Keeping on Track ...

Last week, I explained how I started on my photography journey. This week, I shall explain the next steps I took to gain experience and to (hopefully) improve as a new photographer.

Track and Field Athletics

I spent many years as an athlete when I was in my teens. Having some knowledge of the sport, I realised that this was a good way of getting the experience I needed and also to meet up with some old friends from my competitive days!

Visiting some of the tracks I used to compete on was very special for me. I was now there as a photographer and this was a totally different challenge. As well as honing my skills at Banstead Woods parkrun, I attended the Surrey Athletics Championships on 14 May 2016 and was luck to capture nearly all the events.

My event on the track was the 800m and the image below is of Sean Hall, of Hercules Wimbledon, who became the Surrey County Champion.

My athletics club was the afore mentioned Hercules Wimbledon and it was a particularly enjoyable time for me competing in all levels of athletics from school/club up to the English Schools cross country in 1974.

I developed a very good working relationship with Nice Work, who organise many running events throughout the country. One of the many race series I photographed was the Richmond Park 5K/10K.

It gave me another opportunity to test myself with photographing runners making their way through woodland and wide open spaces with many obstacles in the way.

Once again, my purpose to build up a portfolio of images whilst at the same time learn from my mistakes!

The culmination of my foray, up to this point, into the world of track and field athletics happened on the 23 July 2016 at Iffley Road in Oxford.

Now, this was the famous track where a certain Roger Bannister broke the (impossible!) 4 minute barrier for the mile. "It couldn't be done", they said. Well, he did it and I was there to capture the action, when Andy Baddeley (pictured left) ran the mile in 3 minutes 59.46 seconds.

What a run it was! Roger Bannister ran 3 minutes 59.4 seconds on 6 May 1954. It was a great return for Andy Baddeley as he had been experiencing some injury problems. and he finished strongly to break the tape in a time that almost matched Sir Roger's!

Having learned a lot from my experiences at capturing athletics, I managed to receive accreditation for a Chelsea Women v Reading Women football match. It gave me the opportunity to test myself in another sport . My search to get into football photography was continuing and next time I will chat about my choice of level at which I believed I could get the experience I needed.