One Photographer + 3 cameras = awesome angles

• Posted By: Kathy M.Y. Pyon
• Posted On: 1:19 p.m. | October 28, 2010

Robert Gauthier is a photographer – a major-award-winning photojournalist in fact, with whom I have the pleasure to work.  His humility is world-class and his photography is consistently solid.  He has been all over the world to cover sports and all over Staples Center covering every angle – literally and figuratively.

I really dig that he does this thing where he sets up remote cameras to capture the game from various spots.

Below is a rough, but pretty cute sketch I asked Rob to draw up so we could get an idea of where each camera sits. I particularly like that he added the universal symbol for a strong signal with the transmitter and receivers.  The red point indicates Rob, who is eight floors up, controlling all three cameras.  Technology is so cool.

In Rob’s words:

The goal of any sports photographer is to capture the big moment.  That split second that tells a complete story. Lately, one player, Lakers guard Derek Fisher, has come through with numerous winning moments.

So it was no surprise to me when Fisher grabbed a rebound in game three of the 2010 NBA finals at Boston’s TD Garden with 50 seconds left in a tight game against the Celtics, and dribbled straight to the basket, making the decisive shot over three defenders. A defining moment for a clutch player, a defining moment for a team destined to win the championship.

A moment I was able to capture at three different angles simultaneously.

For game three, I was stationed up in the nosebleed section of the arena.  In order to cover parts of the game I couldn’t possibly capture from the rafters, I positioned two remote cameras at floor level. One was attached to the basket’s stanchion and the other in the stands behind the Celtics’ bench.  These cameras are triggered with a radio receiver that is tripped by a transmitter attached to the camera in my hand.

As I shoot, so do the remote cameras. 

Most of the photographers covering major sporting events set up a number of remote cameras.  Sports Illustrated photographers employ two assistants to mount more than a dozen cameras throughout the arena during the NBA Finals. At most, I’ll put up three remote cameras – if I had to deal with any more, my head would spin out of control. My favorite remote hangs directly above the basket, attached to the rafters.  Other photographers may consider this a chore; I enjoy being allowed to climb around all parts of Staples Center and other arenas.

Caption: Boston Massachusetts, USA – JUNE 10,  2010  An excited Rasheed Wallace bounces off the stantion after making a play against the Lakers in game four of the NBA Finals against the Lakers at the TD Bank North Garden.  My camera #1 is mounted to the one atop the other, mounted to the stantion.

Also, check out how his photograph was published on June 9.