Welcome back - and here we go with my little review of Tuesday's action/inaction at the Olympics!

So far I have been only hearing/reading about other media personnel being stuck in transport chaos - today I got to experience some first hand. I was heading out to Lee Valley White Water Centre for the Men's Canoe Slalom, and as we've been warned about parking restrictions etc - I thought to take the Central Line to Stratford and then the media shuttle to the venue. But a Tube-driver had smelled smoke in his train earlier on and so the Central Line was SUSPENDED! This seemed to explain to me why so many people were walking away from Epping station at 7.30am...

In any event, you should always have a Plan B if something like this happens - so first of all I had started my journey early enough and then having done some prior research into where the venue was. So - back to the car and plot in a route to the nearest Train Station of the venue (they always seem to have plenty of parking space!). To my surprise the journey was only going to take me 20 minutes (plus then finding a place to park) - smooth drive with no hassle - drive past the venue and turn around.. park about 5 minute walk from the gates and arrive well in advance to any other media personnel. Sorted - and there was no stress of panic about getting there in time, it taking too long.. or any such thing.  What do we learn from this.. HAVE A PLAN B!! (Although fellow tog Mr Mansoor apparently traveled about 4 hours from Epping to Stratford.. where was your plan B ;-))

HERE AN EXAMPLE FROM VOSS EKSTREME SPORT VEKO - few years ago!

EkstremKaya11 copy

Lee Valley was nice quiet in the morning with no other press or much of anyone over there - I took a good while walking around the course and looking at the good places to photograph the race when it eventually started. My only previous experience of shooting anything like this has been in Voss at the Ekstrem Sports Veko, which certainly brings out much more dramatic images with the high cliffs and nature around, instead of the plastic/concrete of the built up venue. But you got to work with what you got..

Just like with the cycling few days earlier - the Media Centre was bursting out seams well before everyone had a seat. They might be talking about empty seats at the venues - but we sure don't have empty seats at the media venues. Luckily for me - this time I was one of the lucky ones with a seat/space/internet access.

Race itself - Semi's were good fun.. then a break and edit/send stuff.. and walk out for the Final.. I would say that images were of 'standard' quality.. nothing too special, but how can you catch something special when nothing THAT special happens. Best pictures probably came from the French supporters. And don't even mention the behaviour of some photographers at the Medal Ceremony - this was the first ceremony I've photographed and it was PANDEMONIUM! We (photographers) were given a space where to shoot from - and then we were to be escorted after the medalist to the secondary position to get more images. But.. some press decided that instead of following the rules - it would be nice to start rushing around and surround the Gold Medalist and throw everything into chaos.. Pushing and shoving... I personally would like to think that photographers in the Olympics are some of the best/most experienced in the world and know how to behave.. But this was worse than a BBL Trophy Final ;-)

AND HERE ONE FROM LEE VALLEY WHITE WATER AT THE OLYMPICS

KayakBlog

Perhaps the torrential downpour which soaked us and our cameras ahead of the ceremony was to explain the poor behaviour.. and after the event I talked to a fellow photographer who had his 400mm (that's an expensive one!!) kicked by a fellow photographer.. It's a real Dog-Eat-Dog world out there...

For once this was my only event of the day - so I was finished nice and early at 5pm.. off to the Hotel.. Pizza for dinner and reading about the ancient hero of Saladin on my Kindle for a while. First time in a while I felt well rested at the end of the day and started to feel half-human once again.

Not a bad day of action and travel for myself - perhaps not the most exciting of days or sports to cover, but that is the spice of this kind of large event. Some days you enjoy the fast paced action in Handball.. next to you sit down four hours in a press room waiting for the cyclist to get around the 140km course.