JudoCrazy E-Mag (December) | Page 61

Did you do a lot of shuffling between mats?

Not that much although it was allowed. In London they were very strict and we were not even allowed to move to the other mat if the contest you were sitting at was still in progress. In Rio they were a little more understanding. So, yes sometimes we rushed to the other mat but when two good matches are happening at the same time, shoot both mats from one position.

What was a typical day like for you in Rio?

A typical day was in fact, a day and a night. The journey to the stadium took an hour or more due to the heavy traffic. During lunch break, I would pick the preliminary round pictures to be sent to Getty Images. After the medal ceremonies, there would be press conferences which would last an hour or so. I would get back to my room around 9pm. Then, I would eat a quick meal and work for four to five hours straight, choosing the most relevant pictures for Getty. I typically get three hours of shut-eye before I have to wake up and get to the stadium again.

But you enjoy it, right?

Yes. It’s a great privilege to be so close to the action. I'm passionate about judo and I obviously love to see my work in judo magazines but my greatest wish is to spread judo to a wider audience, which is why I am a contributor to Getty Images.

Is it hard being a judo photographer?

It can be very tiring, especially when you are getting very little sleep every night. Unfortunately, because of the tiredness, there are occasions when you lose concentration and miss important shots. If I had a dollar for every shot I’ve missed over the past four decades, I'd be richer than that Donald Trump fellow!

What’s the most challenging thing?

Catching the entry into a technique is really difficult. Even when you are fully alert and focused, it’s very hard to catch the entry of a throw because if you can accurately anticipate an attack, obviously so can uke. Luck plays a big role here.

What is the most frustrating thing?

The fact that you can’t always be in the best position to shoot. You’re stuck with where you are seated and you just have to take the best shot you can from there. There are a lot of photographers as these big events and you can't always move around so much. Because of that, sometimes the angle is far from ideal and you end up shooting the back of the contestants, which is never as good as shooting from the front where you can see their faces and expressions. Nobody wants to see a throw from behind. Talent is one thing but luck plays a role too. The players move around and if their throw happens to take place right in front of you, you'll have yourself an excellent shot.

David's first Olympic

press pass was for Moscow 1980. His first was supposed to be for Montreal 1976 but he had applied for the accreditation too late. So, Moscow became the first of many more Olympics to

come for this veteran judo lensman.