Personal Journey and Adventures of Nina

Short course season changes the game for me quite a bit. With only 25 metres to catch a front on Fly shot, I'm lucky if I get one attempt. The older kids (and I mean over 12yrs) get most of the way down the first 25 without a breath. Breaststroke is still ok so long as the swimmer does the slow glide and not the quick bob up and down. Some swimmers do not come out of the water much at all, then they are just a head on top of the water but at these State Champs, we had some pretty stylish swimmers.  The great thing about short course is that we can get pretty close up shots at some points where is would have been almost impossible in long course. If I had to be at the end of the pool ready for the fly, there is no way I would have time to get the dive shot first before running 50m to the end of the pool. Also, even with the 300mm lens, the 50m pool is too long for the backstroke start shot. Poolside shots are one of my favourite to shoot so I was glad that I h...

From 7 year olds last weekend at the Summer Sprints to the "big kids" at this NSW LC Qualifying Meet. The biggest difference.....SPLASH! Bigger and stronger, these guys make a mess of the pool.  The races are tighter so I have to try to shoot through the leg splash of the swimmer in the parallel lane to the one I'm aiming for then try to focus through their arm splash! A lot of dead images but still some good ones! What is cool about these guys is their experience and style makes them so beautiful to watch. So streamlined, flexible and powerful! More images are on my website. Just click here . See you at the District Championships!

The stars of tomorrow were at this meet. It is so much fun to watch them swim. Some as young as 7 years of age swim with such style only seen with older swimmers. Some great dives and lovely strokes, all attributed to the quality coaching for certain as well as some definite natural talent. Though what I like the most about the District Meets - The SMILES!!!  You can see the rest of the images on my website. Just click here . If you would like to see more of my portrait work, just go to my here . Thanks for visiting my blog!!

This was a terrific meet. Firstly, I loved watching the littlest kids swim. Secondly, this was the first meet where I had a second photographer. It was fabulous because it was like there were two of me. He was able to get shots that I cannot possible get because I have to be positioned ready to take the action photo. He got some some terrific behind the blocks images, so close that you can see the anxiety in the swimmers face! He also has a different eye to me so he got some angles that I hadn't thought of...awesome! I had the loan of the Canon 1D X and it was phenomenal in the low light. In addition, I had rented the 300mm fixed lens. A big heavy lens but it forced me to use my monopod which my physiotherapist was delighted about! It allowed me to get really close without loosing any sharpness. It takes a while to get used to but it is worth it. Sadly, my Canon 5D Mark II stopped working...ouch! I was unable to take the presentation photos whic...

Short course season means that it is not so far to run from one side of the pool to the other. I guess it is not very safe to run but as the ultimate people pleaser, I feel compelled to get the shot for my client. Alas, I am going to have to learn to slow down before I end up in the pool! The lighting was horrid as usual. Even worse this time because it was it was hampered by clouds and the majority of my light is natural. Of course, when the sun finally came out, the officials, understandably, ordered the blinds down because the reflection off the water means they cannot see the strokes and turns. We did our best as usual. Canon have promised the use of their new  1D X camera  and  70-200mm lens  which both promise amazing quality in low light so we will see. We may have some new equipment for the Long Course Season...stay tuned! The portraits were a lot of fun! LOVE shooting portraits...I don't have to run anywhere! ...

Kenneth To Kenneth To Normally racing around the pool getting portraits of little swimmers, this time I had a little more time to photograph the big guys! A good practice run for the Open Champs which begin March 15th this year, where we expect 80% of The Australian Olympic Team . One such big guy was  Kenneth To . An amazing IM racer, who has many swimming accolades and achievements in addition to famously finishing right behind the legendary Ryan Lochte at the FINA World Championships in 2010. Matt Abood I am also a big fan of Australian and Commonwealth record holder and all around nice guy, Matt Abood.  My son commented that he is also "very funny", as he was photographed here by him receiving his award for the 50m Freestyle along with his other Sydney University Team Mates. There were also loads of aspiring "little swimmers" in top form. Making PB's and breaking records. Witnessing the kids having fun and the sportsmanship d...

This was my first long course State meet so I was a little in awe. We even had an Olympian, Jarrod Poort .   What a beautiful swimmer to watch. Easy to photograph because he had perfect, consistent rhythm! Also new to me at the event, a DJ! The lovely Mr Ian Lovegrove presented all the music as well as juggle requests from swimmers for the relays and listen to me babble in between races! Ian encouraged me to try some more creative shots when I wasn't photographing for parents. I did enjoy this. Normally I don't get very much downtime as I'm running around the pool trying to get every possible shot. We had lots of visitors. This year, I had the pleasure of meeting up with Team Canada. A fabulously enthusiastic team that reminded me a lot of our swim family back in Oregon. It seems colour co-ordinated fingernails were the fashion statement of the day! Some people ask if I have a favourite swim stroke to phot...