Simone Biles runs with the flag after the United States wins gold during the gymnastics team competition in Barcy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
A light show on a rainy night from the Eiffel Tower illuminates the sky during opening ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Friday, July 26, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Hina Hayata of Japan competes against Yingsha Sun of Chinaduring a semifinal table tennis at the South Paris Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Friday, August 2, 2024. Yingsha Sun of China defeated Hina Hayata of Japan. 11-6,11-8, 11-8, 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Lebron James #6 of the United States makes faces toward the crowd after defeating France 98-87 to win a men’s gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Saturday, August 10, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Orrin Bizer #3 of the United States loses the football against France in the second half of a Rugby 7’s men’s pool c preliminary match at the Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. United States and France ended in a draw 12-12. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Bulgaria performs during the Rhythmic Gymnastics final in the Arena Porte de La Chapelle during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in La Chapelle on Saturday, August 10, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Megan Keith of Great Britain finishes in last place in the women’s 10,000m final during track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Friday, August 9, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
During track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Friday, August 9, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Sunday, August 4, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
of the United States of France in the second half of a men’s gold medal basketball game at Bercy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Saturday, August 10, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
A young Untied States fan cheers on Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng of the United States against Svenja Mueller and Ninja Tillmann of Germany in the first set of a women’s beach volleyball match at the Eiffel Tower Stadium during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Friday, August 2, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Cassandre Beaugrand of France wins gold and the women’s triathlon which consists of swimming, cycling and running in front of the Les Invalides at Pont Alexandre III during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Tara Davis-Woodhall of the United States reacts with Anna Cockrell of the United States after winning the women’s long jump and the gold medal during track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Thursday, August 8, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia reacts as she wins the women’s 100m final as She”carri Richardson, left, of the United States finished second for the silver medal and Melissa Jefferson of the United States finished third for the bronze medal during track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Saturday, August 3, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Thursday, August 8, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Katie Ledecky of the United States reacts after winning the women’s 1500 freestyle and the gold medal during the swimming competition at the Paris La Defense Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Nanterre, France on Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Simone Biles of the United States performs on the floor exercise and wins gold and the women’s gymnastics all-around and event finals in Barcy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Thursday, August 1, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Noah Lyles of the United States wins the men’s 100m dash and the gold medal ahead of Kishane Thompson, right, of Jamaica wins silver during track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Sunday, August 4, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Carson Tyler of the United States competes in the 3m springboard final at the Aquatics Centre during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Thursday, August 8, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Jordan Chiles of the United States competes on the floor exercise during the gymnastics team competition in Barcy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. United States won the gold medal. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
XXX of the United States in the xxx at the La Defense Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France on Saturday, July 27, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Sunday, August 4, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Simone Biles of the United States competes in the balance beam final in Barcy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Monday, August 5, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Kendall Ellis of the United States competes in the women’s 400m semi-final during track and field at Stade de France during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Nick Atkin, right, of the Untied States defeated Alex Tofalides of Cypress 15-10 during men’s individual foil at the Grand Palais during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Monday, July 29, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass receives the Olympic Flag during closing ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Saint-Denis on Sunday, August 11, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
The sunsets as Sara Hughes Kelly Cheng of the United States plays Svenja Mueller and Ninja Tillmann of Germany in a women’s beach volleyball match at the Eiffel Tower Stadium during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Friday, August 2, 2024. United States won in two straight 21-18, 21-18. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
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Simone Biles runs with the flag after the United States wins gold during the gymnastics team competition in Barcy Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Orange County Register/ SCNG)
In less than three weeks I was able to experience all that goes along with theOlympics, recording the moments of winning gold or the agony of defeat — and allthat comes in between.
It was truly a wonderful 17 days.
Welcome to Paris and the 2024 Summer Olympics.
I hit the ground running from day one, working mostly 15-hour days, walking a littlemore than 200 miles, coming out to about 440,000 steps. Most of those stepsseemed to be walking up or down stairs — and while carrying backpack — but it allwent by so fast and smooth.
My typical day started by mapping out my strategy.
I’d look at my assignment, then check the event schedule and their locations and would go from there.
I tried to get to at least two events, sometimes three, depending on their locations.
I would gather my gear and, if I had time, I would grab a little breakfast downstairs at the hotel.
Our hotel was great, especially when compared to the stories I heard from otherphotographers about their accommodations.
I had three convenient metro stations just outside of the hotel, and I was withinwalking distance to a couple of the venues. In most cases, it took two trains onaverage to get to where I needed to be.
From there, it was off to the media center at the specific venue, where I wouldcheck out a locker to store my equipment, check the daily schedule of events.
When it came to shooting the men’s and women’s 100 meters, for example, wehad to stake out our spots more than five hours in advance, as you can’t markspots ahead of time at the Olympics.
Once the events were finished, usually around 11:30 p.m., I would head back tothe venue’s media center, send a few more images, gather my gear and shuttle back to the main media center then metro back to hotel.
There were more than 2,000 photographers from across the world covering the Olympics.
Among my many wonderful memories will be when swimming spectators erupted with deafening cheers as French swimmer Leon Marchand won his first of four Gold Medals. And then there was the moment when American swimmer Katie Ledecky dominated the competition, winning gold in the 1,500-meter freestyle.
There was the beauty of Eiffel Tower Stadium, where beach volleyball playerswrote their own Olympic history in the shadow of the 137-year-old world famouslandmark.
Witnessing Simone Biles win gymnastics gold, or long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall and hurdles runner Anna embracing while wrapped in an American flag.
There was the experience of watching Great Britain’s Megan Keith, who finished last in the 10,000 meters, as she was carried home during the final lap by the cheers of 80,000 spectators. There were so many wonderful moments it’s hard to recall them all.
I loved being able to shoot next to some of the best sports photographers in the world, and seeing friends that I haven’t seen in a while. But the biggest moment for me was shooting a Pool C preliminary rugby match between the USA and France.
It was played two days prior to the Opening Ceremony. The significance? It meant that I made it to the Olympics.
I truly appreciate all of those that helped me cover such a remarkable event.
