We photographers have to be able to adapt quickly to all assignments that we are sent to. Sometimes you get a chance to prepare for the news job, and think of how to tell that particular story in pictures, and sometimes you don't.
But the weekend comes and its all about sport, and there's usually lots of it to cover.
From the boundary sideline, or from the back of a car, sitting on a motorbike covering that 10 kilometre marathon, sitting at the umpires chair in between tennis courts to get the up-close action, in a small dingy for the rowing and smaller yacht races.
All elements of weather conditions we have to be prepared for - they don't stop for rain, and some sports rely on the wind, the stronger the better. This includes yachting, while other sports can be held inside or outside, day or night.
We get to capture all sorts of sport, V8 supercars and general motorsport, football, netball, soccer, hockey, rowing, horse racing, lawn bowls, athletics, cricket, basketball, volleyball, badminton, tennis, shooting, snooker and 8ball, darts, yachting, golf, boxing, cycling, softball, swimming, rugby, archery, water skiing - the list goes on. I know the sports journos will no doubt mention ones I have forgotten.
So, these sports are listed for us to go and get pictures from, complete with identifying names of players or individuals competing. One thing you want to avoid is getting someone's name wrong, or the team they play for mixed up.
The list is made for each photographer complete with which sport, place and who is playing and what we have to supply for the sport pages, and off we go, armed with the appropriate gear and notepad.
Very quickly you have to be aware of where to stand for different pics, which lens to use, and how to get those names for your captions.
Getting those names can be difficult and you have to rely on a lot of elements, as well as trust the organisers. Team sheets and correct numbers, making sure the player has the right number on their shirt, that someone has spelt the names correctly, and that you can read the list too.
Some teams are now helping us to identify the players easier, apart from a large number and sometimes a name on the back of the shirt, they have put the numbers on the front. The soccer guys have got it sorted well, numbers on the shirt, back and front, and have also the number clearly marked on their shorts. You do have to quickly check that shorts and shirts do match.
This all helps us, as we may have five different sports to cover on any Saturday, and time is always a factor if yo have to chase names.
Covering sports can be dangerous, we strive to get a different image and being in the right place at the right time helps. Fellow The Examiner photographer Phillip Biggs and I often ask each other had we stood in the right spot, to get that, and then banter starts.
The obvious ones are motor sport, standing behind Armco fencing with a long lens clamped to monopod, you have to be aware of your surroundings. But, the old saying, "keep your eye on the ball" is very important. I have had, footballs bounce in front of me, hockey balls come of the pitch and collect my shins, or watching the golfer hit the ball down the fairway, and it lands just behind you.
Not only do we cover the actual event, we also take photos for preview stories, below are just some of my favourites of both.
One of the biggest crashes at Symmons Plains was in 2017, with the V8 supercars down the main straight. Carnage and mayhem, I managed to run down the side of the track and stood beside the cars looking over the top.
Its not very often you get to meet the dads of two Tasmanian sporting legends, we organised Ross Ambrose and Graeme Ponting to meet and have a beer, to talk about, or brag about their sons, of racing car driver Marcos Ambrose and cricketer Ricky Ponting.
Footballers have to start somewhere, and the little guys have finals too.
A good friend of mine, Terry Travers flew me over the Tasmanian west coast to find his sailing mate Bruce Arms who was attempting to be the first to sail a Multihull, Solo, Non-stop and Unassisted Around Australia. We found him near Maatsuyker Isalnd. We had to line up land and the yacht so it could be identified as to where he was. It was a great trip, and yes he made the record.
Attending the Australian Cricket team training is always interesting, trying something different, and having images not the same as mainland media. At Bellerieve, they train in the nets which you can stand beside. So armed with a 10mm wide angle and poking it just through the fence was the shot. I was lucky after i shot this image of Shane Watson, he hit the ball hard and it stuck in the gap i had the lens in.
Below are other of my favourite sporting images - Paul Scambler, senior photographer
Paul Scambler
Photographer with the Examiner for 36 years.
Photographer with the Examiner for 36 years.
