Page 10 - 2017 Year In Review

the venue where the world was introduced to the bikini in 1946 and more recently when it was featured
in the film, “The Life of Pi.” Artistic image of 11 year old Mary Hoerger, 1935 US National Diving
Champion. The names of the photographers have been lost to history.

The Legends of Sports Photography

Hans Ertl

A pivotal moment in the history of sports photography came when Leni
Riefenstahl was selected by Adolph Hitler to make the official film of the
1936 Olympic Games. It was remarkable for a woman in her day to oversee a
production like this and it was her passion and determination that inspired her
crew of over 40 expert cameramen to be innovative, creative and to cover every
event from every possible angle.

Now while Riefenstahl
gets the well deserved
credit for Olympia, (her
film of the 1936 Summer
Games), the most artistic
and innovative angles,
many of which are used
today, came from her
collaboration with her chief
cameraman, Hans Ertl.

Ertl had been an expert mountaineer and mountain guide who had
become fascinated with filmmaking after working on a film as a stunt
actor. He taught himself the principles of photography and began to work
as an assistant cameraman. He was a workaholic, extremely ambitious
and soon developed his own creative and innovative techniques.

To capture unique perspectives on diving, Ertl
shot athletes from all angles. From a ladder atop
the 10m diving platform, up from water level,
and from under the surface of the water. He
built a special underwater housing that enabled
him to adjust the focus and exposure for above
and below the water scenes. With this camera in
hand, he would climb onto the high board, focus
his lens, and dive with the diver and adjust the
focus and exposure while he continued filming
as they dipped into the water together. He also
utilized a rubber raft that was pulled backward
while swimmers swam toward him, or alongside
him while he filmed them.

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