national day tribute how to get a satisfying marathon photo

A marathon is not just about running; it's a showcase for oneself. It's a way to get to know yourself better, to rediscover familiar places, to freshly perceive unfamiliar ones, to occasionally meet interesting souls, and to find self-discovery. True running makes us face ourselves, feel the world, and find our place in it. You'll never know your potential or how graceful you can be until you run, especially when a photographer captures those brilliant moments. At that moment, you are the king.

Every time a runner passes by my lens and I fail to capture a satisfactory photo for various reasons, I feel particularly regretful. The regret stems from the fact that a race might only offer one chance; if you miss it, it's gone. Taking good photos is the responsibility of all race photographers, and getting a perfect marathon photo is every runner's expectation. Without photographers, what's the point of running a marathon?

How can you get a breathtakingly satisfactory photo during a marathon? I've searched this question online many times and read many articles, each with its own focus and subjective guesses. Some might have just volunteered for a few events and then casually shared their thoughts, which can be very misleading. As a photographer who has shot many marathons, I feel it's necessary to explain from various angles how to correctly get a satisfactory marathon photo.

Most people find that while they can take beautiful selfies or cool photos with their phones, on the race track, these so-called professional cameras make them look like refugees. Their expressions are either grimacing or their actions distorted; fair-skinned beauties are photographed as special guest black athletes, legs that were originally 1.8 meters long now make the whole person look less than 1.3 meters; a delicate southern belle now looks like a beast from Kenya. It's so bad that people don't even want to download the photos for free; they might even want to pay the company to delete them.

Why is this?

Let's first analyze from the photographer's perspective.

Many photographers on the race track are part-timers. Some event organizers, to save money or for various reasons, do not invite professional photography companies to take photos of the runners but instead cooperate with local photography associations and recruit volunteer photographers. Many of these so-called photography association teachers and enthusiasts rarely have the opportunity to shoot such events and often consider themselves masters. So, I won't elaborate further; seeing the photos, everyone understands.

What makes a qualified marathon photographer? First, the photographer must truly understand the basic principles of composition, not just enjoy pressing the shutter. Second, the photographer must genuinely love sports, not be completely ignorant of them. Lastly, the photographer must have professional ethics. Meeting these three criteria is just the foundation for taking good marathon photos; it takes shooting more than 10 events to become an excellent race photographer.

When a photographer stands by the race track, they should know what they are there to do. If they are shooting while playing around, they are definitely not a good photographer. They must always pay attention to everything that might happen on the track. Good photos are not taken by chance but are selected from a large number of shots. When deeply immersed in shooting, eating, drinking, and other needs are often ignored, similar to the feeling of getting into the zone while running; hours pass by unnoticed.

Choosing the right spot is also very important. The start and finish lines are naturally great places to shoot, capturing many touching moments and covering all runners to the greatest extent. The choice of spots within the track depends on the track itself. Around 15 kilometers, 20 kilometers, 35 kilometers, and from 40 kilometers to the finish line are common spot ranges. These spots are either convenient for moving around or because the distance between runners has widened, making it easier to capture individual photos. Turnaround points and corners are also favorites for many photographers.

Where can you find such photographers? Contact me; I have many such friends.

Next, let's analyze from the runner's perspective.

Some articles suggest wearing bizarre outfits to attract photographers. Sorry, that's not the case. Those are mostly for news articles. If it's not for news, then it's what spectators and amateur photographers love the most. Especially some merchant's Monkey King, who loves to show off in front of the camera; sorry, I won't take a single shot. Most runners are there to run seriously; how can you run well in a cassock or dragon robe?

Other articles suggest not wearing the official race attire because it's not eye-catching. Sorry, that's not true either. In every race, most runners wear the race attire, and this does not affect any photography. Photographers who claim it affects their shots probably can't take many photos anyway because they only have eyes for bizarre outfits, so there's no need to pay attention to them.

Some articles also suggest being as exaggerated as possible. Sorry, that's not the case either. No matter how exaggerated you are, a real photographer won't waste much time on you; only those spectators who love a spectacle will. Not only will you not get any photos, but you'll also waste unnecessary energy.

The most burdensome situation is when spectators and casual photographers keep shouting, 'Jump, jump!' Unless you've agreed with a familiar photographer, no serious photographer will shout that. Especially near the finish line, jumping might cause cramps, which is very common.

