Introducing a brand spanking new section aptly named,  “Four + 1”.

We will be interviewing sports photographers from all over the world via email as sometimes they don’t have a phone or Skype or the time.  Each interviewee will be given four standardised questions, followed by a +1, a special question just for them.  It will be a regular feature from here on out, so check out what they have to say about sports photography and check out their work on their websites as well.

First up is Tsutomu Takasu from Japan.  http://takasutsutomu.com/

1. How did you start shooting sports photography and what is your bread and butter sport?

I started out trying to become a journalist, but when I realised that it’s probably not a wise choice for a person like me who was never an avid reader.  Therefore, I thought “Why not a photographer?”.  I don’t have a “bread and butter” sports.  But indoor sports, volleyball, handball, and basketball are sports I’m not good at as it’s difficult to shoot them.

1. スポーツ写真を撮り始めたきっかけは？　得意とするスポーツは？

ジャーナリストを目指していただけれど、よく考えたらそれまでまともに本を読んだことのない人間がなれるわけがないと思い、それなら写真でどう？と思ったから。また得意とするスポーツはないけれど、室内競技、バレーボール、ハンドボール、バスケットボールは撮影が難しいので得意ではない。

2. What is something that you think is really obvious now that took you a long time to get?

Catcher pop-ups in baseball.  I’ll be focused on the batter and when there is a pop-up, I couldn’t re-focus on the catcher fast enough to get the shot.

２。今は考えずに出来るが、スポーツ写真を撮り始めた頃、上手くいかなかったものや、苦労したことは？

野球のキャッチャーフライ。バッターを狙っていて、キャッチャーフライがあがったとき、急にキャッチャーを撮ることができなくて悩んだことがあります。

3.Funniest / Strangest story from one of your shoots?

Nothing of note recently.  But as digital cameras have evolved and camera manufacturers advertise their latest inventions, they still try to get us with the megapixel counts.  When I’m on an assignment outside of Japan or fighting with a deadline, I’m compressing 20MB files into 2MB and sending them to the clients.  I laugh when I see myself doing that.

3.撮影＆取材中に、最近あった笑える出来事、もしくは少し変わった話があれば、教えてください！

特にありません。が、あえてあげるなら、デジカメが進化して、カメラメーカーは新しいカメラを出すと、より大きな画素数を宣伝に使うけれど、海外出張や緊急の仕事のとき、例えば、２０MBで撮った写真を僕たちは２MBに圧縮して送っている現状が笑えると言えば笑えるかな。

4. Advices to the kids (or a mid life crisis sufferer) who are aspiring to become a sports photographer?

Sports photography is more varied than people think, as it is comprised of so many different sports as well as clients who want the images for different reasons. Most importantly, please enjoy your shoots as much you can.

これからスポーツ写真を撮りたいと思っている人達にアドバイスを一言。

一概にスポーツ写真と言っても種目や業態、目的など色々あるので一概に言えないけれど、現場を楽しんで下さい。

+ 1 From one of your recent shoots, were there any athletes you wouldn’t mind going for a beer with?

Not really.  There are photos that you can only get if you are friends with the athlete, but for me I consider myself as “air” when I’m on a shoot.   The reason is that this way, I can get them when they are at their most natural (relaxed) state.  For example, when the subject is feeling down after a loss and if I’m friends with the subject, I would be hesitant to point the lens towards him.  But these are the moments that I want to capture and I consider athletes as subject and prefer to keep a healthy distant between us.

+ 1  最近撮ったアスリートで、プライベートで一緒に遊べに行けたら楽しそうと思ったのは？

特にいません。仲が良いことでしか撮れない写真もあるけれど、僕は現場では空気のような存在として、アスリートの素の部分を撮りたいと思っています。例えば、被写体が負けて落ち込んでいるときに、僕の性格的に仲が良いとレンズを向けられないけれど、そういうときこそ僕は写真が撮りたいと思っているので、被写体とは基本的に被写体であるアスリートとは一定の距離を置くのが僕のスタンスです。

*Please Read Below*
Big Lens Fast Shutter is funded solely from the pockets of Ryu Voelkel and Matt Cohen. If you think the information we give you about sports photography is making you a better sports photographer and as a result a well balanced human being, please show us your appreciation by supporting us on Patreon and send some of your hard earned dollars/euros/Brixton pounds our way. People who donate will be mentioned on our next show unless you want to remain anonymous. Thank you for supporting us and may the force of sports photography be with you, always.