duties this year as well. Even to the point that prince Andrew tried to run me down in a golf cart!

Her Majesty The Queen visiting The Argyll & Sutherlander Highlanders, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, (5 SCOTS) at Howe Barracks, Canterbury on Friday 28th June.

July

Holiday for the first time in years 🙂

August

Every so often I get to go and take pictures of my photographic heroes. I was lucky enough to do an editorial portrait shoot of John Cross who’s legendary images of Koo Stark are well known.

Photographer John Cross, who is exhibiting his work at the Golf Road Centre.

September

One of the few premiers did this year was ‘Diana’ unwittingly capturing David Emanuel as ‘another’ where in a couple of months after this he would be the toast of the UK down to his involvement in I’m a Celebrity!

David Emanuel. World Premier of Diana. Odean, London.

October

Did a wedding for a mate, was a great day more here

November

I shot a ton of sport this year. One of my favorite events was the ATP Finals for obvious reasons.

Barclays ATP World Finals. Group B singles match between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Roger Federer returns the ball.

December

This year more then any other I have shoot more regional press and editorial work. Its something I love more than anything else. Don’t get me wrong covering big high profile events or shooting celebrities is great but meeting everyday people who are doing ordinary things but also sometimes some extra-ordinary things is very, very rewarding. By the way I probably have shots of 50+ Santa’s from this year!

Herne Bay town centre, Mortimer Street. Christmas showcase market stalls during day & light switch on.

So that in a very, very small 12 picture nutshell was my year.

New year is a time to reflect and make resolutions. I think if its all the same to you I’ll just keep doing what I do!

However there’s a couple of things I’d like to do more of in 2014 the first just requires me to get out of bed and that shoot more landscapes! The second is that I have realized I haven’t worked with any models during 2013 and that’s something I’d like to do more of in 2014, so if you want to collaborate get in touch!

Happy New year to all friends and clients both new and old here’s to an awesome 2014.

ATP World Finals 2013 – O2 Arena, London

Posted on November 12, 2013 by mattbristow

What not to like about working indoors at Londons O2 Arena covering the ATP World Finals 2013. Especially when the weather is truly dreadful outside.

So at the beginning of November I was covering the ATP World Finals at the O2. I have not covered top level tennis before so I was looking forward to it. First game was a Group B singles match between Argentinian Juan Martin Del Portro and Frenchman Richard Gasquet.

Barclays ATP World Finals- Juan Martin Del Portro serves

Barclays ATP World Finals- Richard Gasquet

Juan Martin Del Portro come out winner in three sets. The following day I had another Group B match this time between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. At this point I want to point out that the Swiss are fanatical supporters of tennis. Not surprising as they had two players at the ATP World Finals Stanislas Wawrinka and of course Roger Federer.

With the strong support of the crowd Roger Federer was the clear crowd favorite. Which lifted him to pull back the second set by winning a tie break.

Barclays ATP World Finals – Roger Federer focused and driven

Barclays ATP World Finals – Roger Federer in between games

However, it was the tanasity and sheer athleticism of Novak Djokovic that won the day. It was clear he was the man to beat and indeed he went on to win the final and lift the trophy.

Barclays ATP World Finals – Novak Djokovic makes a dramatic return

Barclays ATP World Finals – Novak Djokovic drops a shot just over the net.

Barclays ATP World Finals – Novak Djokovic victorious

My third match was the deciding match in Group A between Rafael Nadal and Stanislas Wawrinka. Where Rafael Nadal would win in just two sets but both were taken to a tie break.

Barclays ATP World Finals 2013 – Stanislas Wawrinka

Barclays ATP World Finals 2013 – Stanislas Wawrinka takes a break

Stanislas Wawrinka’s personalised shoes

Barclays ATP World Finals 2013 – Rafael Nadal an extreme athelete

Rafael Nadal wins the match and finishes the season as world number 1

For the full results of every match go and have a look at https://www.barclaysatpworldtourfinals.com

Photographic Equipment, How Do You Use Yours?

Posted on October 7, 2013 by mattbristow

So just how do you use your photographic equipment? More importantly do you actually know what you use and when?

Not totally sure where I’m going with this one, but bear with me there is a point!

