Want to know what a Getty Images photographer takes to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

What’s in the bag? We interviewed Getty Images staff sports photographer Patrick Smith about the essential kit he will use to capture all the essential shots from the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The Olympics is a huge operation for Getty Images, which is the official photographer at the event and has been for the last 28 Games. 

A team of 140 photographers and editors will shoot and edit more than five million images from the Opening Ceremony on July 26 to the Closing Ceremony on August 11th. 60 editorial photographers will capture live coverage at all 38 Olympic competition venues around France and its territories (the Games is heading to Tahiti for surfing, the Seine being a bit lacking in waves); 24 commercial photographers will work capturing content for top sponsors and undertaking paid assignments across the events; and more than 40 editors will be live-editing remotely from Getty Images’ London office.

This will be the first time Getty Images is 100% remote editing the Olympic Games.

Pic: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Getty Images will have over 100,000 daily photo uploads from 30+ sports, ready-to-license and available in close to realtime. That can be as little as 30 seconds for priority moments. And, in case you were wondering, five million images equates to somewhere around 75 TB.

Oh, and by way of reference, ‘only’ two million images were captured at the Covid-delayed Tokyo 2020.

Ahead of Paris 2024, we spoke to one of Getty Images’ top sports photographers, Patrick Smith, about his work at huge occasions such as the Olympics. And, of course, we started with the question everyone wants to know; what’s in the bag?

Pic: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

RedShark: What are the essential bits of equipment you want with you when covering the Olympics?

Patrick Smith: The main answer is camera gear – lots of it! The essentials are three Canon R3 mirrorless camera bodies and an assortment of lenses, which include: 15-35mm, 24-70mm, 85mm, 135mm, 70-200mm, 100-300mm, and 400mm. This main rolling bag also houses memory cards, batteries, and other odd and ends that help us do our job effectively. Aside from gear, I have clothes, shoes, including waterproof shoes, and my running gear to try and get in some miles during an assignment in the early mornings. 

Pic: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

RS: What makes those items indispensable for you? 

PS: The camera gear is an extension of us. My job as a Staff Photographer at Getty Images is to document the historic, visual moments of the Olympics; to bring them to our customers and for viewers at home to see. In today's world that has become so ever increasing important that these visual moments are recorded truthfully and in a compelling manner. With advancements in technology, we are now implementing both remote and robotic cameras in the roofs and catwalks of venues, as well as underwater, places us photographers can’t physically be. This year, we will have 15 regular robotic cameras and two new proprietary underwater robotic cameras, which can be operated from the seats of venues or from our office at the MPC. The robotic itself has been upgraded which enables us to move the camera more fluidly, having infinite adjustability for speed and torque for various shooting conditions. There’s also almost zero lag from live camera view to operator, allowing operation like a handheld camera.

It takes more than just myself and these tools to have success—it's also hundreds of Getty Images staff on the ground in Paris, as well as those editing remotely all over the world that move us ahead of our competition.

RS: Do you require different camera and lens combinations for different sports? If so, why?

PS: I’ll be covering athletics, otherwise known as track and field, for a majority of the Paris Summer Games. Every day, every sport and every discipline requires a different vision through the camera. The main staples are a 24-70mm, 70-200mm, and a 400mm. From that, I’ll change what I need for the day to best help our team. As an example, if I am on the infield of the track, I am mobile and carrying much less gear to be able to carefully navigate the events. Whereas if I am in the head-on position, I am primarily using a long lens and working with a four to five remote camera setup just feet in front of my stationary position. The decisions on personnel in spots comes from months of preparation of looking at the disciplines, athletes, schedules, and strengths of our photographers on the team.

Pic: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

RS: What would you say the biggest challenge of the Olympics job is? 

PS: Staying fresh is the biggest challenge of the Olympics in more way than one. First, keeping the mind and body sound. The days and hours are long, and sleep is minimal. This goes for our entire operation, so it’s imperative to take it as a marathon and not a spirt. Conserving our energy and vision for the long haul of the Games is key.

RS: How many shots would you take in a day? 

PS: With cameras now shooting more than 30 frames per second, image numbers can rack up quite quickly. If we start counting remote cameras, we could easily be in the tens of thousands in one day. But we can average 5,000-10,000 pictures per day at athletics per photographer, in a team of 5 to 6. One can quickly add up those figures.

RS: What’s the workflow? How do you get the pics back to base?

PS: Our operations team plans years and months in advance of the Games to ensure our technology and infrastructure are set up throughout all venues. This allows us to easily connect all of our cameras to an Ethernet-based system so our cameras send content in real-time to our global team of editors. The editors leverage our proprietary cloud software to work around the clock where they can edit/caption from anywhere in the same system and ensure our speed to market is top notch. From the moment we capture an image, our clients have them in under a minute or faster, and in as little as 30 seconds during top priority moments!

RS: Any favorite sports to cover?

PS: I am very fortunate to cover a sport I love both in my personal and professional life: Athletics. Being an avid runner, it’s amazing to document the effortless, smooth and fast legs of the athletes I follow on a daily basis globally. Additionally, the sport is simply beautiful. The venues they compete in are typically historically aesthetic which makes for compelling imagery. Lastly, the emotions, much like all Olympic sports, are memorable and remain timeless. 

All of this always makes the Summer Games exciting, but as cliche as it may sound, it's getting to work in a massive operation during a major event that inspires me. Being a part of a team where everyone is pushing themselves as much as the athletes are in front of our lenses makes all of us better. That isn't something we often get to feel at home working solo in our respective cities. So, I make sure I enjoy the process and team environment to the fullest.

RS: What’s the favorite shot you’ve taken? 

PS: This will be my third straight Summer Olympic Games. Each of them has provided pictures that have both stuck with me personally and historically in time. From the last Olympic races of Usain Bolt in Rio to the stillness of a Covid-centered Tokyo Games, they have each provided images that are unforgettable. One of my favorites from Tokyo, was one from Sabre Fencing. This graphic, ghostly image was the result of taking a risk which always helps us at Getty Images stand out amongst our competitors. What I also love is looking for images of the obvious in a special, creative way. I am always trying to differentiate my coverage from the other photographers I am shoulder-to-shoulder with.

Sabre fencing from Tokyo. Pic: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

RS: Finally, what one thing would make your life easier? Has it even been invented yet?

This is a challenging question. I believe that camera manufacturers like Canon are always keeping us photographers progressing and advancing their tools that help us capture these stunning visual moments. In terms of being unrealistic, sometimes it feels like just a pill to swallow for meals, or being able to plug-in charge my body so that I can always feel fresh. But is is these and other challenges we face that make assignments like this memorable and once in a lifetime. 

Pic: Patrick Smith/Getty Images

tl;dr cheat sheet

• Getty Images will cover the Paris 2024 Olympics with a team of 140 photographers and editors
• The team will capture and edit over five million images during the event, three million more than from Tokyo 2020
• Patrick Smith will set forth with three Canon R3 mirrorless camera bodies and various lenses. The main staples are a 24-70mm, 70-200mm, and a 400mm
• 5000-10,000 pictures per day can be shot by each photographer at the athletics events
• The biggest challenge of the Olympics job is less technical and more staying fresh, both mentally and physically