Runners should wear their favorite, most comfortable clothes, bring the coolest gear, and run confidently and joyfully on the track, interacting with spectators appropriately without overexerting themselves.

Runners should have basic photography knowledge. It's simple: the smaller and shorter the lens, the closer the shooting distance; these lenses are mostly black. The larger, longer, and thicker the lens, the farther the shooting distance; these lenses are mostly white. You can roar close to the black lenses, but never approach the white ones. White lenses have a shooting range of over 10 meters, and fixed-focus super lenses often have a range of over 20 meters. If you get close to a white lens, the photographer will be helpless and might just tell you they got the shot when they didn't, or they might only capture parts of you.

The image above shows common black mid-range lenses.

The image above shows common white lenses and veteran photographer Tommy.

The image above shows a photographer with a large lens and veteran photographer 'Wind from the Prairie.'

Most importantly, you need to know which organization is taking your photos and how to get them. Many people finish the race and realize they don't know where to find their photos, despite being photographed by many photographers. Many roadside photographers are just shooting for fun. You might have wasted your effort, even risking cramps by jumping several times, only to find you don't know where the photos are.

Finally, let's talk about how runners and photographers can cooperate.

Taking a good marathon photo is the result of cooperation between the runner and the photographer. Photographers' skills vary, but if runners follow these points, they can generally get a few satisfactory photos. First, know roughly where the photographers are. Photographers are usually not allowed in the middle of the track. So, if you run on the inside of the track, it's hard to be photographed. Photographers usually stay on the sides of the track, so running close to the spectators is key to getting good photos.

1. At the starting point, how to get photographed: stick to the sides. There are usually photographers on both sides of the track. As shown in the image below, over 90% of people won't get a photo of their start.

2. The first corner after the start is a favorite spot for many photographers. For example, in Beijing, Nanjing, Xiamen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc., there's a turn shortly after the start. Running on the outer circle or close to the sides gives you a high chance of being photographed; running in the middle of the track won't get you photographed.

3. The same principle applies to the rest of the track. In some races, official photographers can enter the track, making it easier to take photos. The principle is that if you can see the photographer clearly, the photographer can see you clearly. Based on this principle, when you see photographers ahead, if conditions allow, create some distance between you and the runners around you. Don't closely follow the runner in front of you, as this will result in partially obscured photos. In major races like those in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xiamen, the track is crowded, so stick to the sides and the outer track; otherwise, it's up to luck. As shown in the image below, the female runner behind won't get photographed, and the others are too close together, resulting in group photos.

4. If you want a photo with a landmark building in the background, like running past Tiananmen Square, you need to be on the correct side. As shown in the image below, at least 95% of people won't get such a photo. Besides sticking to the sides, you need to be between the building and the photographer. This is the prerequisite for all landmark background photos. That's why I post location tips in my social media updates, including which side to run on.

5. If not necessary, don't stay too close to pacers. Especially in major races, pacers are surrounded by runners, making it almost impossible for photographers to take photos. In the Shanghai Marathon, whenever I saw a large group of people, I knew the pacer was there, and I could take a break because it's impossible to shoot. Even when there are fewer people, it's best to stay away from pacers. The image below shows why.

6. After following the above points, consider your actions and expressions. I've written a separate article on actions. Here are some common poses:

More poses are waiting for you to unlock.

7. A special reminder: photographers usually only give you about one second, so there's no need to run towards the camera from 20 meters away. This will block other runners behind you. Just give the photographer two seconds at most, and let others have their turn. Think about it; next time, you might be the runner behind. As shown in the image below, the front runners have blocked those behind, and getting closer will only result in a photo of your bib number.

8. Tips for group photos: the worst thing is when friends hold hands and spread out too far. A group photo means being together; the closer, the better. As shown in the image below, it's not aesthetically pleasing. A good group photo means being close together, like the couple in the image below.

9. Other things to note: avoid taking photos near supply points, as they are usually chaotic. If you're in poor condition, you can use the above principles in reverse to avoid being photographed. The best way to get good photos is to arrange with a photographer in advance, know where they will be, and be prepared to get a beautiful photo as a keepsake.

10. Do you think it's over? No, no, no. You still don't know what a complete set of marathon photos looks like. Don't look at those who have run dozens or hundreds of marathons; they don't have a complete set either. I haven't even collected a full set yet. When I do, I'll share it with you. I believe it's like collecting stamps; the process of collecting, the surprises, the disappointments, and the occasional finds make for the perfect marathon experience.