With athleticism, humanity, courage, achievements, heartbreak, strategy, surprises, and support on full display for the world, the Olympic Games provide a dramatic playground for visual storytelling. With seven Olympic Games under his belt, Jeff Cable is no stranger to capturing these moments in creative and unique ways. This year, outfitted with the brand new Canon EOS R1 alongside the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, new features were put to the test to capture the action.
Jeff Cable extensively logs his adventures with vivacious excitement that jumps off the page in his own blog. So we felt lucky to catch up with Jeff by email to inquire about using the Canon R1 and R5, Canon lenses, and other technical elements that enhanced capturing the stories of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
I noticed some really interesting shots in your feed, from the Olympic rings on the tennis net with Gauff (above), and multiple exposures. How can one differentiate their captures at the Olympic games? Does the new technology make this kind of differentiation or specialization easier?
There are more than 2000 photographers here at the Olympics and most of them are very accomplished. This makes for tough competition. Photographing the Olympics is no regular event. The pressure is high and the demand for high quality images is high. For me, I do everything I can to shoot creatively. And yes, the technology of the new Canon EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II definitely helps. I have used the eye control on both cameras and it works perfectly. I have also used the pre-capture of the cameras to give me a higher percentage of capturing the peak of action that I might miss otherwise. And having the ability to shoot at 40fps is really nice for those times when the action is super fast. Oh, and the newer lenses are amazing too. Super fast focusing and lighter weight, which makes it easier to hand hold them in certain situations. Love that.
I love that the camera have multi-exposure mode which lets me push myself (and the camera) to get somewhat truly different. Even with all the photographers here at the Olympics, very few use this mode. I love it! And I also love to motion pan at the Games, again to try and create an image that is different than the other 200 people shooting next to me. Some of this relies on the technology and some Is just knowing what to do and how to do it. But pushing myself is not a competition with the other photographers, it is a competition within myself to constantly shoot better and to create something that fills my creative cup.
How does the gear you choose enhance storytelling at the Games?
The gear I choose makes a huge difference in the final images. On the camera side, I have to choose whether I want the higher resolution of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II or the pure speed of the Canon EOS R1. On the lens side, I find that the lens choice gives me the ultimate amount of creativity. Even though I am often tempted to shoot really tight on the athletes, there are plenty of times when the wide shot is more spectacular.
What recommendations do you have to quickly build rapport with athletes and other photographers at a high pressure event?
The key to surviving the pressure of the Olympics is to keep a smile on my face and treat everyone with respect. We are all dealing with crazy fast deadlines and the pressure of shooting more creatively than the other guy. But with all that said, we are all creative people, doing what we love, in an environment that is packed with superior athletes. Whether I am shooting here at the Games or an event back home, I find that establishing a relationship with the client is EVERYTHING. I like to keep it light and fun. Most photographers here at the Olympics don’t get to mingle with the athletes, we just photograph them from afar and move to the next event. For me, because I shoot for the team, I am lucky to get to know the athletes and their families, and this makes it all the more special for me when I am capturing images for the team. I just had dinner with many of the past Team USA athletes, and the families of the current athletes tonight. They know me and I know them. I love that personal connection.
Obviously you have great shots to share though I’m curious…what happens if you miss a shot? Does that still happen at this level? Do you crop it in an interesting way or continue on like a goalie where you can’t think about the last shot?
If I told you that every shot I took was perfect, I would be lying. I miss shots all the time, and sure it is frustrating. But we can’t be expected to shoot in perfect focus and at the peak of action every time. And there are things that happen that we can not predict. Part of great photography is luck. If I miss a good shot, I need to move on and try to be better for the next great moment. And sure, cropping is a great tool. Most images that I post to the team have been cropped either a little or a lot.
For Jeff’s dispatches from Paris, photos of “Canon heaven,” numbers of the Games (including those included in the headline here), and photos from a variety of sports, head on over to Jeff Cable’s Blog at https://blog.jeffcable.com/.
Hope you’re finally getting some rest, Jeff!