I have been racing in nearly all distances of triathlons over the last few years. In the world of sports, Ironman™ is known as the most difficult single-day sporting event in the world.

Ironman racing demands a huge amount of training and competing. As you compete you quickly see some of the professionals as well as the ‘legendary’ triathletes at various races. It doesn’t take long to see the ‘stars’.

We’ve been lucky enough to capture several world-renowned athletes in the pictures. I must confess, however, that my wife Deb is the ‘photo expert’ and that most of these pictures were taken by her.

But before you start taking those pictures did you know that our Stay Focused Press guide helps you shoot that special moment, that ‘just-right’ angle with the correct settings for you DSLR camera. As amateur photographers we have had to brush up on our camera’s myriad features countless times; by using our own Stay Focused Guides. We write them; we publish them; we use them ourselves. Go to stayfocusedpress.com and look for the guide for your particular camera.

So take advantage of opportunity. Keep you eyes open and your camera close by. To see more celebrity photos please visit the Stay Focused Gallery.

Pro Chris MacDonald and Us

Ironman Hall of Fame  Greg Welch

3x Ironman World Champion MS Wellington

Pro Iroman Andy Potts (U of M)

Ironman Florida Women’s Winner

Ms Chrissie Wellington – World Champion

Written by Jim Oldfield, Jr.

Paparazzi or Not?

Is there anyone out there who’s curious about celebrities?

I’ve been taking pictures since the 1960’s. During these 50 or so years, I’ve taken a fair number of pictures of celebrities. No, you shouldn’t think that I’m a a member of the paparazzi. Instead, think of me as an opportunist with a camera.

People who’ve known me for a while also know that I usually have a camera close by. It’s not usually a paparazzi size-camera since a compact camera is much more convenient to take along. But by having a camera always on hand, I’m able to take advantage of some of the opportunities that seem to just pop up.

Here’s a few photos that have come my way – owing to luck and a handy camera.

 

Elston Howard – 1963. As a youngster I took every opportunity to root for my team at Yankee Stadium. Elston was a fine gentleman.

Sigfried Fischbacher – 2003. My son and daughter stopped to chat with Sigfried (Sigfried and Roy) outside of Caesar’s Palace.

Gordie Howe – 1964. Gordie had a school in St Clair Shores where he would impart his tremendous skills to young hockey players.

Mohammed Ali – 1999. Paul was seated next to the Greatest on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles. He graciously stood up for this photo.

Wolfgang Puck – 2008. The famous chef was greeting customers in his Chinois on Main restaurant in Santa Monica

 
Take advantage of opportunity. Keep you eyes open and your camera close by. To see more celebrity photos please visit the Stay Focused Gallery.

 
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At times when I’m on the job, I dutifully carry a camera and accessories so that I am ready for the shoot.

Most often though, when I’m off the clock, I leave the photo equipment behind. One incident from 1989, changed this habit. I was in West Berlin in early November of that year. To the surprise of much of the world, the East Germans started to dismantle the infamous Berlin Wall. At this historic time, I was regretfully camera-less.

This lesson nudged me from this time forward to carry a small camera so that I wouldn’t miss those “once in a lifetime” photo opportunities.
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