Shortly after I started judo in 1966, my friend brought an old Instamatic camera to class and we took a few pictures of my dear late sensei, Kyu Ha Kim, and me. This led me to purchase a 35mm rangefinder camera, which eventually led me to build a darkroom under the basement stairs of my childhood home. Photography, like judo, became another of my lifelong hobbies.
The IJF recently published this article on judo photography written by Jo Crowley with photographs by Gabriela Sabau, Tamara Kulumbegashvili which I have reproduced for my blog this week.
The Azerbaijan Judo Federation, in collaboration with the IJF, has included in its Baku Grand Slam program an opportunity for sports photographers to meet in a seminar with the IJF internal team.
This is the second time that IJF photographers Gabriela Sabau and Tamar Kulumbegashvili have opened their photo books for educational purposes, having led the first event of its kind in Tbilisi last June….
Ulkar Abbasova, press secretary of the local federation, has coordinated the local organization to provide a space for the presentation and then move on to a practical session in which the participants were able to gain practical experience with the advice and comments of Gabriela and Tamar.
Gabriela Sabau opened the seminar: “We are gathered here to hold an open debate on sports photography and, specifically, on how to photograph judo. We will show you how we work on the pitch and beyond.”
Gabriela talked about the different parts of the role, which is not limited to just photographing the competition itself. She noted that the broader context includes protocol, special events surrounding the tournament such as seminars, signings, pre- and post-competition excitement, and much more.
The next part of the discussion dealt with some technical details that need to be taken into account when arriving at a competition venue. He discussed side rug placement, lighting, and timing. There were some specific questions about goals, openings, spread, and perspective that started a high-level conversation.
Gabriela and Tamar showed the group a photo of a pitch from a previous event and pointed out where the local photographers are located, on the official grandstand side of the mats, facing the spectators, the scoreboard and of course the athletes and referees. It’s a great view, but also a position that leaves the other side of the stadium free for the athletes and coaches to do their best work. They are the center of everything and must remain so.
“For me, the best fight is with the action, the emotions of the winner and then the emotion between athletes and coaches. We do a lot of portraiture, not just sports photography, so our records are complete and rich, not limited to one aspect of the sport.”
By including all the extra faces of the sports competition, each great photo packs a layered impact. Those who see them can immediately feel the intensity of the moment and, in many cases, there will be a link between the moment and the person who sees it, be it a historic meeting between members of the judo family or an existing rivalry or knowledge of the antecedents or future selections and their consequences. All prior knowledge and interaction with judo influences the way photos are received and perceived.
Those gathered asked some interesting questions and also offered their own observations. One photographer highlighted the difference between pre-Covid photos and those taken during the pandemic, stating that he liked formality and distance during the Covid period.
Gabriela replied: “I like how the Japanese fight and also how they bow.” To show respect in photography, the Japanese are best at focusing, but emotional reactions are often reserved, bringing a totally different kind of emotion. We saw more such photos when we first returned to competition after the forced Covid break.
In recent times, the Japanese have shown more obvious emotion, such as Takato’s extraordinary victory at the World Championships in Tashkent after winning the final and his fourth world gold. I really enjoy taking photos that include that emotion.”
“The Grand Slams in Paris and Tokyo are always wonderful for our work. The venues, lighting and organization allow us to really frame the athletes in the best possible way. It might surprise you to what extent the organization can influence our work, but it really is. Having easy internet access and fully committed local teams, seamless transportation and expertly designed lighting equipment means we can simply focus on our work.”
In 2020 Gabriela won the special merit award at the World Sport Photography Awards. It was the first time that judo entered the group of winning photographers.
This photo is not just about the agility and excellence of the winning judoka, but we see how the judoka defies physics by almost levitating on the mat. In this photo, the athlete being thrown makes eye contact with the photographers and his expression really makes the photo special.
Away from the classrooms, in the official warm-up area of the arena, a practice session was held with young athletes from the Azerbaijan national team, including Nagiyev, who recently won a bronze medal at the Cadet European Championships in Porec. The athletes demonstrated throwing and randori for the participants to practice their skills and benefit from Tamar and Gabriela’s advice.
The assembled photographers will be present throughout the Baku Grand Slam and will receive feedback on their photos from the IJF team. This collaboration is truly unique and offers the local media team a very special insight and education.
Tamar concluded: “Education is important for everyone, so that we always strive to be better. It is important for us and for them, since we also learn while giving these seminars”.
