A typical day photographer Olympics in Sochi

Today you will see the ninth day of the Olympic Games through the eyes of photographer Maria Plotnikova from start to finish. Girl shoots a free-form, which allows it to focus on what is interesting for her. The author writes: The main project that I'm doing at the Games - the best Olympic instagram, where I try to show the wrong side of this great event. In addition instagrama, I rented for various media outlets and agencies, but try not too much about it, because I have a unique opportunity to focus on what is interesting to me, and do not compete with international agencies in sports photography.





I went to the Olympics at their own expense, having the only photo-accreditation. In Sochi, sheltered me a wonderful photographer Michael Mordasov (in his one-room apartment, besides me, the guests three other newcomers photographers). Periodically, leaving the mountains, I'm spending the night at the hotel with friends, agency photographers. Thus, the main item of expenditure - accommodation - does not bother me.

So there you go.

I wake up at 7.40. Throughout the Olympics Can not sleep on the strength of 5 hours per day. This is absolutely normal situation for photographers and journalists for writing and TV. Some zealous and responsible characters can not for days to get out of the press center, sleeping on the couch, in the abundance of spaced around the perimeter of the room. But we are not. I spent the night in the press center only once, after the opening ceremony, when it ended very late, and there was no strength to get home (the road from the Olympic Park to the house takes about 1, 5 hours, far away).

Carefully study the presence of bags under the eyes. Ok, everything is in place! You can meet on the road. At present, I have big plans in the coastal cluster.

Today I spent the night in the mountains, stay here after yesterday's ski acrobatics. The guys have a huge two-room, and I got a whole room with a sofa, pillow and blanket. What more can you ask for?



Dress and gather belongings. Accreditation - the most precious thing a photographer. It should treasure it. You can lose anything: hats, gloves, keys, monopods, tickets for figure skating (all this was lost me in the early days of the Olympics), but accreditation - no, no. Without her job at the Olympics end. The most reliable option - to hang over night accreditation jackets that we do.



One of the entertainment at the Olympics - the exchange of icons with Olympic symbols. The icons can be changed in the Olympic Park and other places where the fans. Some volunteers and fans turned into a real maniac, demanding icons for any service or, for example, a request to photograph them. I was little affected by this scourge, and to limit the exchange of OCD icon on the sweet heart Misha 80th year. I love him.



Work sports photographer in the mountains, and even in winter, takes a lot of energy, so the guys always have something to eat. Prehvatyvayu a couple of cookies and in good spirits go out.



It looks like a hotel complex "Hills", which is now live, journalists and invited guests of the Olympics.



Heading in the media center of the mountain cluster. There I should hand over the lens and leave the kind of thing that the sea will not be necessary. At the checkpoint at the entrance to the media center comes probably the first serious conflict for all time my stay at the Olympic Games. In Sochi now introduced a very strict security measures, and at the entrance to any Olympic venue or train station every visitor is carefully inspected and feels the police. Ordinary fans can not carry with him even a bottle of water (journalists, of course, you can, because with them it is better not to get involved). I have to say, the police in Sochi very friendly and helpful, patiently doing their job. However, minor conflicts of interest arise constantly, but with such nonsense universal scale for the first time I encountered. The situation is:

Under the rules of the International Olympic Committee banned photographers and cameramen to pass on some runs without the Mountain Cluster "cats" (climbing equipment in the form of spikes, which nastegivayutsya on the sole of the shoe). Ie access to most fotopozitsy, not counting the finish area for photographers will simply be closed forever. Accordingly, each photographer rabtayuschy in the mountains every day carries through the checkpoint "cat", which I happily did the day before. In the morning, repeating simple procedure inspection, I was put on her camera on his shoulder and headed for the entrance to the media center, but then I stopped and asked to show the contents of the backpack. Seeing the "cat", police said today they sneaked into the territory of the Olympic facilities is prohibited decree chief operation control center. I immediately fall into a stupor. Starting to appeal to common sense, trying to convey to the shift supervisor of the absurdity of the situation. Of course, in this case, it is useless, there is a decree decree and ordered to perform. "Call it your" - iron argument shift supervisor in this dispute.



Soon join me TV people, faced with the same problem. They were forced to leave the cat at the reception of the hotel. The three of us come to a common denominator in order not to waste time, we decide to "call it their" and write complaints.



As a result, get out of the building with PPC unhappy with my cats and like a thief in the night, suspiciously looking around, hiding them under the cloak in front of the checkpoint.



I pass by the wonderful tea shop free press, which is not yet open, but hints at past Valentine's Day.



Press center until empty, at 8.43 hours. Poschschu first instagramku today.



