High School Seniors + Sports


Q&A: Lighting Dynamic Olympic Sports Portraits On the Fly

April 6, 2018

By Jacqueline Tobin

Photo © Kevin Jairaj

Team USA Gold Medal-winning cross-country skier Jessie Diggins was lit with a 4 x 6 softbox for the main light, two strip lights in the back for rim lights and a reflector in the front for fill.

When it comes to lighting sports portraits and events, Kevin Jairaj achieves various looks in minutes so that both he and the subject don’t get bored. He believes in lighting that shows both highlights and shadows, and as he puts it, “in this environment, taking too long is not an option.” Fresh off the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in February, he took time out to answer our questions.

Photo © Kevin Jairaj

Jacqueline Tobin: How do you get that “pretty” light you are known for on your studio portraits?

Kevin Jairaj: I absolutely swear by my Profoto lights. With them, I know that every exposure will be consistent and the color won’t change like with other strobes. I also love using their modifiers like the white beauty dish, their large softboxes, umbrellas and various grids to get the looks that I want.

JT: Is there any particular lighting style that you prefer?

KJ: I do lots of lighting variations depending on the look I am going for, but I am a big fan of Rembrandt-style lighting for most subjects as I find it to be the most flattering.

Team USA Gold Medal snowboarder Chloe Kim. “By using my Profoto B1 wireless strobes,” Jairaj says, “I get very fast recycle times and great motion captured.” Photo © Kevin Jairaj

JT: The Olympic portraits you shot last May for media packages have a very creative look to them. What went into those setups?

KJ: These portraits were taken at the Olympic Media Summit in Park City, Utah, last May. It’s where all of the media from around the country gather to interview the Olympians to get the stories that ran with the news and TV packages. We only had about 15 to 20 minutes with each athlete because their schedules were jam- packed! Luckily, I have learned how to light and shoot very fast over the years. I worked extensively with the folks at Baby Dream Backdrops to come up with ideas and backgrounds for these sessions. I also did extensive testing with the Profoto lights and backgrounds to make sure the sets all worked well. We added in a California SunBounce reflector for some fill light as well when we needed it.

JT: Shooting back-to-back high-profile events like the Winter Olympics and the Super Bowl that you shot before going to PyeongChang must be super intense. What’s your must-have gear for these types of fast-paced shoots?

KJ: I pack pretty much everything! I usually have two or three Canon 1D X Mark II bodies, lots of extra batteries and about six lenses, ranging from a long 400mm or 200-400mm to a 70-200mm, 24-105mm, 11-24mm, and a 15mm fisheye. I also pack lots of memory cards and remote camera equipment like PocketWizards and cables. I pack a Magic Arm or mini tripod in case a situation arises to place a remote camera somewhere.  Everything goes in a ThinkTank International roller bag and my backpack so that it’s all carried onto the plane.

An in-camera multiple exposure of Great Britain Olympian Laura Deas competing in the ladies skeleton event. “Since these racers get up to 90 mph, I had to really get my shutter speed up. I shot this at 14mm at 1/5000th and ISO 6400, and I used the multiple-exposure option in the camera to take five exposures as she came into view.” opposite page, bottom: Matt Mortensen and Jayson Terdiman of Team USA Doubles Luge. Photo © Kevin Jairaj for USA Today Sports Images

JT: Is there a format or foundation you put in place ahead of time?

KJ: Since a lot of these winter sports were new to me, I tried to study the rules and learn as much as I could through YouTube or elsewhere online so that I could have an idea of how to cover each event best. If I knew that I would be in a certain spot, then I would try to think of all the scenarios that needed to be captured from that spot.

JT: Who are you shooting for when you go to the Super Bowl, National Championship or Olympics?

KJ: I have a direct contract with the College Football Playoff as their official photographer for the National Championship, and I hire a full team to work for me on that. For the Olympics and Super Bowl, I work for USA Today Sports.

The Korean “Iron Man” Sungbin Yun competes in the skeleton event during the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. “This is all available light since it is during competition,” Jairaj notes. “I was using a 600mm lens with a 1.4 converter to really compress the background. My shutter was 1/1250th at f/5.6 and ISO 3200.” Photo © Kevin Jairaj for USA Today Sports Images

JT: Are you always working with natural light at these events?

KJ: Yes. Flash photography is not allowed, so I must work with the light that is around me. It could be inside venue lighting or outside sun.  As a professional, it’s my job to make great photos in any lighting situation.

JT: What’s your favorite part of shooting the Olympics and how many have you covered?

KJ: This was my third Olympic games, and the best part for me is capturing all of the raw emotions. These athletes work all of their lives for one moment, and it’s a joy and privilege to be able to photograph both the elation and dejection that is the basic essence of sports.

Photo © Kevin Jairaj

JT: Tell us about a time you were met with a lighting situation that was challenging. How did you solve it?

KJ: I have had a few instances where I was expecting an athlete to come in for a photo shoot but instead of coming in alone, they came in with a teammate or coach. Never one to turn down a great opportunity for a story, I will sometimes have to think fast and add an extra light or use two grids to light both athletes together. Luckily, I have a couple extra lights ready behind me should such instances arise. This happened with the Team USA Doubles Luge team of Matt Mortensen and Jayson Terdiman. By using only two strip boxes to light these guys, I was able to create more of a dramatic mood.

JT: With these athlete portraits, is there a recipe you always follow?

KJ: It depends on the storyline that USA Today wants. Beyond that, I always try to get some power poses, some happy and light-hearted ones, and some casual ones to cover the gamut.

Related: Reporting From Rio: Tips For Shooting At High-Profile Events