It was done with a slit camera.

Incredible reading this:

“When I was a young photographer in Miami I sold my car to buy a 300mm f/2.8 so I could take better pictures. I have always been a strong believer in investing in my future, no matter what the initial cost. It has always paid off.”

That’s having your goal/vision imbedded in your head…..really knowing what you want is what I mean.

It’s always a pleasure.

Bill

we could have used that as your primary text..many thanks for explaining your process and your priorities to the audience here…and a super thanks for just stopping in…come see me…

cheers, david

The question is luck, preparation or reflexes?

All but one of the images in this portfolio were done on assignment for one publication or another. That changes some of the rules. It means that the images had to be taken on deadline, in the place the event was happening and the time it was scheduled to happen — no feeling the muse, grabbing the camera, and rolling out to take images when I felt inspired. Every movement has to be calculated from the moment I get an assignment to the second I transmit the images.

It also means that in most of the circumstances I had to be responsible for telling a specific story. That doesn’t mean I have no creative freedom, but for the most part it is straightforward reportage.

When I am doing this type of work it is generally under controlled circumstances, and by that I mean that there are places I can go and places I can’t. Sometimes I can add light, more often I can’t. And I am just fine with all of that because that’s my job. If it means I have to use a 600mm lens because that’s the only way to reach the action, even when I would rather use something shorter, then that’s how it is. Access is determined by the people hosting the competition, and I have to work with what they offer.

I do like to work with long lenses, but many times that is the only way I can work. I have access to every piece of equipment I need but that hasn’t always been the case. When I was a young photographer in Miami I sold my car to buy a 300mm f/2.8 so I could take better pictures. I have always been a strong believer in investing in my future, no matter what the initial cost. It has always paid off.

When I am trusted with an assignment there can be no excuses. I have to deliver every time. Often the events I am photographing have already been seen on TV more than once — i.e., NFL games are on Sunday, but Sports Illustrated publishes on Tuesday. So I have to figure out a different way to do it, with the restrictions I have, and I only have one chance to do it — there are no do overs. There is no instant replay like on TV and in most of my portraits I only have a subject for 10 minutes or less.

So, luck is very helpful. So are quick reflexes. But the key is preparation. I prepare myself to be in the best place I can, with the best equipment I can find for the situation — and then I let it unfold and capture the action the best way I can, paying attention to detail, substance, nuance and context all while interpreting quickly moving chaos spinning in front of me.

AKAKY IRL: It’s because they hate you.

AKAKY: No they don’t. You’re being silly.

AKAKY IRL: Dude, I am never silly. Ever.

AKAKY: True enough, I guess. You always were a regular hard ass.

AKAKY IRL: Thank you. I try. And they do hate you. Otherwise they would have told you, right?

AKAKY: I suppose so.

AKAKY IRL: There’s no supposing involved, bubba. They hate you.

AKAKY: But why would they hate me? I’ve done nothing to any of them, I think.

AKAKY IRL: Maybe they’re relatives.

AKAKY: Hardly likely.

AKAKY IRL: You never know, guy, not with the crew of cretins you’re related to.

AKAKY: Still not very likely.

AKAKY IRL: Or maybe they’re Democrats.

AKAKY: I hadn’t thought of that.

AKAKY IRL: Think of it, guy. It’s a definite possibility. Democrats don’t like to be told that the only way they’re getting your flush toilet is by prying it off your dead backside. They like to ease their way into things, like the way they’re replacing regular light bulbs with those annoying dim green thingees. I think it’s time for you started your own lobbying group, dude, something like the National Rifle Association, only with toilets. Modern plumbing is a right worth defending, like thirty minute pizza delivery or free Internet porn. It’s something to look into.

AKAKY: Internet porn? I don’t think so, pal; that’s a quick way to lose my job.

AKAKY IRL: You really are pathetic, aren’t you? Your friends should hate you. You’re eminently hateable.

AKAKY: Thanks. I’ll say something nice about you some day.

AKAKY: Don’t bother, bubba. I’d probably wind up hating myself.

[To Bill Frakes: my apologies for the above. I am casting my discontent far and wide on this one. Liked your essay, though, especially the steer wrestler and The Boss as Napoleon. The latter basically sums up what all Yankees fans thought of him.]

Oh my, you’ve opened a great well of documentary work David.
http://archive.poyi.org/items/browse?search=Bill+Frakes&submit_search=Search
There are 1083 entries in POY(I) for Bill’s contributions to
meaningful photographic work.

Showing Frakes work is THE message. Now, dig up George Wedding, Bruce Bisbing,
Gordon Baer, Bill Ballenburg, Michael Bryant, Barry Wong, Harry Benson and
this guy http://archive.poyi.org/items/show/11307

Documentary work at it’s best. Happy Independence Day!