honorable mention
Thomas Morel norway
title
(untitled)
A portrait should tell you who the person you portray is, and it should neither add, nor subtract anything to who the person is.
When portraying sportsmen, why should you drag them out of their world, and into a photo studio?
Why not let them tell me what to do, why not let them do exactly what they do best? Then all of a sudden my only job becomes witnessing their action, and putting all my skill in place to honor them and what they do best at the best possible way.
I believe that this gives the imagery a genuine look inside the lives of the athletes; I have neither abstracted anything, nor have I added anything to the action. The athlete's only focus is to get through the jump or motion without getting hurt, rather then wanting to look as good as possible.
This is as well the main reason why I do not use photoshop in these kind of shots. I want to give you a glimpse of how spectacular the motion actually is, not presenting you my or my client's wishful thinking.
This series features:
Ann Kristin Flatland
Sinniva Skuset
Cedrik Fonn Skåre
Johanna Killi
Tiril Sjåstad Christensen
“While I was still at school I created a business plan to persuade the bank manager that photography was my future,” he says. “At the time I had no training, no equipment and no references, just a burning passion. When I reached 18 I got a loan and went and invested in my first Hasselblad, an H3DII-31, and a full complement of broncolor studio lighting.”
Not only was the H3D the perfect camera for stopping action, but it also delivered files packed with awesome quality, allowing the full impact of Thomas’ amazing images to shine through. “I didn’t want to risk shooting a really great image only to be frustrated by poor technical quality,” he says.
Remarkably Thomas captures his shots through the speed of his reactions rather than by relying on a trigger to fire his shutter. He locks up the mirror on his camera and then can expect an almost instantaneous response when he presses the shutter. The ability to see through the lens is lost, but with the Hasselblad on a tripod and focused on the point of interest, it’s just a case of waiting for the moment and being quick enough to react.
The extraordinary portfolio of images Thomas has created is testament to his skill at mastering the difficult art of timing and it’s allowed him to forge a reputation for himself as one of the most original and eye-catching photographers working today.
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entry description
In my opinion, a portrait should not have to be a close-up of a person, showing that person's character.A portrait should tell you who the person you portray is, and it should neither add, nor subtract anything to who the person is.
When portraying sportsmen, why should you drag them out of their world, and into a photo studio?
Why not let them tell me what to do, why not let them do exactly what they do best? Then all of a sudden my only job becomes witnessing their action, and putting all my skill in place to honor them and what they do best at the best possible way.
I believe that this gives the imagery a genuine look inside the lives of the athletes; I have neither abstracted anything, nor have I added anything to the action. The athlete's only focus is to get through the jump or motion without getting hurt, rather then wanting to look as good as possible.
This is as well the main reason why I do not use photoshop in these kind of shots. I want to give you a glimpse of how spectacular the motion actually is, not presenting you my or my client's wishful thinking.
This series features:
Ann Kristin Flatland
Sinniva Skuset
Cedrik Fonn Skåre
Johanna Killi
Tiril Sjåstad Christensen
about the photographer
As a former gymnast, speed and movement and, particularly, the moment that was too rapid for the human eye to see, fascinated him. He determined that this would be the focus of his work, and he concentrated on teaching himself the skills he needed to master high-speed work.“While I was still at school I created a business plan to persuade the bank manager that photography was my future,” he says. “At the time I had no training, no equipment and no references, just a burning passion. When I reached 18 I got a loan and went and invested in my first Hasselblad, an H3DII-31, and a full complement of broncolor studio lighting.”
Not only was the H3D the perfect camera for stopping action, but it also delivered files packed with awesome quality, allowing the full impact of Thomas’ amazing images to shine through. “I didn’t want to risk shooting a really great image only to be frustrated by poor technical quality,” he says.
Remarkably Thomas captures his shots through the speed of his reactions rather than by relying on a trigger to fire his shutter. He locks up the mirror on his camera and then can expect an almost instantaneous response when he presses the shutter. The ability to see through the lens is lost, but with the Hasselblad on a tripod and focused on the point of interest, it’s just a case of waiting for the moment and being quick enough to react.
The extraordinary portfolio of images Thomas has created is testament to his skill at mastering the difficult art of timing and it’s allowed him to forge a reputation for himself as one of the most original and eye-catching photographers working today.
back to gallery