This is one of my favourite images taken from the recent Rotherham Qualifier.
The team I was covering, Phoenix Performance, were going through their warm up sets prior to the Friday flights starting. This is the best time for a photographer to try some different perspectives and techniques. Move away from getting the stock ‘safe’ image and try something else!
The lifter is Sibghat Ullah (Sibby to us all) running through his pre-competition squat routine. Sibby always likes a different image so I decided to put the the super wide angle 17-40mm lens and get low down to the lifter. With a full framed DSLR (which the Canon 1DX mkII is) it makes for a very dynamic wide angle.
I tried to capture Sibby just at the moment he is putting the full exertion into pushing up from the bottom of his squat. The hustle and bustle around him makes the image a bit more dynamic as you can feel the atmosphere from the lifters before they take to the platform. The super low and wide shot, framed by the squat rack leads your eye from Sibby’s feet up to his face, making you wan to to ‘see and feel’ the effort he is putting into the squat.
Check out Sibbys Instagram account @fitclubofficial__
How was it taken?
Date : 21st May 2021
Photographer : Mark Sims
Location : Ultraflex Gym, Rotherham,
Camera : Canon 1DX mkii
Lens : 17-40mm L series
Shutter speed : 1/200 second
Aperture : f11
ISO 12800