My thinking all came about after I had some comments from one of the picture editors I work for. Basically his comment was along the lines of ‘are you having problems?’

Regrettably I instantly knew exactly what he was referring to and it was something that I had been ignoring for quite some time. For quite a while I had been making compensations in camera sometimes by as much as a stop! I had to face up to the cold truth that I simply had to get my kit serviced!

To cut a long story short when I got my first body back from Miles ‘the Man that does’ his diagnoses was that the sensor was out of line, possibly due to a knock or two! ~~no shit sherlock~~. not really a surprise I suppose! The difference was simply staggering. I could trust readings the camera was giving me for, ahem the first time in months!

This got me thinking about how I use the rest of my photographic equipment.

Way back in the dark ages of film. When I as a bright eyed and freshly qualified as a photographer. My photographic equipment consisted of only primes. which consisted of 35mm, 50mm, 80mm and 135mm and that was it! (I didn’t shoot any motorsport or sport then)

I now cover those lengths and more with just two zoom lenses. But I got thinking what focal lengths out of that range do I use the most? Professionals and amateurs alike are always planning new photographic equipment purchases, normally new lenses. And they aren’t cheap and as a full time photographer any money invested comes directly off my bottom line and in turn the money I take home to pay the bills! So I need to invest in any new photographic equipment carefully.

So I decided to analyse what I use and when. To help me I found a great little app called Exposure Plot. I simply ran it on only the frames I shot this year up to the end of August only. A total of around 43,000 images so a pretty fair cross section.

This is what I got for the most used focal lengths:

And this for apertures used:

So what does this actually mean? Well to date rather than fork out a massive wad of cash I have opted to hire in specialist lenses against jobs when I have needed them. The downside of this is that my hire bill from this year currently stands at around £2,500! money I’d sooner hang onto in the long run. This is mostly for large primes, which considering the amount of Sport and Motorsport I shoot isn’t really too much of a surprise. I had been thinking about an 85mm prime but looking at the graphs what would the point be other than a gigantic waste of money? The trusty work horse 70-200mm f2.8 never misses a beat.What is does suggest is that its time to invest in a large prime again.

What is more interesting is the usage at the other end of the focal length scale. I am very tempted to retire my 24-70mm f2.8 and invest in 2 or 3 fast primes instead.

Go and give it a go I think you’ll be surprised I know that I was! If nothing else it will help you spend your hard earned wisely!

The Tour of Britain 2013 – Stage 8 London

Posted on September 25, 2013 by mattbristow

The Tour of Britain 2013 Transport for London Stage 8. The final stage. Could Sir Bradely Wiggins do it? was there any doubt?

As a Sports Photographer I was supposed to be cover the whole of The Tour of Britain 2013 from start to finish. But due to circumstances mostly beyond my control all I was able to make was the closing stage in London.

It was a day that was packed full of supporting races to keep the growing crowds entertained. First up was the Ladies Johnson Health Tech Westminster Grand Prix. Which was run around the barriered part of the course which ran through the streets of Westminster and Whitehall.

Next up was the IG Gentlemans Time Trial which consisted of a ‘Pace rider’ and a ‘Gentleman’ both were made of of past and present celebrities.

: News reporter Dermot Murnaghen takes part in the IG Gentlemans Time Trial

: Retired pro footballer Lee Dixon takes part in the IG Gentlemans Time Trial

: Ex Pro Cyclist Matt Stephens

Then the real event was due to start. Now I have seen road racing but nothing, and I mean nothing prepares you for the experience of top riders doing laps in an enclosed circuit. 8.8km in total which they were covering on average in 10 minutes. As the pelaton passed it was like standing at the side of a motorway!

Sir Bradely Wiggins and Mark Cavendish were without a doubt what the large crowds that were gathered had come to see.

Tour of Britain Stage 8, London. Mark Cavendish signs autographs before the start

Sir Bradely Wiggins being interviewed before the start of the final stage.

When interviewed on the start line and asked what his plan for the stage was. He had a 26 second lead. He calmly said “of course we are going to try and loose it!”

Doing what I do there are always curve balls that are thrown at you. Which in turn leads to the necessity of keeping sharp and thinking on your feet. I wont bore you with the details but I had to completely change my game plan mid race. Sometimes taking a step back and looking at the crowd gives you an image that you might otherwise miss.

