CE
THE OLYMPIC
SUMMER GAMES
CYCLING PREVIEW
The photographer's hand and camera are visi-
ble in the bottom of this wide-angle paean to
speed (left). Four examples (below) of why ex-
perts call cyclists the "greatest athletes" of any
sport.
and appreciative of your attention. "But," he
cautions, "if someone has crashed, is dizzy or
hurt, be sensitive to them and know when to
back off."
Epperson also recommends using a wide
angle and a telephoto lens. This range, in
addition to the standard 50 mm that is typi-
cally supplied with a camera, covers you for a
variety of photo possibilities.
All three of our experts suggest developing
familiarity with your equipment. Use your
camera often. Practice holding the camera
with the same hand that hits the shutter but-
ton, while the other hand manipulates the
focus ring on the lens. When these actions
become second nature, you'll be ready to
grab spontaneous shots, to focus, pan and
shoot in a single motion as a cyclist blurs by
at 64 miles per hour. Whether you're on the
scene at the Coors Classic this coming uly
or at any other action-filled evnt, these are
the techniques by which you can document
great athletic performances.
hits the shutter button and pans the camera
with the action of the cyclist. This produces a
shot wherein the racer is in tight focus but
the stationary objects behind - spectators
and scenery - are blurred, emphasizing the
feeling of speed.
David Epperson, senior photographer for
Bicycle Sport magazine, goes for the human
side of sports photography. From his home
base in Corona Del Mar, California, Epperson
shoots windsurfing and surfing, too, but his
favorite is cycling.
"I like the emotional end of bike racing be-
cause an emotional photo can really tell the
story," Epperson says. "It doesn't have to be
a shot on the course to be good. I like to
hunt around, go around the course and see
what's happening, even just follow a cyclist
until he does something.
"I like to take photos of the racers being
comforted by their wives of girlfriends after a
race. Also, when they are cleaning up or cool-
ing off by pouring water from their water bot-
tles over their faces. That kind of thing makes
good photos."
Epperson suggests using common sense
when approaching racers after an event.
Usually, they will be friendly, approachable
Dynasty Star Behind the Camera
PAMELA BELLWOOD
BY B I L L B R A U N S T E I N
T elevision viewers know her as Claudia studio since 7 a.m., and having finished for
Blaisdel, the resident crazy on ABC-TV's the day, will soon return to her stylish house
nighttime soap Dynasty, but actress some fifteen minutes north in the Hollywood
Pamela Bellwood lives Hills.
a secret life when not A self-confessed travel
performing before the junkie, the brown-haired,
cameras. She likes to green-eyed Bellwood
work behind them. Bell- found she was able to
wood is a professional pursue a few of her h ob-
photographer whose work bies whenever she was on
has appeared in several leave from Dynasty -
American magazines. She namely, writing, photog-
has also published arti- raphy and a high sense of
cles and photographs adventure. Her assign-
throughout Europe and ments have taken her
much of the world, work- to the World Cup Soc-
ing for a French press cer Match in Argentina,
syndicate. Northern Kenya to cover
Bellwood, sitting in her rhinoceros poaching, river
tiny dressing room on the second floor of rafting in Thailand, plus excursions to Hong
Stage 4 at Warner Bros. studio in Hollywood, Kong and the Philippines.
munches a sandwich - a sparse lunch - as "I've always loved to write," says Bellwood,
she spreads color and black-and-white prints who has no formal training as a journalist,
on a couch for a guest. She has been at the "and I started writing much earlier than my
6 " sprin g 191 84 break
Bellwood, who considers travel and photogra-
phy "an idyllic existence," captured these
memorable images from trips around the
world: an African tribeswoman (left), an Asian
family (above), and two smiling lapanese
women (right).
getting involved in photography. I've only
been involved with photography now for
about five or six years. It just evolved
because, throughout my travels, I would see
a lot of things that I would want to capture."
And like most free-lance writers, Bellwood
also learned that it didn't hurt to be able to
take photos of a story that you were covering.
Another thing that didn't hurt was having
well-respected British photo-journalist Nik
Wheeler for a boyfriend. Wheeler - who
among other things was a Vietnam combat
photographer for UPI - has had his photo-
graphs published in books as well as in Life,
Time, Newsweek and National Geographic. His
work has taken him all over the world, to
places like China, the Himalayas and Iraq. It
was Wheeler, naturally, who pushed
Bellwood to develop her skills.
"Many times when we would travel
together, me on assignment and him doing
the photographs, I would turn to him and
say, 'Oh, darling, please shoot that,"' says
Bellwood:."Nik would simply say, 'Why not
get a camera and shoot it yourself?' "
By studying Wheeler's pictures, and by
using a camera at every free opportunity,
Bellwood was eventually able to develop a
keen eye, as the photos seen here will attest.
"I certainly can't compete with the caliber of
Nik's work, but being with him is a very good
learning experience. By seeing the things
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