Olympics Photographer Talks Canon R1, Sony a9 III, and More | The PetaPixel Podcast

Aug 29, 2024

Photographer Leah Hennel is an award-winning photojournalist who has been on the ground at Olympic events for the past 10 years. She just returned from Paris after covering the 2024 Summer Olympics and chats with The PetaPixel Podcast team about process, strategy, the day-to-day experience, and — of course — gear.

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A beach volleyball match is taking place at a packed, brightly lit stadium with the Eiffel Tower prominently illuminated in the background against a partially cloudy, sunset sky. The scene is lively with spectators watching the game.

Based out of Calgary, Alberta, Hennel’s work spans multiple genres, from documentary and portraiture to sports. She’s worked for more than 20 years for daily newspapers in Calgary and has covered two Paralympic Games (Sochi and Rio) and the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games for Postmedia.

She was also at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games, Beijing 2022 Winter Games, and the Paris 2024 Summer games for the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Black and white image of multiple female athletes running a race. The photo captures the motion with a blur effect, emphasizing the speed and movement of the runners. The background is indistinct, focusing attention on the competitors.

A cyclist competes alone on a velodrome track with the audience watching from the stands. The background features banners for "Santiago 2023" and "Panam Sports". The scene is captured in dramatic black and white lighting, with shadows cast across the track.

A beach volleyball player in a red sports outfit, marked with "1 CAN," dives into the sand to hit the ball with one hand. The player is wearing red sunglasses and a visor, with an intense expression on their face. The background has a blue and white design.

Her work appears in publications around the world, such as the Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Maclean’s, Canadian Geographic, Postmedia, The Narwhal, Getty Images, Reuters and CBC. Hennel has also published two photography books in Along the Western Front and Alone Together: A Pandemic Photo Essay.

A sprinter wearing a colorful uniform bursts out of the starting blocks on a track during a race. The stadium is filled with spectators, and a scoreboard and lights are visible against a backdrop of blue sky and clouds.

Women rowers in boats celebrate enthusiastically after a competition. Two women in white and red uniforms embrace in joy, while others react exuberantly, splashing water around. The image captures the intense emotions and camaraderie following a challenging race.

A breaking competition takes place on a circular stage under a white canopy with the Paris 2024 Olympics logo. Spectators surround the stage, watching as two breakdancers compete. Large screens display the event details and judges are seated at a table behind the dancers.

A black and white image of two athletes on a track. The athlete on the left wears a bib with the name "Cheptegei" and "Uganda". The other runner, partly obscured, has his arm around Cheptegei's shoulder as they both move forward, smiling.

A female athlete, wearing a uniform with the name "Rogers" on the back, is celebrating with her supporters in the stands of a stadium. The supporters look excited and are cheering energetically, with one person raising their fist in the air. The stadium is filled with spectators.

Hennel joins The PetaPixel Podcast to explain how her 2024 Olympics experience went, how she approached the photos she captured, what gear she chose to use (and why), and even shares her thoughts on Canon’s new R1 as well as Sony’s a9 III — two of the newest sports-focused cameras to enter the market heading into this summer’s Olympics.

Black and white image of five athletes running in a track race. They appear to be in mid-stride with focused expressions. The motion blur emphasizes their speed and intensity. The background is blurry, drawing attention to the runners.

Black-and-white photo of two fencers competing in a large, ornate indoor venue with a high arched glass ceiling. The audience fills the seating area, while the foreground captures the intense duel between the fencers. The architecture is grand and symmetrical.

Black and white image of two fencing athletes in an intense match. Both wear protective gear and visors. One fencer lunges forward with outstretched arm, while the other parries. The background is a blurred crowd, highlighting the motion and speed of their actions.

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