The next couple of images I wouldn’t have normally taken, but I’m very glad I did as I think they are probably my favorite ones form the day. The first one shows Sir Bradely Wiggins being pulled along by his Sky Procycle team mates just as they leave Whitehall.

This one is the moment Mark Cavendish crossed the finish line in his historic stage win. But, its not all about him its about the crowd and what they are doing. Check out the guy top left!

So was there really any doubt that Sir Bradely could do it? nah!! I give you the The Tour of Britain 2013 Champion!

I’ll leave you with a a few more. For the full results take a look at the official website www.tourofbritain.co.uk

Sports Photographer – I Didn’t Set Out To Be One

Posted on September 18, 2013 by mattbristow

I didn’t set out to be a sports photographer but somehow sport of some form or another accounts for a hefty slice of what I shoot from day to day.

By way of recognition. I am now a member of the national Sports Journalist Association (SJA) and also the international Association Internationale De La Presse Sportive (AIPS). Where you need to prove your income via sports photography coverage.

So to mark this moment. I’m not going to post some images from a big international event or even a national one. Instead I’m sharing a few frames from the recent Kent Cycling Associations annual 12 hour time trial. Which is held locally in and around Ashford and the Romney Marsh. Why am I showing you this I hear you say? I want to demonstrate there is good, watchable and challenging sports just about everywhere. That make good subject matter for any sports photographer.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

: Action from Kent Cycling Association 12-hour time trial.

All the above said and done. I’m now off to cover the end of the Tour of Britain 2013!

VEBT Finals Margate – August 2013

Posted on August 29, 2013 by mattbristow

VEBT Finals Margate – the Beach Vollyball seasons grand crechendo

The VEBT Finals Margate or to give them their full name Volleyball England Beach Tour Finals. I hadn’t covered any beach volleyball, or volleyball for that matter! before so I was looking forward to this one. However the day I was there it was overcast and generally a bit rainy. A long way from the vision I had in my head of what it should be like! you know bright sunshine and crowds of people. It did by all accounts brighten up on the Sunday when I wasn’t there!

However the sporting action was something else. With an array of GB Olympic atheletes playing the quality was truely the best there was in the UK. I spent most of my time covering the main court.

The atheletes were very clearly at the top of their game and it was a real pleasure to watch and photograph here are a few of my personal favorites.

6′ 10″ Chris Gregory part of the winning mens pairing spikes the ball

And a few extra ones.

Full results can be found at https://volleyballengland.org and my full set of pictures can be viewed at SportsPix

GB Basketball v’s Peurto Rico

Posted on August 16, 2013 by mattbristow

GB Basketball at the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

GB Basketball started their EuroBasket warm up campaign at the Copper Box Arena in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Its pretty much the only Olympic building actually being utilised which is a real shame. I took this panoramic during the warm up from the top seating tier. Quite possibly one of the most taken views of the Copper Box Arena, but I couldn’t resist it!

The support game was an exhibition wheel chair match between GB and Help for Heros. It was the first time I have ever seen a wheel chair game. It looks very physical and its very, very fast. Here is a small selection of my favorite frames.

The main game was played infront of a capacity crowd at the Copper Box Arena.

It was Coach Joe Prunty‘s first game in charge.

It was also the start of Team GB’s preperation of their EuroBasket 2013 Campaign. If you want to read a full match report head over to the GB Basketball website site.

I just love how close I am allowed to get. In a universe far, far away I used to play basketball. I know that physically I wouldn’t be up to it but I can still read the game. I shot this at 24mm right under the basket.

But for now here are a few of my favorites from the game. My full set can be seen on the SportPix website

NBA London Live – Detroit Pistons v NY Knicks

Posted on January 30, 2013 by mattbristow

Without a doubt this months highlight was covering the annual NBA game played in London at the O2 or NBA London Live.

This years NBA London Live saw the Detroit Pistons playing off against the New York Knicks. Here are just a few of my favorite frames from the game. My full set is available from www.sportpix.org

Must say I thoroughly enjoyed myself so perhaps I’ll make an effort to cover more British games, watch out BBL I’m coming.