Toughest obstacle race - reportage

Some months ago i decided to attend a workshop about sports photo reportage for the second time.
There are several reason for that.
First of all, being around truly talented people. Both faculty and students.
Is something that inspires me a whole lot.
Every time i do that i learn something new.
And it helps me to keep inspired in my work.
Something that i find most vital in my profession.
A big thank you to all of the great people that was there!

Below is the result of a great weekend.
My second sports photo reportage ewer.
This time about a obstacle race in Malmö.
With the name "Toughest".

Värnamo - GAIS (Soccer)

 “ Anticipate problems and prepare to overcome obstacles. Don’t wait until you get to the top of the ridge and then make up your mind. ”

― Major Richard D. Winters

Soccer J-södra - GAIS

 “ There's a big, wonderful world out there for you. It belongs to you. It's exciting and stimulating and rewarding. Don't cheat yourselves out of this promise. ”


― Nancy Reagan

Växjö Swedish hockey champions - The bigg(-er) picture.

Here in Sweden the final in the national league consist of a seven game series.
I.E. The team that win four games becomes Swedish champions.

This year the final teams was Växjö and Skellefteå.
After the first five games was played Växjö had the lead with 3-2 in games.
Which meant that game #6 could either end up being the "deciding" final or that there would be one more game played to promote a champion.

If a game becomes the "deciding" game, and a team becomes national champions. Pretty everything is about the pictures after the game. With the gold medals, the trophy and the joy off the winning team.
The other options means that you need to have the right pictures from the game itself.

After the first two periods Skellefteå had the lead with 0-2.
So i started to work with focus on the game pictures.
In the third period Växjö scored two goals.
Meaning i had to "calculate" with two scenarios.

On top of this i had a lot of competition.
First of all i had six competing photographers from other agencies.
And two of the major Swedish newspapers, (Aftonbladet & Expressen), had their own photographers there.

This meant that i had to be "on top" doing my very best.

When a game gets "tied" in the Swedish playoffs. the game will be continue to be played in "sudden death" consisting of full 20 minutes long periods. With full 18 minute long breaks until on of the teams score a goal.

The game ended in the 2nd overtime period. After a total of 90 minutes and 21 second was played, since Tuomas Kiiskinen scored the game winning goal 3-2 and Växjö became Swedish champions.

From earlier experience i now that when a team becomes Swedish champions.
The newspapers like to use images that are big, and like when you can se happy fans in it.

Usually, when a team scores, i would have used a long lens to get a tight image with a lot of the players face in it.

This time, as soon as i saw that the players celebrated their win just in front of their fans.
I decided to zoom out to get something "different".

This is how Aftonbladet (a major national Swedish newspaper) used it:

(One of the other major national Swedish newspapers, Expressen used some of my images on ther web. Here and here).

J-södra - Värnamo (Soccer)

 “We should not look back unless it is to derive useful lessons from past errors, and for the purpose of profiting by dearly bought experience.”


― George Washington

Hockey final game #4 (Växjö - Skellefteå)

 “Just because Fate doesn't deal you the right cards, it doesn't mean you should give up. It just means you have to play the cards you get to their maximum potential.”


― Les Brown