For photographers Olympic Games throughout the work free repair service and rental equipment Canon and Nikon. At the Olympics I brought a bunch of technology, but almost do not use it, because service can provide any lens of the professional line. Rent a wonderful lens 200mm 2.0, taken the day before (the whole technique is given for a day, then it should be prolonged or rent).



At the information desk for photographers write a complaint about "cats»



In the media center there is a small grocery store where I buy two packets of cereal. Go to lunch.



After breakfast, leave the media center, pulled out from under the counter-suffering "cats", causing a genuine interest in a nearby riot police and bus station reaches the Esto-Sadok railway Krasnaya Polyana - Sochi. I sit down on the Swallow, which takes me to the Olympic Village.



The usual thing - sleepy bird as cars Swallows. At the Olympics uhaydokivayutsya absolutely everything: the volunteers, the police, the press, staff, fans. And only two athletes to give free condoms a day.



In the train pour another Instagram. This holy, sleep can wait.



Pass PPC Main Media Center without any problems. I absolutely calmly passed to "clean zone" with cats. Unprecedented violation of the rules of civil defense.



Running on a rack of free tea, where Kuban beauties work tirelessly.



This is my personal locker where I leave you need to shoot stuff. Take out my laptop to fill shooting the previous day. How fortunate that I was not a news photographer and eliminating the need to carry around a laptop.



10.45 shake pictures, poschschu another instagram, drink tea with dryers.



In the media center constantly meet friends photographers, and sometimes the way from the table to the cabinet takes a good half hour. If before the opening of the Olympic Games is quite annoying, now sometimes have to interrupt the conversation in mid-sentence and run to the next shot. In the photo world-famous photographer Sergey Kivrin (center) and Andrei Golovanov (left) taken pictures for their main Olympic project - an album of sports emotions.



The press center can not be normal for lunch, the food in the main journalistic canteen is very oily and tasteless. Better to good old Mac. Dine at the computer, processing and recording simultaneously laying instagramki.



By 14 o'clock approached the scene Iceberg crammed to overflowing today as spectators and photographers Asian appearance. Koreans and Chinese - the main favorites of all disciplines short track. Viktor Antonov, a three-time Olympic champion, our best hope for gold - and newly blooded Korean Russian. Rooting for him furiously.



Rented short track, passing with tears during the final race in the 1000m men.







Ahn and Grigoriev - krasava, won gold and silver for Russia, and it was awesome!



Immediately after the final short track running away to shoot hockey Street. The clock 16.30, after a couple of seconds to start the battle of the Titans - Russia - USA. In the classification of Olympic competitions have so-called "competition heightened interest", which is necessary to obtain an additional ticket for photographers and press. For today's match was allocated only 10 tickets fotopozitsii, and given that all photographers from Russia 250, I catch here was nothing. The only thing that managed to get - a ticket to the space for the written press, with Simao is prohibited.



I decide to take fans to the Olympic Park, but just in case, make a call the photographer to be in this situation. It turns out that the place still there, and take something from them can, in general, on the joys of running into an ice arena in anticipation of an epic spectacle.



In the workroom photographers take special numbered, that allows me to shoot from the side hockey rink.



Yay! Time to the second period. Exit US team on the ice.



Rented match, do not forget to post instagramki breaks. Beside me sits an American photographer, too, and we in turn Orem "davaaaay !!!" when our go on the attack. I screamed so much that the next day sore throat. I'll never know, as we now go to a hockey game. Control himself during a match is absolutely impossible.















After the match, press chock stuffed in a bus plying the Olympic Park. Go to the media center. At 19.42 hours, the shooting is over for today.



With hockey driven high and mighty, so the empty 99% of the time Park Road forms a plug, because of which the road to the press center takes three times longer to complete. Evil is not enough for them.



Anticipating the laundry pick up shirt (wash and iron costs 150 rubles)



Gourmet dinner: Makovsky Caesar salad that can be tastier. At 20.53 hours. Shake pictures, supper, chat with photographers. Classic evening in the press center. About 22.30 Michael Mordasov fit, and together we will go home.



At the checkpoint station Olympic Park Update scenery: the police began posting lost "passports fans." Strange is not yet started hockey tournament, nothing like we have not met.



All fans have long razehali on hotels, sitting in a strange half-empty train. You can get some sleep for half an hour.



The clock midnight. Finally home!



Electrical Orientation meeting: do not forget to put in the necessary charging pribludy (two mobile phone, the battery from the camera, notebook).



1.15 on the clock, I took a shower and ready for another hour to work with photos. I fall asleep at 2:30. In this mode, I cut down before the head hits the pillow. Service put on 7.30. Tomorrow I have grand plans in the mountains.

Source: bigpicture.ru