Unfortunately, with sports photography, a lot depends on your access to a suitable shooting spot. At the big regional and state level swimming and athletics meets, access to track-side or pool-side is restricted here to a professional photography company (ImagesWithAttitude) and media photographers. So as an amateur I'm limited to the locations I can shoot from. Since I can usually shoot from a good position at smaller meets (district and lower levels), it's not too bad, but sometimes it really hurts.
On 15 Dec 2012 I was at the Qld State Athletics Facility, Nathan, Brisbane (smaller facility on the left in this map:
State Athletics Facility, Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD - Google Maps) for the Queensland IGA State Relays because my son had done well enough at lower levels to qualify for the State Relays U11 Long Jump & Discus team events. It was announced over the PA that the famous athlete, Sally Pearson, 2011 World Champ and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 100m Women's Hurdles (
Sally Pearson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), was going to be running in the Open Class 4x400m Relay as part of the Gold Coast Victory Club.
The crowd cheered wildly when she was running. Her team won and she was very fast in her leg. Afterwards she spent over an hour signing autographs for vast numbers of young athletes.
I was at the outer railing near the finish line, jostling with lots of others. In front there were plenty of officials, marques, equipment and other fences, as well as competitors who were competing in other events. Anyway, in between people or things getting in the way, I managed to get some shots of her receiving the baton, running and passing on the baton. Equipment was K-5 & Sigma 70-200/F2.8 II.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/32glt3sh8fbx4fe/VkjR533U5h
I've never seen muscles on a woman like I've seen in some of these shots.
Dan.