As I prepare to fly to my 15th Olympic Games 2022 Winter in Beijing, I have had time to reflect on the changes from my first games in Sarajevo (then Yugoslavia) 1984 to now.  Over those 38 years and 15 Olympic Games, so much has changed, including the transition to all digital beginning with the 1996 Games in Atlanta.  

Early in 2017, I made a second big jump in technology in my career (the first was switching to all digital photography) and switched to Sony mirrorless a9 cameras. Sony has been relentless in developing its cameras and lenses in the past five years, making smaller, lighter, and faster professional cameras. 

Today my Sony cameras can shoot 50-megapixel digital images at thirty frames per second, all while autofocus tracking a subject’s eye.  I jokingly tell people the Sony mirrorless cameras have extended my professional career. I can let Sony look after the complex technical tasks of photography, leaving me to concentrate on the creative aspects.

But covering any Olympics has always been a blend of travel, technology, and logistic hurdles to be overcome.

Beyond the cameras and lenses, I will carry to these games, one of the significant changes we deal with is Covid-19 and the complexities it brings – including storytelling and visual complexities.

The Beijing Olympics will be held without fans, as was the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The silent stadiums make it difficult for the athletes to compete without the cheers of fans; it’s also tricky for photographers who search for exciting backgrounds in empty stadiums.

Here is my gear list for covering the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.  This includes a collection of bodies and fast lenses of varying focal lengths for both handheld and remote cameras.  

5 – Sony Alpha 1 camera bodies (two used as remote cameras))
2 – Sony a9ii camera bodies (used as remote cameras)
1 – Sony 12-24mm f2.8
1 – Sony 14mm f1.8
1 – Sony 24mm f1.4
1 – Sony 35mm f1.4
2- Sony 24-70mm f2.8 (one used on remote cameras)
1 – Sony 50mm f1.2
2 – Sony 135mm f1.8 (one used on remote cameras)
2 – Sony 70-200 f2.8 MKII (one used on remote cameras)
2 – Sony 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 (one used on remote cameras)
1 – Sony 400mm f2.8
1 – Sony 600mm f4
1 – 50mm Tilt-Shift Lens
2 – Sony 14TC
2 – Sony 20TC

Plus triggering systems from Rocosoft, Pocket Wizard, and networking equipment. 

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